T Is For Training

i know. it's tricky, isn't it? i think a lot of programs are re-evaluating priorities, as well as even saying, "no" to instruction requests. i guess we did our jobs too well -- right? instruction requests are booming everywhere beyond what staff's can handle. - αnnα vαȵ scoyoç

Anecdotally, 2 years ago I created heavy-duty online course guides for specific classes (assignment based guides) and based my instruction sessions on them. Last year many professors said "thanks for the online guide from last year, I think the class won't need a f2f session." This year many of those same professors clamored for f2f instruction sessions in addition to the already... more... - awd

aaron, did they tell you *why* they wanted f2f again [in addition to the online guide]? i have my theories, but i'm interested it if they gave you any feedback. - αnnα vαȵ scoyoç

We try to work with every First Year Experience class. In order to do that, those of us who do the most instruction don't work the reference desk during the most intense 3-4 weeks of teaching. Also, people who have limited instruction duties the rest of the year get assigned to take classes that would normally go to one of the busier librarians---so, for example, I don't have to teach ALL the FYE library sessions for the humanities. - Your Neighbor Steve

Wow, a break from ref desk during the first month of classes would go a long way. - Jason P

Here they started doing 2 week rota cycles during busy times, to make it easier for us to take last minute stuff. Also, the desk is staffed not just by librarians so there is a pool of people to draw on. - Pete

@jason, that's what *i* was thinking!!!! you mean...i could focus on classes?????? i know the ref desk is busy that first month -- but i'm going to go out on a limb and say it's mainly directional, logistics, printing [a-hem], etc.... @pete, i love the "pool" idea -- i know ref desk schedules are just starting to draw upon librarians throughout the org, not just the "ref department." - αnnα vαȵ scoyoç

We've had to start closing our desk due to staff loss and all of us teaching simultaneously. It'll settle down in a couple of weeks and we should be back to a staffed desk. Frustrating though when one refers people to the desk in class but knows we might have it closed. - Hedgehog

Well, we are fortunate here to have a group of "on call" librarians who only work the ref desk and understand that they won't work regular hours. They make that kind of thing possible. - Your Neighbor Steve