The document summarizes research on the on-the-job training experiences of new instruction librarians. It discusses a previous survey of 310 recent LIS graduates that found they were generally dissatisfied with the training received. This study follows up with 25 interviews that found most librarians received little training and were only somewhat confident in their instruction abilities, especially maintaining student interest. It also surveys 112 administrators, finding a disconnect from librarians' reports of limited training opportunities. The conclusions call for more structured training environments and improved preparation in LIS programs.

1. Claire Walker
Cumberland University
Coursework, Conferences,
and the Classroom:
On-the-job Training
for New IL Practitioners
Amanda Click
The American University in Cairo

2. Previous Research
• 27 question survey conducted in Fall 2008
• 310 responses from librarians who graduated from LIS
graduate programs between 2003 and 2008
• Main Conclusions:
Graduate School
o Offer instruction courses regularly
o Increase awareness of the importance of training
On-the-Job
o Evaluation is key to confidence and improvement
o Asynchronous and inexpensive online training
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3. Overview of Current Study
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• Fall 2009
• Focus on the on-the-job
training aspect
• Follow-up interviews with new
librarians who responded
to the previous survey
• Survey of library administrators

4. Method – Librarian Interviews
• 52 original respondents invited to participate
• 25 interviews conducted
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5. Results – Satisfaction with Training
• Generally dissatisfied
• 60% experienced no changes in training
during the past year
• 24% receive very little training
• 20% reported some changes
• 20% were more satisfied with training during
the past year
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6. “Even though I still want to work on my
instruction skills and find new and better ways
to do instruction, the informal feedback from
instructors has increased my confidence so
that needing formal feedback on my instruction
skills is still highly valued but not as urgently
needed as when I first started.”
“...it's essential to keep learning,
growing, and trying new things in
order to keep from stagnating.”
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7. Results – Training Activities
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8. “The only instruction training that I've had this year
is following listservs and viewing some of the links
and sources recommended. Not surprisingly
professional development was cut to save money.”
“I'm still going to conferences like ALA
Annual and Midwinter...When I go to
conferences, though, I do seek out sessions
on instruction more than any other topic.”
“I conducted and informal 'summer salon'
for discussing instruction last summer
which I think was helpful.”
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9. Results – Confidence
• 20% stated that they were ‘confident’ or ‘very
confident’ with instruction abilities
• 44% were ‘somewhat confident’
• Most confident with developing lesson plans
and teaching materials
• Least confident with developing and
maintaining student interest and involvement
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10. “My presentation skills are by far what help me 'survive and
thrive' as I draw upon my skills as a former teacher and
storyteller to create realistic research scenarios with typical
problems seachers encounter.”
“If most of them [students] are hostile or
bored, I usually blame myself for not
being able to make the instruction
session interesting or relevant.”
“I am most confident with my ability to
set relevant learning goals for a session,
and to create and lead activities which
teach students the skills required to
meet these goals.” 10

11. Advice from the Instruction Librarians
• Observation and peer
evaluation
• Mentor for support and
feedback
• Instruction coursework
during graduate school
• Practice, practice, practice
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12. “I am really glad I did take a course in
instructional strategies while completing my
MLIS [Master of Library and Information
Science]. I think a course like that should
be mandatory for all library students since
most librarians have some sort of
instructional duties.”
“I think a trusting mentoring relationship between and
instruction librarian with at least two years' experience and
a new instruction librarian would be an ideal way to allow
for structured training, both formal and informal, in a way
that is non-threatening and supportive.”
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13. Method – Administrator Survey
• 11 question survey
• Distributed on listservs
• 112 responses
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14. Results – Availability of Training
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In-house Training
• 86% provide in-house training
• Most common are observation and feedback
• Disconnect with what new librarians reported
Outside Training
• 92% support attending workshops or conferences
• Over 80% support both online courses and reading the
literature

15. Results – Barriers
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16. Results – Perspectives on New Librarians
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Areas for Improvement:
• 47% Preparing a lesson
• 34% Speaking in front of a group
• 37 % Familiarity with concepts and lesson content
• Other areas include time management,
determining student needs, and knowledge of
pedagogy

17. Results – Training Activities
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18. Results – LIS Graduate Programs
87% of administrators
report that they did
not think graduate
programs adequately
prepare librarians to
teach.
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19. 19
“The greatest challenge is how to truly integrate
information literacy throughout the curriculum”
“Inadequate education and preparation”
“Doing more
with less”
“Learning how to teach in
the online environment”
“Keeping libraries relevant as
teaching and learning institutions”

20. Conclusions
• Instruction librarians and administrators
perceive training in different ways
• Librarians want a more structured training
environment
• Instruction training in graduate programs
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21. Recommendations
• More communication between administrators and librarians
• Efforts to support low-cost training activities
• Courses regularly available in graduate programs
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LIS 408 - User Instruction
This course offers an overview
of user instruction, including
needs assessment, planning,
educational strategies, and
evaluation of programs in all
types of libraries.

22. Thank you!
Questions? Comments?
Amanda Click
aclick@aucegypt.edu
Claire Walker
cwalker@cumberland.edu
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23. Images
Slide 1:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobysimkin/3784409892/
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.britishschool.be/uploads/imanager/a_generic/books.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidrn/1294933659/
Slide 3:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://visionsofadonai.com/store/images/Survey.jpg
Slide 11:
http://www.mah.se/ImageVault/Images/id_1490/ImageVaultHandler.aspx
Slide 15:
http://www.freewiccaschool.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/cast-love-spell.gif
http://mbza.net/images/money.jpg
Slide 18:
http://www.tdbimg.com/files/2009/03/02/img-article---bissonnette-scared-graduates_180240204780.jpg
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