VLACRL, Williamsburg, VA
October 30, 2009
Sara Baron, Dean
Regent Univ. Library
sbaron@regent.edu
Faye Watkins, Director
Harvey Library, Hampton Univ.
faye.watkins@HAMPTONU.EDU
Linza Weaver, Director, Learning Resources Ctr.
Paul D. Camp Community College
lweaver@pc.vccs.edu
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Virginia Tidewater Consortium for Higher Education
consists of 16 institutions and was formed in 1973.
The Library Director’s Committee Mission:
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to promote library and information services in support
of the purpose of the VTC
to encourage cooperation amongst the VTC member
institutions
to stimulate and foster community interest in the VTC
libraries and librarianship
to articulate and disseminate financial and program
information about the operations of the VTC libraries to
the Board of Directors
to provide an audience for the concerns of VTC
subcommittees; and
to provide Library Directors a forum for the discussion
and exchange of ideas.
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Ms. Sara Baron – Regent University
Ms. Cynthia B. Cooke- Norfolk
State University
Ms. Susan Cornett – Troy University
Ms. Mary Ann Glanzer – TCC Portsmouth
Dr. Janice Johnson – TCC- Virginia
Beach
Ms Janet Justis, TCC- Norfolk
Ms. Mary Mayer-Hennelly – TCC
Ms. Connie Kearns McCarthy –
College of William and Mary
Ms. Elois Morgan – CEBAFJefferson Lab
Ms. Gail Nicula – Joint Forces Staff
College
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Ms. Virginia O'Herron – Old Dominion
University
Ms. Jan Pace – Virginia Wesleyan College
Ms. Patricia Phillips – Eastern Shore
Community College
Ms. Lois Radford – TCC- Chesapeake
Ms. Judith Robinson – Eastern Virginia
Medical School
Ms. Aileen Schweitzer – Thomas Nelson
Community College
Ms. Mary Sellen – Christopher Newport
University
Ms. Rebecca Tabakin – ECPI College of
Technology
Ms. Faye Watkins - Hampton University
Ms. Linza Weaver – Paul D. Camp
Community College
Describe purpose, development, and
implementation of the assessment instrument.
 Present findings representing 157 survey
respondents.
 Describe usage of the data in developing staff
training.
 Discuss application of this research within the
larger context of library staff training needs
assessment.
 Answering the “So What” question: how does
staff training improve user centered libraries?
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 Purpose
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Determine the
training needs and
preferences of VTC
member libraries
staffs
 Development
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Subcommittee
drafted survey in
Spring 2008,
Committee edited
Summer 2008
 Implementation
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Survey opened
August 2008
Two e-mails from
library directors to
staff
Survey closed
October 2008
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October 24, 2007
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VTC Library Director’s discussed professional development
needs for library staff, particularly paraprofessionals. Task
force was formed to examine the topic (Sara Baron, Faye
Watkins, Linza Weaver)
February 14, 2008
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three models for paraprofessional development were
presented to the library director’s group. We decided to
develop a training needs survey.
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June 2, 2008
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Rutgers Online Library Assistant Training Program
Maryland Libraries 2.0
VLA Paraprofessional Forum
draft of survey distributed to all VTC library directors,
discussed and modified.
August 2008
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link to survey distributed to all VTC library directors who
sent to their staffs
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By 9/15/08 response rate was 123
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October 2008
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preliminary data analysis, further breakdown of data requested,
survey redistributed to institutions with no responses
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December 2008-February 2009
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Summer Program occurs at CNU.
August-September 2009
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Summer 09 training program confirmed. Supervisor’s training
program discussed. Executive Board plans final training proposal.
July 22, 2009
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data analysis continues as a group, begin to propose training
programs
June 2009
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Response rate grew to 157 by 11/10/08.
Executive Board finalizes staff training proposal.
October 22, 2009
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VTC Library Directors approve training proposal and schedule.
Greetings library staff of VTC member
libraries! The VTC Library Director's
Committee is interested in determining
how the VTC can best respond to the
training needs of our member libraries.
Please complete the following survey by
Friday, August 29th. It should take about 10
minutes to complete. If you have any
questions about the survey, please ask your
director. Thank you!
http://www.regent.edu/general/library/systems/surveys/V
TC/VTCSurvey.htm
 The
total population for the
survey, library staffs at VTC
libraries, was approximately
320 people.
 Response rate was 157 (49%)
 Responses were received from
15 of 16 institutions. Largest
percentage responders:
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ODU 23.1%
NSU 10.9%
CNU 9.6%
RU 9.6%
 Position
Choice
Type
Count Percentage
Answered
64
41.0%
professional
librarian
para57
professional
administrator 4
clerical
31
36.5%
2.6%
19.9%
full-time 142
part12
time
Percentage
Answered
92.2%
7.8%
in Current Position
Choice Count Percentage
Answered
0-3
61
39.1%
4-7
26
16.7%
8-10
14
9.0%
11-14 9
5.8%
15-18 6
3.8%
over 18 40
25.6%
 Years
 Status
Choice Count
 Years
in Library Profession
Choice Count Percentage
Answered
0-3
20
13.6%
4-7
28
19.0%
8-10
15
10.2%
11-14 18
12.2%
15-18 5
3.4%
over 18 61
41.5%
 Interest
in more professional development
activities (1-10 scale, 1 not at all interested, 10 very
interested)
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1-3, 14, 9%
4-7, 56, 36.1%
8-10, 85, 54.9
Choice Count Percentage
Answered
1
7
4.5%
2
0
0.0%
3
7
4.5%
4
3
1.9%
5
20
12.9%
6
13
8.4%
7
20
12.9%
8
30
19.4%
9
9
5.8%
10
46
29.7%
 Ongoing
training required?
Choice
Count
Yes - as part of my job description and/or
annual evaluation
Yes - not in writing but expected
75
Percentage
Answered
48.4%
56
36.1%
No ongoing training required
24
15.5%
 Attendance
Choice
0-2
3-5
6-8
more than 8
at training sessions per year:
Count
74
55
15
11
Percentage Answered
47.7%
35.5%
9.7%
7.1%
 How
training currently received
Choice
Count
On-the-job training
Attend local/regional meetings with peers
(which ones?)
Attend VLA
Attend VLA Paraprofessional Forum
Attend local SOLINET training sessions
Attend national library conferences (which
ones?)
Personal reading and research
123
57
Percent of
Sample
78.3%
36.3%
31
22
31
39
19.7%
14.0%
19.7%
24.8%
96
61.1%
 Highest
Interest Overall:
Customer Service
 Highest Interest within Categories
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Public Service- understanding
information literacy/library instruction
Technical Services- Collection
Development
Technology- web research tools
Administration- marketing library
services
Communication- customer service
General- overview of VIVA databases
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Highest interest by
position type:
Professional librarian
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Public Services—
Understanding information
literacy/library instruction
Technical Services—
Collection Assessment
Technology—Web research
tools, Digital libraries (tie)
Administration—Assessment
Communication—Leadership
skills
General—Grant writing
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Highest interest by
position type:
Paraprofessional
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Public Services—
Understanding information
literacy/library instruction
Technical Services—
Cataloging skills
Technology—Web research
tools
Administration—Assessment
Communication—Customer
service
General—Overview of VIVA
databases
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Highest interest by
position type:
Administrator
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Public Services—Providing
virtual reference services
Technical Services—
Collection assessment
Technology—Digital libraries
Administration—Marketing
library services;
Development marketing
plan; Assessment (tie)
Communication—Conflict
management
General—Grant writing,
Disaster planning, Diversity
in the workplace (tie)
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Highest interest by
position type: Clerical
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Public Services—
Understanding information
literacy/library instruction
Technical Services—
Collection development;
Cataloging skills (tie)
Technology—Web research
tools
Administration—
Budgeting/finance issues;
Recruiting, training and
keeping volunteers (tie)
Communication—customer
service
General—Understanding
yourself and others (DISC)
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Training Format
Training Day
in person
online self-paced
audio conference
webinar
1.
Training Length/Time
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1-2 hours AM
half-day AM
1-2 hours PM
whole day
half-day PM
2.
3.
4.
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Wednesday
Tuesday
Thursday
Monday
Friday
Time of Year
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Summer (June/July)
Late Fall (Oct/Nov)
Early Fall (Aug/Sep)
Early Spring (Feb/Mar)
Late Spring (Apr/May)
Winter (Dec/Jan)
Results were shared with the VTC Library
Director’s Committee Subcommittees for inputCollections, Circulation and THERL
 After receiving feedback and analyzing the data,
a three-tier training program was proposed.
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1.
2.
3.
Consortium-wide summer training on a topic of
general interest, national presenter
Consortium-wide training twice a year on most
requested training topics, both north and south of
Hampton roads Bridge Tunnel, local expert
presenters
Consortium-wide supervisor’s training utilizing
national experts, VTC funded
Consortium-Wide “State of
Libraries” on July 22, 2009 at
CNU, aka “Summer Fun Day”
 Speaker: George Needham,
OCLC spoke on Current
Trends in Libraries and
Library Usage
 Audience: all VTC member
libraries staffs
 Attendance: 50, including
staff from Peninsula
public libraries
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Marketing & Advocacy 4 Libraries 2Day
January 26, 2010, 9:30-12:30, TCC
Portsmouth
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Marketing fair to showcase materials from
VTC libraries and share ideas.
Marketing expert to discuss marketing
libraries in times of transition.
Advocacy expert to discuss advocating
the library in all we do.
Student panel on their communication
expectations, likes and dislikes.
New Trends in Library Customer Service
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June 2010 on the Peninsula
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“Essential Skills for Library Supervisors”
Consortium-wide supervisor’s training
offered by OCLC Eastern
Seeking funding through VTC
There are many opportunities nationally,
regionally and online for staff training. Previous
VTC Library training has been sporadic, including
seminars, presentations, and audio conferences.
 We hope to maximize local talent, networking,
and idea sharing by offering training that meets
the needs of VTC library employees- in the way
they want it!
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In person, 2-3 hour sessions on Wednesdays or Tuesdays
and on both sides of the HRBT.
We also hope the subcommittees develop more robust
participation in the development and offering of
training.
Library services that are centered on
users are responsive to changing
information needs and expectations.
 This staff training needs assessment
resulted in several aspects of library
service that employees feel they
need help with- help to better meet
the needs of their library
constituencies.
 The training programs offered
attempt to discuss “traditional”
library topics in new ways and with
new voices- those of students.
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By enhancing our understanding of student
expectations while also developing new skills, we will
improve our service to students and become more
user-centered!
Using data from local assessment along with statewide and national training opportunities maximizes
professional development to meet the actual (as
opposed to perceived) needs of library employees,
which, ultimately, improves services and increases
user satisfaction.
 If
you are a member of a VTC Library, please
mark your calendar for January 26th! We
hope to see you at the Marketing fair and
training session.
 The
survey results and this presentation are
available on the VTC Library Director’s
Committee webpage:
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http://www.lib.odu.edu/vtc/subcommittees.htm
 Questions
or Suggestions?