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ALA 2010 Training Showcase On YouTube

June 28, 2010 By

Howdy from ALA 2010.

It is hot and humid. Really hot and humid. If you are attending ALA and missed the Training Showcase to take a dip in your hotel pool, I understand.  So if you were otherwise engaged in cooling off activities or were unable to make your way here to Washington DC, do not fret.

Each of the exhibitors has a short video giving their “elevator speech” about why they were at the Training Showcase and what they have to offer to the LearnRT community.

There are also a few short Learning RoundTable “recruitment’ videos by some ALA Learning members present at the Showcase.

Here is Stacy as an excellent example of the brief but effective videos. You can find the rest bu clicking the playlist links above.  I hope these videos give you a flavor of the great Learning RoundTable ALA 2010 Training Showcase.

Maurice Coleman

Maurice Coleman, has been Technical Trainer at Harford County (MD) Public Library in North Eastern Maryland for the last 7 years. He has 20 years of experience training all ages how to sensibly use technology, computer hardware and software. He has also trained on effective technology planning and deployment, social media skills, nonprofit organizational development and fundraising, community organizing and presentation skills. He has presented at numerous conferences on topics such as digital personal branding, technology implementation, presentation and training skills, community development and effectively using social media. He hosts the library training podcast T is for Training and writes for the American Library Association’s LearnRT blog ALALearning. For his work he was named a 2010 Library Journal Mover and Shaker and received the Citizens for Maryland Libraries Davis McCarn Technology Award. You can find him on twitter @baldgeekinmd

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Learning Round Table Programs, Events, Battledecks at ALA Annual

June 9, 2010 By

The Learning Round Table has something for everyone at the ALA Annual Conference this year. The following is a list of programs, meetings, and events.

Also note the icons next to each event. These icons have links that will download the program as an appointment to your calendar. If the icon does not work, try right clicking and saving the .ics file before opening it. We also have a flyer that you can print and bring with you (click the image below to download).

Friday, June 25

Beyond Face to Face: New Methods for Staff Training
8:30am-12pm
Renaissance Hotel Congressional Hall C

Limited time and busted budgets make it increasingly difficult for library staff to leave their buildings to attend training events. Maverick library trainer Jay Turner along with T is for Training host Maurice Coleman and instructional designer Mary Beth Faccioli will demonstrate how to engage learners with effective and innovative uses of e-learning. Walk away from this pre-conference knowing how to: Identify free and cost-effective resources for presenting e-learning; Apply best practices in instructional design to e-learning; Recognize technical constraints in publishing e-content. Tickets Onsite: $150. Event Code: LEA1.

Saturday, June 26

Open Board Meeting I
8am-12pm
WCC-159 A/B

Our Board meetings are open to anyone interested in the activities, mission and work of the Learning Round Table. We discuss both old and new business, review goals, strategize and plan for the future, plot out committee work and have fun, too. Join us for all or part of our two meetings. We’d love to meet you!

Building with Competencies
1:30-3:30pm
Grand Hyatt Constitution A

Once you’ve determined the competencies needed by your staff, what next? Competencies are building blocks—there are a variety of constructions to be built with them for guiding staff training, recruitment, and other personnel strategies. Join us as we explore strategies and case studies of competency based staff development efforts. Presented by Betha Gutsche and Sandra Smith.

Sunday, June 27

Library Trainers as Leaders
10:30 am-12pm
WCC-201

Library staff development programs are in a state of flux. It is no longer enough for administrators to tell staff what training to offer. Workplace learning and performance professionals need to be part of the strategic planning of the organization. This interactive session will include audience participation and sharing of best practices as to how library trainers can step up their leadership skills and get a place at the library strategic planning table. Facilitated by Paul Signorelli with panelists Maurice Coleman, Sandra Smith and Louise Whitaker.

Training Showcase: Best Practices in Training, Staff Development & Library Continuing Education
1:30-3:30pm
WCC-Ballroom

The training showcase is a poster session type of program celebrating innovative continuing education, staff development, and training initiatives in all types of libraries and library organizations. Participants present best practices from their organization or institution.

Membership Pavilion Learning Round Table Lightning Talk
3:30-3:45pm
Exhibit Hall

Monday, June 28

Open Board Meeting II
10:30 am-12pm
WCC-156

Our Board meetings are open to anyone interested in the activities, mission and work of the Learning Round Table. We discuss both old and new business, review goals, strategize and plan for the future, plot out committee work and have fun, too. Join us for all or part of our two meetings. We’d love to meet you!

Staff Development Discussion
1:30-3:30pm
WCC-143A

This discussion is a great energizer for those new to staff development as well as for those who’ve been doing it for years. Come early and stay for the raffle at the end of the program.

Battledecks: The ALA Rumble Royale
5:30-7pm
WCC-103A

Battledecks represent the ultimate challenge for public speakers as they are challenged to give a coherent presentation based on hand-selected, seemingly unrelated slides that they see for the very first time live on stage. This competition, often referred to as “PowerPoint Karaoke,” will see our brave and willing participants compete for the glory of being crowned ALA’s reigning Battledecks champion. The participants will face judgment from a panel of four judges, with the winner to be determined based on a variety of criteria and general overall awesomeness. Hilarity, along with some learning, is guaranteed for all!

Defenders of a title:
Michael Porter(Battledecks champion from Internet Librarian 2009)
Andromeda Yelton (Battledecks co-champion from ALA MW 2010)
JP Procaro (Battledecks Champ from Pres4Lib)
Bobbi Newman (Battledecks co-champion from ALA MW 2010)

Contenders for the title:
Jason Griffey
Buffy Hamilton
Lisa Carlucci Thomas
John Chrastka
George Needham

Judges:
Peter Bromberg
Julie Strange
Maurice Coleman
David Lee King
Jenny Levine

Emcee: Janie Hermann
Timekeeper/Vanna White: Patrick Sweeney
Slidemakers: Alice Yucht, Patrick Sweeney, Janie Hermann, Jaime Corris Hammond, Andy Woodworth and anyone else who volunteers.

Event and Prizes sponsored by American Libraries and The Learning Round Table.

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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Free Web Seminar – Building An Online Community In Your State

June 9, 2010 By

Tomorrow, Thursday June 10th, ALA Learning writer Maurice Coleman, along with Nini Beegen, Maryland Online Learning Coordinator, Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Library and Development Services are presenting a web seminar tomorrow at 1 pm eastern time for WebJunction about Building An Online Community In Your State.

Click here to register for this free web seminar.

I hope to see you all tomorrow.

Maurice Coleman

Maurice Coleman, has been Technical Trainer at Harford County (MD) Public Library in North Eastern Maryland for the last 7 years. He has 20 years of experience training all ages how to sensibly use technology, computer hardware and software. He has also trained on effective technology planning and deployment, social media skills, nonprofit organizational development and fundraising, community organizing and presentation skills. He has presented at numerous conferences on topics such as digital personal branding, technology implementation, presentation and training skills, community development and effectively using social media. He hosts the library training podcast T is for Training and writes for the American Library Association’s LearnRT blog ALALearning. For his work he was named a 2010 Library Journal Mover and Shaker and received the Citizens for Maryland Libraries Davis McCarn Technology Award. You can find him on twitter @baldgeekinmd

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Filed Under: E-Learning, Professional Development, Resources for Trainers, Social Learning, Synchronous Learning, Webinars Tagged With:

Learning Round Table Preconference on E-Learning

June 7, 2010 By

Beyond F2F: New Methods of Staff Training

Limited time and busted budgets make it increasingly difficult for library staff to leave their buildings to attend training events. In Beyond Face-to-Face, maverick library trainer Jay Turner along with T is for Training host Maurice Coleman and instructional designer Mary Beth Faccioli demonstrate how to engage learners with effective and innovative uses of e-learning. Walk away from this pre-conference knowing how to:

  • Identify free and cost-effective resources for presenting e-learning
  • Apply best practices in instructional design to e-learning
  • Recognize technical constraints in publishing e-content

Date/Time: Friday, June 25, 2010 8:30am-12noon

Location: Renaissance Hotel Congressional Hall C

Tickets:

ALA Member $130
Division Member $130
Round Table (LEARNRT) Member $110
Retired Member $110
Student Member $75
Non-Member $150
Onsite: $150

Event Code: LEA1

Register: http://ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/reg/index.cfm

Bios

Jay Turner, Training Manager at Gwinnett County Public Library in Georgia, is responsible for all aspects of learning and development for a staff of 300+ employees. He considers himself a lifelong student, and delights in sharing his passion for learning with anyone willing to listen (much to their chagrin!). He is a library lifer, who began working in libraries as a teen and has worn almost every conceivable public services hat since.  Jay’s diversity of experience helps him develop and deliver solutions that are creative, practical, and effective. He is a self-proclaimed information and tech junkie, who gets his fix by playing in his “digital sandbox” with new tools and neat ideas to make learning more accessible, more flexible, and more fun across any medium.

Maurice Coleman is the Technical Trainer at Harford County (MD) Public Library located in the North Eastern corner of Maryland. He has more than 17 years of experience creating and delivering training programs on technology implementation, presentation and training skills, social media and community development. In 2008 he earned a Synchronous Training Design and Delivery certificate through a Maryland State Library program. He used that knowledge to help create blended learning solutions and presentations for the Maryland Learning 2.1 program, Harford County Public Library, WebJunction, the Maryland Library Association and the ALA Learning Roundtable. For his work he was named a 2010 Library Journal Mover and Shaker. He also hosts the library training and presentation podcast T is for Training.

As the Instructional Design & Technology Consultant at the Colorado State Library, Mary Beth Faccioli uses a variety of established and emerging technologies to deliver information and training onlineShe’s an avid web designer and passionate developer of web-based library applications and information systems. She has held web services positions at Boulder Public Library and at EDUCAUSE, and also served as the director of the Allen Ginsburg Library at Naropa University, where she continued to leverage emerging technologies to enhance access to library services, resources and instruction. She served as a training consultant for the Colorado Correctional Libraries, where she began developing open-source content management systems to support staff training, community building and access to information.  In her current position, she continues to build online communities using open-source applications, uses a range of existing and emerging technologies to create and support online learning, and leads the production of live online events at the Colorado State Library using web conferencing technology. Mary Beth is always looking to use technology creatively to promote and enhance resources and services, and to support learning.

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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Mind Maps for the Rest of Us

June 3, 2010 By

Sometimes, when I sit down to begin work on a project, it feels like there is a tornado whirling through my brain.  So many ideas begin to pour in that I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to remember them all!  I would have to say that ever since I became a mother a little over three years ago, this condition has definitely become more severe.

In the past, I have used the method of brain dumping to just get it all down on paper.  However, I found that when I wanted to bring all of the ideas together in some kind of logical order, it was difficult to do using a static list.  I can remember actually grabbing a pair of scissors and cutting each little line of thought from my notebook into a strip of paper and then spreading them out all over my office floor to create a flow for a user manual.

That lead me to my next endeavor – index cards.  I believe I was big into David Allen’s Getting Things Done philosophy at the time.  This was definitely better than small, hard to pick up slips of paper.  Still, I felt like I was left with a monumental stack of cards that just didn’t want to get into any kind of order for me.  And the environmentalist in me could not stand all of that waste of trees.

Enter the spreadsheet.  I would type each idea into a line in a spreadsheet and then cut / paste / click / drag my way into some kind of flow.  Again, a little too cumbersome for me.

A little buzz word was ringing in my ear periodically.  It would flit in and out saying “mind map… mind map… mind map…”.  I had seen mind maps here and there.  I actually attempted one on the whiteboard in my training room trying to mimic the way our Network Administrator would just let things flow through his marker.  Instead my whiteboard became a mass of erased and rewritten words.  By the time I was done with it, I felt like I had lost half of my ideas.  Plus, I then had to copy the whole thing to a piece of paper before my next class.

It’s truly amazing to see the works of art that others have put together.

You see, I’m not a very creative person.  It’s true; I admit it.  I am very mathematical and linear.  I always start my Basic Circulation classes with that fact when I hand out my test patron cards to the librarians to use during the training.  There are no funny, themed names like Sally Latefee (which in itself is no good, but I TOLD you, I’m NOT creative).  No, instead students will meet Test One, Test Two, all the way to the very exciting Test Fortyfive.  I always tell them that’s why THEY are the ones doing creative programming at their libraries and I’M the one teaching them how to use the computer!

Then, a glimmer of hope arose on the horizon this past week.  The name of this shiny gem…Mindmeister.  I actually looked at this a few years ago, but did not bother playing with it because remember, I’m not a creative-type.  I figured my brain just would not mesh with what I called in my head Mindmonster.  See where negative self-talk will get you?  I missed out on a few years of actually using this!

What was so painful to do on a whiteboard actually feels comfortable using this online interface.  It’s very easy to use.  The best part is that I can manipulate the information in any way I like.  I can add colors, change text size, bold items, even add icons to let my thoughts actually take shape.  Here’s their quick and simple tutorial:

A Tour of MindMeister from MindMeister on Vimeo.

Just for practice and to get familiar with how to use the software, I took my Circulation Manual and put it into mind map form. The red signifies the topics taught in Advanced Circ. Remember, I’m very new to this…

I’ve set up a new map where I’m brain dumping some ideas for a PC Troubleshooting class I’m developing. Each time I have a thought, I add it to the map. I’m currently sitting in on calls with our technicians to help me assess what needs to be covered in this class.

Then there’s this huge monster I’m creating for a Training Needs Assessment I’m working on. It’s just a place to gather all of the resources I’m pulling from as I work on my methodology for the assessment. It may look insane, but it is actually bringing me so much comfort to have all of the tornado down in software form. It makes sense to me and that’s all that really matters…

I’m hoping I get better at this over time. You can see a whole list of mind mapping software on Wikipedia. The Wild Apricot Blog also has a great post describing mind mapping and giving some how to instructions.

Here are some of my favorites that I’ve bookmarked over the years:

Non Profit Social Media ROI Mindmap

Robin Good’s Collaborative Map

Overdrive Interactive’s Social Media Map for Social Media Marketing

Overdrive Interactive’s Search Marketing Map

John Haydon’s The Shelf Life Of A Facebook Like Map

So what do YOU do to get ideas out of your head?  What process do you use?  If you use mind maps, would you be willing to share some with a newbie?

Stephanie Zimmerman

Stephanie Zimmerman is the Training Coordinator for the Library System of Lancaster County (Pennsylvania), a federated system with 14 member libraries, three branches and a bookmobile, which serves 490,562 residents. She designs and implements technology and development training and consulting to the member libraries. This includes training on Innovative’s Millennium Integrated Library System, Microsoft Office Applications, emerging technologies (i.e. social media) and various other areas. Her goal is to remove the fear of technology and help others to realize the amazing possibilities it provides. Teaching others to do things for themselves and see their excitement when they break through their barriers is her greatest reward. Stephanie has been a software trainer for 15 years. Her past employment involved training on federal and county government applications. She also worked for a private industry marketing company where she traveled across the country showing manufacturers and retailers in the consumer packaged goods industry how to use geodemographic targeting software. Always wanting to help others, Stephanie graduated from Millersville University (in Pennsylvania) cum laude with a BA in Social Work. She was also a student in the Computer Information Systems program at Harrisburg Area Community College. She is a member of ASTD (American Society of Training and Development). She is also a regular contributor to the T is for Training podcast which focuses on training in libraries. She was a trainer for WebJunction’s Spanish Language Outreach project and has done training for Commonwealth Libraries. She is grateful to have landed in the world of libraries. When she began her current job in January of 2004, there were no other library trainers in her immediate area. She turned to the social web to begin networking with other library trainers across the world and immediately realized her passion for social networking and social media. All of her continuing education has been done through these networks and she can’t help but push others to discover the immense opportunities available through online collaboration. Stephanie lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her family which includes husband, Bill (a self-employed stay-at-home-dad) and two children (ages 2 and 4 months). When she’s not being Mommy, or working, you’ll most likely find her singing. Stephanie can be reached at szimmerman[at]lancasterlibraries.org.

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5 Things That Make You Look Like a Noob

June 1, 2010 By

This month marks my third anniversary as Training Manager for Gwinnett County Public Library and my fifth year working in training and development. As I prepare for my annual performance evaluation, I always like to clean up my cubicle as a symbol of receiving a new beginning. While I was tidying up the old hole in the wall, I found a notebook of handouts from a train the trainer session I attended five years ago. Alarm bells rang in my head. If I’d unearthed the notebook from the black hole that is my desk, then the dreaded video of my first recorded presentation was somewhere nearby. Surely enough the mini-DVD labeled “PB&J” (I was recorded demonstrating how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to my fellow trainees) was underneath a small hill of forgotten conference swag. I couldn’t resist playing the DVD for a good laugh, and boy did I get a belly full of laughter from watching it. My awkwardly stiff performance on that video forced me to reflect on my first year or so as a trainer. Inspired by some of my worst moments, I present to you: 5 Things That Make You Look Like a Noob – in no particular order.

1. Reading from your notes: Part of the training exercise for planning for my presentation was to write down the necessary steps on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich so that an alien could do it alone. When it was time for me to present, I was so nervous to speak in front of the group that I actually carried my notes with me and even read from them a couple of times. Nothing says uncomfortable and unprepared like reading from your presenter’s notes. This is true for webinars as well.

Nothing screams noob louder than appearing unprepared or uncomfortable.

2. Apologizing: I was stoked the very first time I taught a training class at my library. I was leading a four hour session that teaches new employees how to use the library’s ILS. I’d spent the previous week preparing, so that class would be perfect at show time. Things didn’t work the way I’d planned. Due to unplanned maintenance, I was forced to use a test version of a records database instead of the real one. I learned during my session that the database would often give cryptic error messages when certain steps were performed. I was not expecting this, so when one of these messages appeared, I would apologize to the class (and that was a lot of mea culpas!) I’ve since learned that you undermine your credibility as a presenter when you apologize repeatedly. If you say you’re sorry for an inconvenience, do it once and move on. Constant apologies draw more attention to problem and give the impression that you are not in control.

3. Dressing like the rest: The dress code at my library is business casual, and it is not uncommon to see me in the office wearing pressed slacks, a polo shirt, and sensible shoes. Early in my training career, I would teach class wearing my typical work attire. I’m no Tim Gunn, but I did find it problematic that new employees at the library thought I was a trainee and not the trainer based on my appearance. That only had to happen twice before I realized that as a presenter, I should always dress one step above the audience.

4. A long introduction: Most people don’t care about the history of your topic or how Merriam Webster defines it. Classroom time is invaluable, and blowing ten minutes on an inane intro is not a good use of it. Lead into your presentation with a solid opener – something that gets people moving, talking, and most importantly, thinking about the upcoming presentation.

5. Doing all the talking: It feels good to be the center of attention, and it’s one of the reasons why I enjoy my job. As a trainer, I can be an entertainer, motivator, and teacher – someone that people want to hear (or have to hear, depending on the circumstances). Early in my training career, I reveled in the spotlight and loved nothing more than receiving class evaluations with additional comments like, “Jay is so funny!”, or “This class was entertaining. Thanks for the good times.” The problem, I later realized, is that I was unintentionally making myself part of the subject matter, instead of the focusing solely on the learners. It took me a while to recognize the value in talking less and allowing my learners to have more meaningful interaction. If you’re doing more than 60% of the talking in your classroom, then it’s probably time to zip it.

This is only five of dozens of faux pas I’m guilty of committing. What are some noob mistakes that you’ve been guilty of? What advice would you give fledging trainers to save them some embarrassment along the way?

Jay Turner

Jay Turner, Training Manager at Gwinnett County Public Library in Georgia, is responsible for all aspects of learning and development for a staff of 300+ employees. He considers himself a lifelong student, and delights in sharing his passion for learning with anyone willing to listen (much to their chagrin!) He is a library lifer, who began working in libraries as a teen and has worn almost every conceivable public services hat since. Jay’s diversity of experience helps him develop and deliver solutions that are creative, practical, and effective. He is a self-proclaimed information and tech junkie, who gets his fix by playing in his “digital sandbox” with new tools and neat ideas to make learning more accessible, more flexible, and more fun across any medium. He can be reached at jayturner[at]comcast.net.

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