1	Quick Tours of Library Resources: Low-Budget, High-Impact Training Kelli Koob and Stephanie Steinwedel Hennepin County Library Minnesota Library Association Conference 2003
2	What we’ll cover today Why public training? How Quick Tours developed What are Quick Tours? Benefits Considerations Questions
3	Why public training? Responding to patron needs: rapidly changing technology and information resources needing to proactively respond to these changes patron desire to work independently Support from library administration through mission statement and strategic directions that emphasize life-long learning
4	Why public training? Developed a library-focused model for public training: teaching information resources instead of software applications (e.g. word processing) taught by librarians or library volunteers Quick Tours are an ideal format: easy to prepare and deliver an extension of what we already teach many times each day
5	How Quick Tours Developed Response to online catalog change Needed a way to train people quickly and efficiently Librarians at one library developed Quick Tour format Format shared with other libraries in HCL Full-text Magazine Articles Quick Tour developed
6	How Quick Tours Developed Training team provides organizational support for this new training format Made available on HCL intranet; accessible at all agencies Libraries develop Quick Tours for other topics and databases
7	What are Quick Tours? 30-40 minute sessions Taught by librarians from a standard outline Taught on the public floor 10 different topics and growing Advertised in advance and on the day of class
8	What are Quick Tours? 30-40 minute sessions Easy for increasingly time-crunched patrons to fit into their schedule Less staff time than a standard class Can call on staff working at the Information Desk if necessary
9	What are Quick Tours? Taught by librarians from a standard outline Any librarian can teach Little prep time required Less intimidating than traditional classes Like an extended reference transaction
10	What are Quick Tours? Taught on the Public Floor No special setup or training facilities required Patrons are learning in the same environment in which they will use what they’ve learned Other patrons may drop in when they hear what’s going on Less intimidating for patrons
11	What are Quick Tours? 10 different topics and growing Catalog Finding Magazine Articles Job Searching Find a Good Book (Reader’s Advisory) College Search Library Home Page Specialized Databases
12	What are Quick Tours? Specialized Databases Reference USA Ancestry Plus ALLDATA (car repair) Rosetta Stone Valueline? netLibrary? Health database?
13	What are Quick Tours? Advertised in advance and on the day of class Local Press Library Brochures Library Web Site In-library announcements via the PA system Doubles as promotion for your specialized databases
14	What are Quick Tours? An example: Full-Text Magazine Articles
15	Benefits Encourages self-reliant customers Reaches a wider variety of customers Informal format encourages other questions about the library Builds staff competency on tools Builds staff confidence with regard to training
16	Benefits Low-budget development, preparation, delivery Flexibility: Each library has implemented it a little differently Less difficult to schedule No special training facilities necessary Publicity for library tools and services Community outreach
17	Considerations Changing technology: Who will update and how often Information Desk staffing Staff reservations about teaching Staff morale Attendance Marketing
18	Questions???
19	For More Information Kelli Koob kkoob@hclib.org 952-847-5961 Stephanie Steinwedel ssteinwedel@hclib.org 952-847-8833 Find this presentation and other information on the HCL website: http://www.hclib.org/extranet/