Rethinking Staff Training
St. Louis County Library, Mo.
Innovation Synopsis
St. Louis County Library (SLCL) started a new approach to staff training called eCourses @ SLCL. Based in the Reference Department, eCourses is an online learning platform with training opportunities for branch staff who cannot travel to the Headquarters library for classes offered on reference services, eMedia, and electronic resources.
Challenge/Opportunity
eCourses @ SLCL is grounded in the belief that staff training plays an imperative role in fulfilling the St. Louis County Library’s mission to enrich individual minds, enhance lives, and expand perspectives. With the nature of technology, it falls on the SLCL centralized Reference Department to keep apprised of the ever-changing electronic resource landscape, including user interface redesigns, the constant state of flux of the downloadable and streaming media arena, and how best to keep staff at our 20 locations aware of the changes and challenges faced. The launch of an online training platform creates a self-paced learning environment which addresses the issue of the Reference staff time necessary to create and offer timely, relevant courses, as well as branch staff’s inability to be absent from their location.
Key Elements of Innovation
eCourses utilizes the Moodle online learning management system, allowing Reference staff to develop courses to provide in-depth training on library services such as eMedia and databases. The courses are designed for all levels of staff and are grounded in instructional design methodology. Each course has a defined pedagogy including:
- Overview and objectives
- Additional optional readings
- Syllabus
- Topic modules including text, embedded videos, and images
- Interactive case study exercises
- Final quiz
Each course is designed for the student to complete the course at their own pace and can be accessed anywhere.
Achieved Outcomes
eCourses @ SLCL will lead to better informed staff at all 20 library locations. This system will facilitate higher quality, consistent transactions for our constituents, provide a professional development platform for Library staff searching for learning opportunities, and further assist us in fulfilling our Library mission. It is anticipated that this initial use of the Moodle learning management system will only be the beginning of how this online learning is implemented at SLCL. We aim to have several departments across the library (including human resources) utilize the system, redefining our organizational culture in the future.
