e-Resources: What can you expect from the training?

1. Training on the use and benefits of BPL’s e-Resource collection is mandatory for all full and part-time Information Services staff (and call-in staff), including those at Central, Aldershot, Brant Hills, Kilbride, New Appleby, and Tansley Woods who work on information functions.

2. Training will begin Monday May 3, 2010, and will span a period of four weeks, with one optional bonus week:

Monday May 3 – Friday May 7
Monday May 10 – Friday May 14
Monday May 17 – Friday May 21
Monday May 24 – Friday May 28
BONUS (optional): Monday May 31 – Friday June 4

3. Training on our e-Resources will take place online, through this website and through email:

This is a self-discovery program. We encourage staff to take control of their own learning and to utilize their lifelong learning skills through exploration and play
There will be no formally organized classes offered to support this training
Staff are encouraged to work together and to share their discoveries, techniques, and "how to's"

4. Beginning Monday May 3rd, a new e-Resource will be explored each week. Staff can expect:

The website to be updated with a new main post introducing a new e-Resource, an update to the section marked "e-Resource Training: Weekly Assignments", and an update to section marked "e-Resource Templates".
Staff will be alerted to these updates through emails from the Training Team

5. By June 4th, staff will have explored four e-Resources (plus a bonus resource!) using a template and model created by the Trainers. For each e-Resource this template and model will identifying:

the audience--what demographic is this e-Resource appropriate for?
the key publications--what resources you will find within, i.e. magazine, newspaper, book titles, etc.?
the key features--specifically, identifying where on the page you can find common e-Resource interface, including advanced search, subject search, image search, publication search, full-text limit, a folder/log-in option, and/or a help link to additional tutorials or instruction
any surprising finds--what additional features were you surprised to find in this e-Resource, if any?

A sample search will follow each.

PLEASE NOTE: the purpose of this training is NOT to teach staff how to search an e-Resource. This purpose of this training is to identify common features of a sample of BPL's e-Resource collection, and to put the e-Resource into context: why would you use this e-Resource and for what type of question would you look here? The ability to assemble a search strategy and use Boolean operators is outside the scope of this exercise.

6. All homework answers must be completed and submitted to training@bpl.on.ca by Friday June 4th.

Homework submitted later than this date will not be accepted
Although new questions will be posted each week, staff has all month to complete the training in full. However, if possible, pretty please submit your homework on a weekly basis--you're not only doing yourself a favour and preventing a pile-up of unfinished assignments, you're helping out the Trainers who track your progress. Please and thank you with a cherry on top!

PLEASE NOTE: there are no right or wrong answers to homework questions. The point of these exercises is to explore the e-Resource and familiarize yourself with the content. You won't be graded on your response--you've either tried to answer the assignment or you haven't! How far you delve into the question is entirely up to you. That said, while point-form is more than okay, one word answers won't suffice!

7. Staff are asked to find time to complete this training during quiet times both on and off the Information Desk. The weekly postings and homework assignments are designed to be casual and exploratory and will not require large chunks of what we know to be your already jam-packed schedules.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have questions or concerns regarding the time needed to complete the program, or if you find you are having trouble fitting the assignments into your scheduled shifts, please speak to your manager or supervisor.

8. Staff who successfully complete the program—those who submit all four homework assignments—will be rewarded with:

The ability to better serve customers on the Information Desk
A measurable outcome to report on for their 2010 Excel Performance Appraisal

9. BONUS WEEK!

There will be a bonus lesson posted Monday May 31:

Staff will have until Friday June 4, 2010 to complete the optional homework for the bonus lesson
Staff who successfully complete the program—those who submit all four homework assignments—PLUS completing the optional bonus question will be entered in a draw to win an iPod Nano!
Bonus question answers must be submitted no later than Friday June 4, 2010. After Friday June 4, 2010 staff is no longer eligible to enter the bonus lesson draw.

PLEASE NOTE: If you plan to be away the week of May 31st - June 4th and are interested in participating in the bonus week assignment, email training@bpl.on.ca and we will send you the bonus week posting/homework early. Please copy your manager or supervisor on this email.

10. Following this program, some of you will be asked by your manager and supervisors to review an e-Resouce at your monthly branch or department meetings. Your managers and supervisors will identify these individuals and the e-Resource assigned to them.

Your presentations should follow the flow of the e-Resources: staff template set out for you by this training program--short, sweet, and to the point with a sample reference question and possible steps taken towards answering. The e-Resources staff template should be completed alongside this presentation, and submitted for posting to BLIP. The templates posted to BLIP can them be referenced by: