2. INTRODUCTION
Library staff training and development is a crucial element in ensuring positive user experiences
Within libraries. A staff component consistently exposed to relevant training and development interventions
should not be underestimated
We know that successful candidates placed on the jobs need training to perform their duties effectively.
Workers must be trained to operate machines, reduce scrap and avoid accidents. It is not only the workers
who need training. Supervisors, managers and executives also need to be developed in order to enable them
to grow and acquire maturity of thought and action. Training and development constitute an ongoing process
in any organization. This assignment is devoted to a detailed discussion on the nature and process of training
and development.
As a brief review of terms, training involves an expert working with learner’s to transfer to them
certain areas of knowledge or skills to improve in their current jobs. Development is a broad, ongoing multi-
faceted set of activities (training activities among them) to bring someone or an organization up to
another threshold of performance, often to perform some job or new role in the future.
Definition:
Training:
Is the formal and systematic modification of behavior through learning which occurs as a result of education,
instruction, development and planned experience.
Development:
Is any learning activity, which is directed towards future, needs rather than present needs, and which is
concerned more with career growth than immediate performance.
Nature of Training and Development:
In simple terms, training and development refer to the imparting of specific skills, abilities and knowledge to
an employee. A formal definition of training and development is - it is any attempt to improve current or
future employee performance by increasing an employee’s ability to perform through learning, usually by
changing the employee’s attitude or increasing his/her skills and knowledge.
The need for training and development is determined by the employee’s performance deficiency, computed
as follows:
Training and development need= standard performance-actual performance
When does the need for training arise?
The installation of new equipment or techniques.
A change in working methods.
A realization that performance is inadequate.
3. Labour shortage, necessitating the upgrading of some employees/Librarian.
A desire to reduce the amount of scrap and to improve quality.
An increase in the number of accidents.
Promotion or transfer of individual employees/Librarian.
Ensures availability of necessary skills and there could be a pool of talent from which to promote
from.
Advantages of training :
Leads to improved profitability and/or more positive attitudes toward profits orientation.
Improves the job knowledge and skills at all levels of the organization/Library.
Improves the morale of the workforce.
Helps create a better corporate image.
Improves the relationship between boss and subordinate.
Improves the relationship between boss and subordinate.
Learns from the trainee.
Provides information for future needs in all areas of the organization/Library.
Improves labor-management relations.
Disadvantages of training
Can be a financial drain on resources; expensive development and testing, expensive to operate?
Often takes people away from their job for varying periods of time;
Equips staff to leave for a better job.
Bad habits passed on.
Narrow experience.
Role of training:
Business/ Library
Environment
Changes and
Challenges
Learning &
Implementation
Business/Library
Excellence
4. 1. Role of Training
Staff Training and development
Welcome pack:
When staff join the Library, sent a welcome pack with their letter of appointment. The welcome pack
includes the Library's Mission statement and aims and objectives and guiding principles/core values,
the annual Library review, information about the Staff Development Hour plus a site plan and the
University term dates.
Induction pack:
On their first day, they have an induction chat with the Librarian who gives them the induction pack. The
pack includes an information sheet for new staff, the line management structure and staff organization chart,
further information about the Staff Development Hour, information about email and registration with IT
Services, and a variety of other useful guides and leaflets.
They are introduced to staff in Library Administration, given keys and a locker. They then go to their section
where they meet their colleagues and are given a tour of the building.
Orientation week:
New librarian has an orientation week sessions in: User Services, Acquisitions, Cataloguing,
Administration/Systems and Faculty Teams/Subject Floors. Librarian also receive one-to-one training and
information on health and safety, including manual handling and emergency procedures. Librarian receive
individual training in searching the Library catalogue.
Orientation sessions in the Staff Development :
Librarian should go to the orientation sessions included in the Staff Development Hour: Do it with Library
Style, Map resources in the Library, Disability awareness, and Web quiz.
Library induction programme:
Librarian attend a one-day library induction programme .
Existing staff can also sign up for a CSTD session on "How the University works" for a clearer idea of the
structure and functioning of the Library.
Aims of the orientation training
to enable the new member of staff to see how they fit into the Library operations as a whole and the library in
general .
To make them aware of the work of their colleagues in other sections.
5. On-the-job training
Within their own sections, all staff are given on-the-job training in order to work effectively within their
team. This will normally involve a gradual introduction to the section and the systems and procedures. staff
should be able to perform well within their section.
When changes take place in procedures or systems, training is given within the section or arrangements are
made for all staff to attend sessions (eg the introduction of MARC21 in Cataloguing, upgrades to the Library
management system).
The aim of the on-the-job training is to enable the staff member to work efficiently and confidently within
the team.
Staff Development Hour (SDH)
During term-time, the Library Should provides a weekly Staff Development Hour (SDH). The aims of the
programme are:
Allow staff to increase their awareness of the work of their colleagues within the Library and the University
Update their IT skills.
Develop their customer care skills for working with students and staff.
Find out about electronic and printed resources offered by the Library.
Be aware of professional and management issues.
Be knowledgeable about other types of libraries and collections in the region.
The Library has staff at various grades and the SDH is available and relevant to all of them.
Graduate Trainees:
Graduate training ,which provides one-year work experience between the first degree and
undertaking a professional LIS qualification. Like the trainee liaison librarians, graduate trainee library
assistants have regular meetings with the Librarian/Senior Managers to discuss professional issues.
6. Development process of Library training and development plan:
Training and Implementation
development
Staff Member & Capture all
Line manager needs needs
discussion All training & Identify training Evaluation
Important development providers ROI(return on
resources: needs are send (Internal or investment )
Special skills plan to the Training external) Statistics
Generic HR Librarian Develop
Prospectus Library training plan
Budget
PM Planning Developmen
t of training
plan
2.Development process of the libraries training and development plan
At the beginning of every year all Line Managers at Libraries have performance management
Planning meetings with their staff. During this first meeting the Line Manager and staff member
identify any training and developmental needs. Further training needs might also be identified during the year and there
are a few resources that are available to the staff to assist them with this planning and are as follows:
Management and Leadership
Information Technology (IT) and Digitization
Information Services
Technical services and E-resources
Quality Assurance
Library Research
Training & Development
Support Services
Library Specific Training Needs:
7. There are also library specific training needs that are not necessarily covered in those resources. These skills could
range from implementing new library specific systems and software, introducing new products to our library staff and
many more. The role of the Training Librarian for staff development is as follows:
Communicate process and relevant documentation to library staff.
Compile and implement the annual training plan.
Identify suitable training providers and facilitators.
Ensure that all nomination forms for courses on the “Generic Learning and Development prospectus” reach the HR
L&D department .
Organize payment of training providers and facilitators.
Evaluation and assessment.
Identify ROI (return on investment) strategies.
Record-keeping and statistics.
Training and development internal library guidelines:
“The intent of this guideline is to provide a framework to staff and their line managers and to ensure
that staff receives the necessary training and development at the right time while keeping in mind the
demands of day to day operations. The objectives of training and development of staff within the library are
to provide staff with the necessary skills to improve work performance and enable staff to adapt to constant
changes while developing personally. Staff development needs should mainly derive from the objectives of
the strategic plans of the library and institution as a whole.”
The responsibility of establishing training needs is threefold. The Line Manager, the Staff Member and the
Training Librarian all have roles to play.
8. Line
Manager
Steff Training
&
Development
Trainin Staff
Librarian member
3. Internal chain
Line Managers:
Line Managers work closely with their staff. Performance contracts are developed every year at given period
between the line manager and their employees. Each performance contract has development needs section
where staff and their Line Managers should indicate any training and development needs/gaps. These
sections are used by the Training Librarian to plan the training interventions for the year.
Staff Member:
Training and development is a primary personal work responsibility of every staff member. If a staff member
identifies an area for further development, the staff member should discuss this need with his/her Line
Manager as well as with the Training Librarian. Agreed needs should then be included in the performance
contracts.
Training Librarian:
The Training Librarian will initiate certain training initiatives based on requests directly linked to the
strategic plan of the library as a whole, requests related to the job and based on the services offered by
Libraries as well as any other new and continuing training requirements of library staff.
Conference Attendance Internal Library Procedure:
This procedure should be followed when a staff member would like to attend a conference.
“Staff members delivering a paper/poster;
Staff members on the organizing committees or any other relevant committees;
Relevance of topic ofthe conference with regards to the staff member’s portfolio;
Budget requirements.”