PLS is fortunate to have a strong emphasis, and support for training and staff development. Many of our new staff have never worked in a library before, and do not have the skills required for providing services in a library. The challenge is providing trainings in a timely manner. The PLS Training Library is the first step in this process. Ideally we would provide an additional 6-10 hours of trainings before the new staff begin their work assignments to provide more of these skills. Time restraints make this difficult so we rely on our on-going training schedule so these trainings are completed within the first six months of employment. In the Training Library we are able to provide a consistent message for all new staff regarding their role as library system employees who are assigned to work at a particular branch. All staff hear the same message about the service that is expected. During this training they have the opportunity to interact with administrative staff to gain an understanding of what services a centralized administration provides, and they are able to put a face to administrative staff. They have the opportunity to shadow staff in our newest branch and see a different service model in action. After this initial training they are eager to dive into their jobs, knowing who they can call for help.

Our current training program, the PLS Academy, designates trainings that are required for staff. The problem was having staff actually complete the trainings in a timely manner. So the idea of the Training Library was developed to provide a consistent orientation to the system and as a way to overcome the delay in some trainings. Having a dedicated training lab was the first necessity for the Training Library. We needed a space that would be available at specified times each month and this was not possible until our new facility opened with a dedicated staff training lab. The next factor was buy-in from supervisors. Numerous objections had to be overcome and communicating the advantages of the new model was the key to success. It was important that supervisors and staff had ample opportunity to provide comments and feedback. Once the initial plan was developed by the Training Department, it was reviewed by the Administrative Team. The plan was then discussed at countywide supervisors’ meetings so supervisors could provide feedback. From these meetings the plan was discussed at branch meetings with staff and feedback was again solicited. When the Training Library actually launched there was a great deal of support for it. The schedule of trainings was planned a year in advance so supervisors would know the timeline so the required trainings could be discussed with prospective employees, and supervisors would know when new staff would actually be available to work at the branches. It has been a surprisingly smooth transition to this training model.

The one thing that has been achieved is the implementation of the training model. We are in our third month and it will be reviewed the end of April. This training is not intended to replace the peer training staff receive at their branches, but we are hopeful that it will make the peer training a little easier because of the trainings they receive. Another outcome that is being accomplished is the orientation given to their status as library system employees and not as employees of a particular branch. They are able to interact with system staff so administrators are not just a name, but a face and a personality. Our goal at Pioneer is to have staff who are able to facilitate an outstanding experience for each of our customers and training is a big part of that. We want staff to have the skills they need so they can provide that level of service. The Training Library is the first step, and the PLS Academy advances their skills. Studies show that staff who receive good initial orientation in an organization tend to stay longer. We want that long term, dedicated staff.