Training Committee
annual meeting

TRAINING COMMITTEE REPORT
WYLD ANNUAL MEETING
JUNE 1, 2007
TORRINGTON, WYOMING

The Training Committee's completed goal for this year was drafting a user survey on training needs. Seventy-three users responded. In future years, the committee and the state library's Continuing Education Coordinator plan on cooperating on a survey early in the fall to provide information at the beginning of the year. We hope to continue some questions from year to year to assess the impact of training and changing needs. As well as assessing current use of training tools, the survey also provided information about training resources available in WYLD and outside.

The committee's second focus was updating the skills checklists; this is not yet complete. The committee used a wiki in its work (http://wyldtrainingcommittee.pbwiki.com/).

The committee also tested OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries), the state library's new meeting software, at two meetings. The software allows participants to see the same document at the same time during an on-line meeting. The committee has not tested the microphone portion of the software.

The committee reminds the WYLD community that it does not train users itself. As the WYLD Bylaws provide,

The [training] committee in collaboration with the WYLD Office is responsible for updating the skills competencies on the WYLD network pages, establishing a training needs assessment process, and planning and implementing training in the regions and for the WYLD annual meeting. Members are responsible for communicating their needs to the committee.

The committee also reminds the WYLD community that member libraries are responsible for ongoing training of their staff in the use of SirsiDynix Unicorn resources and affiliated third party products. The WYLD Office is responsible for training new member libraries and training for upgrades, new modules, and new third party products (see the 2006 governance contract 5.B. and 6.I.). The WYLD Office and the Training Committee can co-ordinate additional training, but ongoing, basic training is not a WYLD Office obligation.

It is clear to the committee that basic level training is an ongoing issue in the state. Volunteer trainers are also needed.

The committee's agenda for next year includes the following:

1. Completing Skills Checklists:
   Reserves: Karen and Diane
   Acquisitions: No volunteer yet
   Reports: S. Sarazin
   Director's Station: No volunteer yet
   
2. What to include in a WYLD training plan?
   Assessment
   Subject areas
   Goals
   Responsibilities
   Calendar
   
3. Skills mentoring
4. Develop training materials

Members:

• Region I - Steve Whisenand - term ending
• Region II - Cheryl Wright
• Region III - Susan Hafner, then Julie Berentson
• Region IV - Beth Floyd
• Region V - Susan Simpson Chair
• Region V - Karen Kitchens - term ending
• Region VI - Marilyn Heiner - term ending

Ex officio/Guests

• Kirk Hissam - recorder
• Chris Van Burgh - State Library Liaison

Thanks to WYLD and member library staff members who attended our meetings, tested our sample survey, reviewed the checklists, and helped us in our work.

Respectfully submitted, Susan Simpson Training Committee Chair