I will use the ORIGINAL 27 questions proposed for the T is for Training gang. Here goes (answers in bold)…

1) Your One Sentence Bio
A surrendering to something greater than myself mother and wife who likes to sing and is a training coordinator for a public library system.

2) Do you blog? If yes, how did you come up with your blog name?
Yes. I always warn the library-types I train that I am NOT a creative-type; I’m more of a math/science-type, and I don’t come up with very original stuff; hence, the name of this blog…

3) What is your professional background?
I have a BA in Social Work with a minor in Spanish and I almost finished a tech degree in Computer Information Systems. See question 21 for more details.

4) What training do you do? staff? patrons? types of classes?
Strictly staff/volunteers. Millennium ILS, Microsoft Office, Social Media, and anything else staff/volunteers need to use a computer for in our libraries.

5) What training do you think is most important to libraries right now
How to do advocacy well – something I know nothing about but can see is desperately needed.

6) Where do you get your training?
I LOVE webinars, especially the free variety as that works well with my current budget.

7) How do you keep up?
If only I could! I do my best through RSS (just made the switch from Bloglines to Google Reader last week and LOVE it), tweets, Facebook, Friendfeed, podcasts, video, flickr, etc.
(that’s supposed to be an 8, but the coding keeps putting a cool face with shades here, whatever!) What do you think are the biggest challenges libraries are facing right now?
Funding, funding, oh, and funding!

9) What are biggest challenges for trainers?
For underfunded and understaffed libraries to see the value of time/cost needed for training.

10) What exciting things are you doing training wise?
Currently working on being able to offer some e-learning Microsoft tutorials through CustomGuide.

11) What do you wish were you doing?
Wish I were home with my 2 beautiful girls. For a more work-related answer, I wish I could be training the public; the patrons, on all things technology with a focus on social media.

12) What would you do with a badger?
Stand at least twenty feet away from it. Wait, make that thirty feet.

13) What’s your favorite food?
Teff, an amazing Ethiopian grain. I gave up all forms of sugar, wheat and flour over 9 years ago and have discovered so many amazing foods.

14) If you were stranded on an island, what one thing would you want to have with you?
My family.

15) Do you know what happens when a grasshopper kicks all the seeds out of a pickle?
It’s left with a seedless pickle.

16) Post it notes or the back of your hand?
Post it notes – everywhere…

17) Windows or Mac?
Windows, but wish I weren’t.

18) Talk about one training moment you’d like to forget?
I had a training while working in private industry where we were shoved in a room big enough to hold a small round table and I had to train the president, vp and 2 other high ranking people (usually the hardest types to train as they usually have other people do everything for them) for 2 straight days; agony!

19) What’s your take on handshakes?
They are a necessary evil.

20) Global warming: yes or no
I’m afraid the answer is… yes.

21) How did you get into this line of work?
Feel free to read the twisted tale here.

22) What is the best part of your job?
Watching someones eyes grow big and hear them let out an “oooh” or an “ahhh” when they learn how to do something really cool or something that will save them TONS of time on a computer.

23) Why should someone else follow in your shoes?
I have to agree with Peter here and suggest people find their own pair of shoes.

24) Sushi or hamburger?
Neither thank you. Refer to question 13.

25) LSW or ALA?
LSW, it’s hip, it’s what I can afford, and it allows me to wear a cape when I’m in the mood.

26) What one person in the world do you want to have lunch with and why?
Mary, the mother of God, to ask her how she survived motherhood and how to cultivate unconditional love and acceptance.

27) What cell phone do you have and why?
A Motorola E815 I got over 5 years ago because it still works, I only use it for telephone calls, and I’m too broke to afford a data plan.

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.