The Accidental Technology Trainer: A Guide for Libraries

Citation

Ellis‐Barrett, L. (2009), "The Accidental Technology Trainer: A Guide for Libraries", Library Review, Vol. 58 No. 2, pp. 143-145. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530910937014

Following a career that leads to training is usually a conscious decision. Many librarians and information professionals recognise that they will at some point in their career be required to train users and colleagues. It is unlikely that these librarians will have set out on their career path with the aim of becoming a trainer rather than a librarian. Stephanie Gerding's book has been born from this occurrence and the desire to encourage her colleagues to see themselves as trainers and adapt to new technology. Her initial approach was simple – find an expert in the field, ask them to impart their knowledge to a room full of trainees and then expect the said trainees to come away bursting with enthusiasm for their new found knowledge base and skills! Of course as many readers will realise this approach is not the most advisable or the most successful and it is a lesson that Gerding learnt from very quickly.

It is the lessons and skills that Gerding learnt which make up the content of this book. It is a guide and resource for library staff responsible for training without having been trained! This training may take place in the library, classroom or computer lab and could be for colleagues or end‐users. The concerns raised by trainers in any of these situations are the same. The tools and techniques required by trainers are equally similar. All have been bought together in this book in order to show library professionals how easy it is to use natural skills and training, integrated with expert tips to achieve excellent results when providing library technology training in any situation.

Readers with no training experience and those who have been training for a long period but who are looking for fresh advice and inspiration will find the contents of this book helpful. It is addressed directly to its reader, packed full of practical advice and guidance, reassures, emphasises the need for collaboration, exciting, engages and interests. Professionals who consider themselves skilled in the field of training should not consider this book to be a patronising step‐by‐step guide for beginners. There is content here for all levels depending upon the way in which it is approached.

One of the problems with training trainers is that many feel they have nothing new to learn. After all training is all about sharing one's knowledge; making sure participants have opportunities to practice during sessions and handouts to take away that all their questions have been answered. Training can work in this way with the right audience, but it is important to move with the times and recognise that people have many different learning styles. A brief consideration of both Maslow's motivation theory and Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives will prove to the reader that training can be quite involved. Gerding touches on but does not go into detail about these psychological theories of learning. This is a shame as they do provide a fascinating insight into the way in which people learn but that is perhaps beyond the remit of this book.

What Gerding does cover is the theory of motivation exhorted by Maslow: if the basic needs of the participant are addressed by the trainer then the training will be of greater benefit. Ensure that basic facilities such as toilets and refreshments are provided thus allowing trainees to concentrate. The hierarchy of needs that Maslow formulated were put together in 1943 but remain relevant today. The practice of SMART training – training that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time‐Bound – is also addressed. Once the trainer has decided what training to offer it is necessary to decide who the recipients are and the purpose for the training. Having assessed these elements applying the SMART principles will ensure that the desired outcomes are met for all parties.

Finally Bloom's Taxonomy of Education Objectives, organising the objectives of the training by assessing the skills needed to achieve them, is considered. If it is possible the taxonomy of learning behaviours and goals of the participants should be measured looking at the prior knowledge, skills and attitude of trainees. This could be done through the use of a pre‐course questionnaire for example providing the trainer with a good overview of their client base. Here Gerding provides a useful table of behavioural words that could be used in course descriptors to ensure that those enrolling for the course are fully aware of its contents as well as its aims.

Training should therefore be seen not as a quick fix that can be entered into lightly but as a serious and considered approach to educating. Information professionals possess a variety of skills and knowledge that can be shared with colleagues and users successfully. Gerding shows that to be a successful trainer is hard work but reaps great rewards. Training is becoming more important as the use of technology increases. It is therefore essential that information professionals and librarians learn to train young people, they are our future, and need to be given the right grounding early on to ensure that they succeed. With examples of best practice, techniques for motivation; planning; advertising; evaluating; providing support material and challenging the participants Gerding provides a comprehensive resource for all would‐be trainers in a library setting.

The subtitle of this book is A Guide for Libraries. I think that this is slightly misleading and that in fact it is a guide for library and information professionals or anyone with an interest in providing more effective training. With an open minded and willing approach there is much that can be leant from this text. It may not be possible or appropriate to take forward all the advice but using it as a benchmark will provide greater satisfaction for the trainer and trainee.