Developing Library Staff Through Work-based Learning

The topic of staff development is not new to the world of library work and its need in today's information organization is no less pressing. But how can a manager hope to attract and maintain a skilled workforce in the face of financial constraints, declining or flattened budgets, and downsizing initiatives? Developing Information and Library Staff Through Work-Based Learning presents not only the rationale but the tools and techniques necessary for adopting a Work-Based Learning (WBL) approach. WBL is centered on the principle that learning takes place in all areas of life, not just in the classroom, such that learning-on-the-job is not only rewarding for the staff but for the manager as well. Thus, claims author Barbara Allan, it is ideally suited to library and information organization settings. First published in the UK in 1999, Developing Information and Library Staff Through Work-Based Learning has been revised and updated for a North American audience by management expert Barbara Moran. Now, as then, it offers resourceful, alternative approaches to staff development, with a plethora of ideas to expand your staff's skill sets. Table of Contents......Page 4 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 Part 1 Learning in the workplace......Page 14 The current climate......Page 16 What is work-based learning?......Page 17 Why is work-based learning important?......Page 18 Who is involved in work-based learning?......Page 20 Developing work-based learning activities......Page 21 2 Individual learning in the workplace......Page 23 Conditions for learning......Page 24 Types of learning processes......Page 25 Learning opportunities......Page 27 Models of learning......Page 28 Learning about learning......Page 31 What is an independent learner?......Page 34 Practical strategies for developing learning skills in the workplace......Page 36 Planning work-based learning activities......Page 42 Supporting learning in the workplace......Page 45 Evaluating work-based learning......Page 47 Rationale for developing a learning organization......Page 49 Approaches to developing a learning organization......Page 50 Developing team learning......Page 52 Strategies for developing organizational learning......Page 54 Final comments......Page 58 Part 2 101 activities for work-based learning......Page 60 Action learning......Page 62 Analyzing mistakes......Page 63 Appraising......Page 64 Asking and answering questions......Page 66 Asking for advice......Page 68 Audiotapes......Page 69 Audiotaping......Page 70 Benchmarking......Page 71 Brainstorming......Page 73 Cascade training......Page 74 Celebrating success......Page 76 Coaching......Page 77 Collaborative activities......Page 79 Competitions......Page 80 Computer conferencing......Page 81 Computer-mediated communications......Page 82 Covering for vacation......Page 83 Creativity......Page 84 Crises......Page 86 Culture club......Page 87 Customer focus groups......Page 89 Debriefing......Page 90 Delegation......Page 92 Delphi technique......Page 93 Demonstrating......Page 94 Dialog/discussion......Page 95 Different perspectives......Page 97 E-mail......Page 98 Evaluating IT products......Page 99 Exchanges......Page 100 Exhibits at conferences......Page 101 Exit interviews......Page 102 External consultants......Page 103 Feedback......Page 105 Flip-charting......Page 106 Forecasting......Page 107 Frequently asked questions......Page 108 Funding development......Page 109 Individual projects......Page 110 Interviewing......Page 111 Keeping diaries......Page 112 Learning boxes......Page 113 Learning contracts......Page 114 Learning logs......Page 116 Learning room......Page 117 Listening......Page 118 Managers as learners......Page 120 Manuals......Page 121 Meetings......Page 122 Mentoring......Page 123 Metaphors......Page 126 Mind mapping......Page 127 Modelling......Page 128 Multimedia resources......Page 129 Networking......Page 130 Newsletters......Page 132 Offering encouragement......Page 133 Open learning packages......Page 134 Organizing an event......Page 135 Playing cards......Page 137 Portfolios......Page 138 Praising......Page 140 Presenting......Page 142 Producing one-pagers......Page 143 Professional organizations......Page 144 Project work......Page 145 Quizzes......Page 147 Reading......Page 148 Rehearsing......Page 149 Review writing......Page 150 Reviewing learning......Page 152 Rotating jobs......Page 153 Sayings and mottos......Page 154 Self-assessment questionnaires......Page 155 Self-help books......Page 157 Self-development groups......Page 158 Setting deadlines......Page 159 Shadowing......Page 161 Teamwork......Page 162 Theorizing......Page 164 Training videos......Page 165 Upward feedback......Page 166 Using SWOT analyses......Page 168 Videoing activities......Page 169 Visioning......Page 170 Visits......Page 171 Work-based learning qualifications......Page 172 World Wide Web......Page 173 Writing......Page 174 Part 3 Resources and references......Page 176 Resources......Page 178 References......Page 180 Index......Page 186 About the author and North American editor......Page 192 In response to reductions in staff development budgets in many libraries, Allan (business, U. of Hill) offers a series of ideas to develop work-based learning in libraries for both individuals and groups. Moran (information and library science, U. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill) has revised the 1999 British original for North American readers. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Rationale for developing work-based learning Developing independence in learning in the workplace Developing work-based learning Developing a learning organization 101 activities for work-based learning.