Staff Empowerment

Abstract

A direct effect of library reorganization has been the greater role that paraprofessional staff now play in rendering essential services to patrons. With the advent of tiered reference service and the Internet, much instruction has been needed for the staff to become empowered in their new roles. The Training Committee of the University of California, Santa Barbara Library surveyed the staff to ascertain the type of training that they felt was needed to assume new roles. Based on the answers given, the Training Committee set up classes on MELVYL article databases, the online catalog, various CD-ROMs and gave a series of structured Internet sessions, as well as instruction on Windows 95, Microsoft Word and Excel. In addition, the library contracted out to the campus Human Resources Department for management/supervisory sessions. At the conclusion of these training sessions, which lasted six months, the library conducted a follow-up survey to ascertain the staff's opinion of the training and to obtain suggestions for additional training.

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