On a chilly March morning in 2019, I walked into one of my library systems’ largest branches for staff development day. I wanted to be open-minded about the day, but I was a bit apprehensive.
One of my best “work buddies” was part of the team that spent the past six months planning and decision-making that went into this day. Before she shared this experience with me, I had no idea how long it took to organize this training. Most of the sessions I was required to attend had nothing to do with my job. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a more efficient way to deliver ongoing, continuous staff training on a flexible schedule with sessions that improved our job skills.
Arranging staff training shouldn’t be that hard or stressful. My NoveList co-workers and I have been thinking about this issue a lot (maybe obsessively!). We have been working on a solution that would make it easy for libraries to provide expert training on the core skills that library staff need: Working with readers, promoting the library, practicing inclusivity, and providing outstanding service. That sounds like a tall order, but I’m delighted to announce the launch of a staff access subscription option to Learn with NoveList.
The staff access subscription includes more than 20 courses totaling 45 hours of learning (and counting!), with new courses added every quarter. Experts in the field teach all of the lessons. And it solves the three big problems that libraries have told us they face when it comes to staff training:
“We have a lot of staff turnover, resulting in frequent new hires who need training.”
Staff access subscription provides training for the library’s entire staff. You can add new users at any time during your subscription period. The subscription is also a benefit your library can highlight when recruiting new employees. It shows your commitment to continuing education.
“We want all our staff members to be able to provide outstanding service to readers.”
Learn with NoveList courses are designed for all library staff, regardless of their position, education, or previous experience. They emphasize that outstanding service to readers creates happy, loyal, and engaged patrons.
“It’s hard for our staff to get together all at once to attend a training session.”
Staff access subscription includes flexible scheduling. There are self-paced courses that staff can take on their schedule. There are also combo courses, which have several self-paced modules and a live session. And those live sessions are offered on various days and times so staff can choose one that fits into their work schedule.
What I love most about this new offering is that it makes the valuable Learn with NoveList training accessible to libraries of all sizes. Here’s what two Learn with NoveList customers had to say about their experience with the training.
"Learn with Novelist training changed how the library staff performs their everyday job. Not only did we learn how to engage patrons in conversation about books, but we also learned ways to enhance our service by recommending books that patrons may not know about."
"Learn with Novelist training changed how the library staff performs their everyday job. Not only did we learn how to engage patrons in conversation about books, but we also learned ways to enhance our service by recommending books that patrons may not know about."
"Our California library learners had overwhelmingly positive feedback for (Learn with) NoveList learning opportunities. Participants felt overall that the training provided tangible tools for increasing accessibility and incorporating DEI principles into library communication, programs, and services. They appreciated the high-quality, engaging presentations, presenters' expertise, timeliness of the topics offered, and excellent resources for follow-up."
"Our California library learners had overwhelmingly positive feedback for (Learn with) NoveList learning opportunities. Participants felt overall that the training provided tangible tools for increasing accessibility and incorporating DEI principles into library communication, programs, and services. They appreciated the high-quality, engaging presentations, presenters' expertise, timeliness of the topics offered, and excellent resources for follow-up."
The Learn with NoveList team is so proud to offer libraries this new solution. Arranging staff training on a large scale is hard! We’re here to help.
Angela Hursh is Manager of Library Engagement, Marketing, and Professional Development. She just finished Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann.
