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Completed Projects

TRAINING THE FUTURE

Training the Future was a partnership project between two very different public library services, one metropolitan authority (Birmingham) and a rural library service (Shropshire). It was supported and evaluated by the Centre for Information Research and Training (CIRT) at the University of Central England in Birmingham, and funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre.

The rationale for the project was the impact of information and communication technologies on public library staff roles and skills, and the learning possibilities offered by flexible, technology-based methods. A major impetus and focus was provided by the training challenge set out in New Library: the People's Network (LIC, 1997) and the £20 million Lottery funding soon to be made available for staff training. The primary focus of the project was the changing role of staff in the networked library environment and the main challenge was to find realistic ways for these staff to acquire the levels of skill required for the library of the future. From February 1998 to January 1999 Training the Future undertook a range of research activities to address this challenge.

An initial literature review established the exact nature of the changes brought about by rapid technological developments, as well as the skills needed to cope effectively with these changes. It identified good (and bad) practice in ICT training, drawing on experience from the public, academic and private sectors. The literature review also examined the use of open and flexible learning methods and their potential contribution to staff development. This information was used to shape subsequent project work. The second major research activity was a series of focus groups that involved staff at all levels across the two authorities. This recorded staff views and feelings about electronic service developments and experiences of ICT training. Lastly, a small pilot study was undertaken to test the effectiveness of technology based learning methods in enabling staff to acquire ICT skills, knowledge and confidence. This study raised some important issues that can inform the planning and implementation of open and flexible learning for staff.

One of the project's findings was the identification of the overwhelming need of staff at all levels to gain confidence and competence with the new technology, especially in its use with library customers. Both the expressed needs of staff and the demands of new services give strong support for the ambitious approach to basic standards and training funding priorities recommended in Building the New Library Network.

Another key finding related to the inadequacy of some current ICT training in public libraries. In general, libraries appear to be struggling to keep pace with skills needs arising from new service demands. At the same time staff are anxious to provide a good quality service but are afraid of looking foolish in front of customers, and often feel inadequate. A number of specific problems with ICT training have emerged, a common example being the ICT expert who lacks adequate training skills. Criticisms of organisational approaches to ICT training include a lack of imagination and experimentation, poor planning, isolation from other training and service developments, a lack of agreed standards and no clear prioritisation. There would appear to be an urgent need to spread good practice and learn from others in this area.

The fourth key finding was the realisation of what staff can achieve for themselves if they are provided with the tools and support to learn new skills or acquire knowledge. Public libraries may understand the principles of open learning and are major deliverers of these services to the public customers. However, our research found that some of the staff testing out technology-based materials had not only increased their confidence with ICT, but had a new sense of belief and confidence in themselves as learners. This exciting discovery, particularly within quite a limited pilot, indicates the potential contribution that open learning methods have in enabling staff to take an interest in, and control of, their own learning.

Publications

Jones, B., Sprague, M., Nankivell, C., Richter, K. Staff in the New Library: Skill Needs and Learning Choices. Findings from Training the Future, a Public Library Research Project. British Library Research and Innovation Report 152. London: British Library, 1999.

Jones, B, Sprague, M, Nankivell, C & Richter, K. Staff in the new library: skill needs and learning choices. In New fields for research in the 21st Century: Proceedings of the 3rd British-Nordic Conference on Library and Information Studies, Ed. by Klasson, M, Loughridge, B et al. University College of Boras, 1999, pp 98-107.

Project Team at UCE
Clare Nankivell
Karin Richter