THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRG INIA LIBRARY STAFF EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROG RAM AND VISION FOR THE LIBRARY OF TOMORROW by Betsy Anthony Abstract This article presents an overview of the University of Virginia Staff Education and Development Program. It includes a historical perspective of the library, the library and university programs, benchmarking project, statistics, trends, and staff training implications for the library of tomorrow. The web version specific of this article is also provided which includes links to full l ibrary documents and expands material presented in the article. Ww satf *e. 11(,:,. fl� - 1-t � .-1� seau. � Wid e� ad7fat.7�7 If Thomas Jefferson, Founder of the University of Virginia, were asked that question today about his l ibrary staff, he would give an enthusiastic and resounding Yes! In 1 819, Mr. Jefferson envisioned his Academic Village as a vibrant and forward-looking university. He, himself, was progressive in action and thought and an avid inventor. Those who study his life see that his insatiable appetite for learning continued throughout his life. Because of this, many of his friends called him a "walking l ibrary". He had read and studied virtually every important book written in the Western world since ancient times, often prefetTing to study each book in its original language. Historians have written that Mr. Jefferson was the most widely read man of his time in America. Thomas Jefferson, if living today, would embrace change and technology with an open mind and marvel at the complexity and breadth to which his faculty and students are able to access knowledge and information. He probably would add another phrase to his now famous words written to John Adams, "I cannot live without books" or the functionality of my personal computer! But Mr. Jefferson would also be concerned about the well being of his l ibrary staff today. He would question how they were being trained to cope with change and new technologies and more importantly, he would ask if library staff were properly involved in staff development and planning for the l ibrary of tomorrow. Historical Vision Just as Thomas Jefferson was the architect and founder of the University of Virginia, he was also the creator of a li brary collection that would reside in the beautiful Rotunda Dome Room for over a century. The library would be a t ti bute to his love of books, containing a collection which represented the accumulated learning and wisdom of the ages and housed in a building that is the central focus of his architectural design. His enthusiasm for enlightenment and his undying faith in the power of knowledge was evident as he began nis list of books that were to be purchased and arranged for use according to a subject classification he adapted from Francis Bacon. He chose the first two university librarians and formulated the first li brary regulations. Unfortunately, Thomas Jefferson did not live to see his books placed in the Dome Room. The collection, both purchased and donated, had to be stored in another building within his Academic Village due to the delayed completion of the Rotunda. In April , before his death on July 4, 1826, he watched the raising of a capital . EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 10 A R T I C L E S on top of a Rotunda pillar from the balcony of Pavilion IX. And then, at the age of eighty-three, he slowly rode his horse back to his beloved home, Monticello. Sadly, most of Jefferson's books were destroyed in a catastrophic 1895 fire in the Rotunda, but the faculty and students managed to save his s tatue, a poignant reminder that his indomitable spirit and love of books would live on at his university. Donations of books began to anive from citizens all over America, the Rotunda was rebuilt with expanded space, and Jefferson's vision of his university l ibrary was once again a reality. In 1924, the growth of the collections and the inadequacy of space prompted the vision and dreams of then President Alderman for a new library building, later to be named the Alderman Library. It was built and dedicated in 1 938 and continues to this day as the main university l ibrary. Cunently, Alderman Library, 10 branch and departmental l ibraries, and 3 professional school l ibraries comprise the University of Virginia L ibraries . The three professional school l ibraries-Darden Business Library, Law Li brary, and the Health Sciences Li brary-remain under the administration of their schools. Building Today's Library Within the Serpentine Walls The University of Virginia Library of today has been changed extensively by technology. Anyone who enters Memorial Hall of Alderman Library no longer sees the rows of card catalogs that served students and faculty for so many years. Instead, an espresso cafe with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting over rows of computers now greets the University community. Not only has technology effected physical change, it has opened the library and its collections to the world. Today, the library is at the forefront of change and technology. UVA's first online catalog system was an in-house product and introduced to the academic community in 1984. After several generations of online systems, the University of Virginia Library was one of several major research institutions to acquire the web-based Sirsi system in 1995. In mid 1980, the Education Library took the first step in providing access to databases on networked CD-ROMs outside of the"physical" l ibrary environment. Access was available both to faculty in their offices and in an electronic classroom within the Curry School of Education, and soon after in Psychology Department faculty offices across the street. The u niversi ty l i braries have i mplemented further technological initiatives during the last five years. These include electronic reserves; journal articles and other materials from outside sources delivered electronically to u ser's e-mail ; documents in microform format such as ERIC documents scanned and delivered electronically to a user's home directory/e-mail service; u ser requested materials borrowed or ordered and delivered within 7 days; and digitized multimedia made available EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 for classroom and individual use. More recently, the acquisition of commercial e-books has begun. In order to keep pace with the ever changing technology landscape, a new university program to replace staff and public computers every three years, known as DCI (Desktop Computing Initiative), is a reality. A plan to create the University of Virginia Digital Library began in 1992 when the first of four electronic centers was established in the university library. As of today, this initial center, known as the E-Text Center, has digitized over 40,000 on- and off-line humanities texts in twelve languages and more than 19,000 related images. It has become one of the foremost repositories and disseminators of electronic texts and images in the world and currently logs one million visits to its site each month. Three other electronic centers serving the academic community are the Digital Media Center, Geospatial & Statistical Data Center, and the Special Collections Digital Center. Two university centers based in the Alderman Library are the Virginia Center for Digital History (VCDH) and Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities (lATH). VCDH's mission is to develop high-quality, well-researched, and reliable history materials for the web and deliver them to schools, colleges, libraries, historical societies, and the general public. lATH explores and expands information technology as a tool for humanities research and creates computer- based projects and software. Users of these sites range from a high school student writing a paper on Thomas Jefferson to a teacher in Japan researching the manuscripts of a noted American writer. Use of the centers reaches into the academic classroom as well. A professor is now able to teach from a digital version of a rare and historic book available on the web, and students can access the book or document from home or in a library. Technology has enabled the university's Bayly Art Museum to create a virtual art gallery, adding images and descriptions of its collection for students to study while scholars and art lovers from around the world can research the collection. The university's distance education has been enhanced through a statewide Virtual Classroom created with a new communications system which can accommodate simultaneous real-time two-way voice and audio with more than enough bandwidth to accommodate the university's computing network. In the last year, the Instructional Technology faculty of the Curry School of Education designed and established an electronic instructional classroom for simultaneous sites using an electronic whiteboard, digital cameras, conference telephones with wireless mikes, and Microsoft NetMeeting software. Technology has also brought together academic libraries in Virginia. The Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) is a consortium of the Commonwealth of Virginia's 39 state-assisted and 32 private non-profit college and university libraries. Its mission is to enhance access to Virginia's academic libraries and information resources in a cooperative and cost effective manner. Today's technology A R T I C L E S 1 1 has vastly increased the capacity of the University of Virginia Library to serve the academic community through all of these various initiatives. A Commitment to Training With continuous change and rapidly changing technology come the realization that the l ibrary staff needs more help to keep pace, and a plan for their future professional development. In the early 1 990s, a commitment was made by the university library administration and endorsed by the l ibrary's Administrative Council to establish a staff education program that would provide an organized staff training and development program for all staff employed in the university libraries. Although staff training had been available i nformally in the previous decades , this commitment would initiate library-wide planning for the program, funding support, creation of an electronic classroom, appointment of a training coordinator, a team of trainers, and a curriculum of in-house training opportunities. This commitment formally endorsed the idea that staff development as well as training is important, that change is a continual factor in an evolving academic library environment, and that new technologies are impacting the work environment at an accelerated rate. As further evidence of commitment , the l i brary administration recommended that each staff person spend a minimum of l hour/week or 50 hours per year on training. Release time would be given to staff and schedules rearranged for public service personnel. Today the commitment continues with high priority given to l ibrary staff development and education and with vision to prepare for the l ibrary of tomorrow and the 21st century while remaining a top ranked university research library. A Commitment to Funding Funding remains a central issue in any staff development and training program. There is never enough to cover all the various activities, especially during times of flat line budgets or budget cuts. In order to preserve and continue the commitment, the University of Virginia Library administration has put in place innovative ways to fund staff development and training. The five sources of funding are as follows: • Associates of the Library Staff Development Endowment Fund • Department Delegated Fund • Faculty Research Fund • Staff Education and Development General Fund • Travel Fund Associates of the University of Virginia Library (friends of the Library) was organized in 1969 to assist in bringing new and important materials to the library and Special Collections. Recently, the Associates broadened their scope to support collections and services through their annual gifts and volunteer activit ies . One of their endeavors is the Associates S taff Development Endowment Fund. This endowment allows the library to provide appropriate opportunities for training, to bring technology experts to the library to teach the staff, to give tuition assistance for classes and workshops, and to provide additional support for travel to conferences and training sessions. A second source is the Department Delegated Fund. Each department head in the university libraries receives a budget allotment for which each may determine the appropriate uses of the fund. Special training and development needs of department staff are evaluated and projected costs budgeted and expended for the fiscal year. A third source is the Faculty Research Fund. The l ibrary has a unique and generous program wherein grants of time and/or funds are made available to enable library faculty to conduct research. A library faculty committee administers these funds. The fourth source, a Staff Education and Development General Fund, which is administered by the Associate University Librarian for Organi zational D evelopment, supports the tra in ing and development program and its varying activities. And a final source, the Travel Fund is allocated by the university library administration and administered by a library faculty committee for faculty and staff travel to professional meetings and conferences, training courses, and other professional mandatory travel. The primary recipients of these funds are library faculty with a smaller percentage given to support staff. Although these funds do not cover entire costs of an individual ' s activities or projects, it does show administrative commitment and support for staff development and training and leaves the decision making process for awarding the various funding to library faculty. The Library Program The University of Virginia Library is committed to staff education and development for all staff. Ongoing training provides staff with the skills required to meet the challenge of keeping pace with changing user needs, mastering new and more complex technologies, and adapting to a work environment characterized by constant change. A well-planned program benefits not only the individual but also the library and the university. Library Training Coordinator, Suzanne Bombard recently commented that "Training is a way to say 'we value you ' . It is also a way to enrich a person's worklife." Training can provide both an organized professional approach to the job and increased understanding by staff of the changes and direction in which the library is moving. In order to plan this direction the library administration first reviews university goals and strategies, including strategic planning documents such as Virginia 2020 and the University Strategic Plan for Information Technology. As part of the planning process , the Library administration establishes Library Priorities each biennium, which in turn are reflected in the planning for a staff education and development program. EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 1 2 A R T I C L E S The library does not restrict its training and development to in-house programs only, but relies on university programs to expand staff education opportunities. An outline of both library and university programs i s presented in Figure 1 with segments of the Library program highlighted in the following descriptions. Training Coordinator. The Library Training Coordinator develops and designs the training program by conducting needs assessments and designing training for timeliness and trends. She also writes the documentation for course curricula and maintains the web site and staff education calendar. As part of her responsibilities, she works with Library Technology Services Department staff and the User Services Coordinator to plan and develop training for all staff education and training programs. The Training Coordinator has a reporting l ine to the Associate Univers i ty Librarian for Organizational Development. Web Site. A web si te maintained by the library 's H uman Resources staff provides information on all staff education and development opportunities including a curriculum of short courses available to staff and a listing of user education courses open to university staff, faculty and students. The list of short courses contains information about the course, training documentation, prerequisites if required, and online registration. Also presented on the HR web pages are library policies and procedures, reports and planning documents, organization charts, job openings, forms, and related resources and information. Individual Plans. For individual planning purposes, a staff member's training plan is included in the annual performance and evaluation document. Specific training and development needs are identified and agreed upon by both the supervisor and staff person. The staff development and training program is organized around various approaches to training upon which staff may plan their individualized program. The "I need it now" training provided through short courses or tutorials enables staff to choose when they need the skills training and apply the learning outcomes to current job requirements. Short Courses. In addition to basic skills training, other skills may be developed through short courses in customer relations training, interpersonal communication, managerial/ supervisory skills , orientations, product knowledge training, technical processes/procedures training, and other professional development activities (Figure 2). On the average, most library short courses are 1 • to 2 hours in length and include documentation or handouts, discussion time, hands-on practice time, and an online or printed evaluation form for feedback. If required, courses may be scheduled in series and in sequence. Some short courses offer a 30 minute session for the busy librarian or manager as a way to focus on specific applications or segments of software packages such as tips on using style sheets or toolbars in Word and Excel. EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 Specialized training has been established to meet immediate requirements for job specialization or library-wide technologies. As an example, training for groups (circulation, technical services staff) is offered when updates to the Sirsi (VIRGO) online system include newly i mplemented features such as Workflows and Wizards. Orientation. New employees deserve an effective well-planned orientation and training plan. By doing so, new employees feel comfortable in the new work environment and become productive staff members in their job performance at an earlier stage of the process. The University Human Resources staff conduct general orientations covering benefits, health insurance, parking, payroll procedures, and other employee-related information. A Staff Fair is held to acquaint new employees with university organizations and libraries. Library supervisors develop a comprehensive orientation and training plan for the new employee beginning with job responsibilities, library opportunities, and a checklist of skills the individual may bring to the job. Trainers from various units of the university libraries are included in the training plan. This is known as "shared training". A new employee receives specialized training through one-on-one tutorials, thereby establishing contact with staff from other libraries. Student Assistants. S tudent assistants receive training at individual libraries or units in which they are hired. Currently, a library-wide effort to provide customer service training for all new student assistants has been initiated, based on the philosophy that customer service is fundamental to the performance of students and staff alike. The one to two hour mandatory training is required for all public service student assistants and scheduled at three different times to accommodate students' class schedules. Training provides basic information about work responsibilities, etiquette and demeanor, service, referring questions, and safety. The program for student assistants serves to present consistent information and emphasizes the importance of excellent customer service to the libraries' patrons . Computer Support Training. Of vital importance to the staff education and training program are two areas of training involving a fairly large number of staff. Computer support training for LSPs (Library Support Provider) requires an in-depth approach on a continual basis and results in a group of well-trained people in technical support who can serve as problem-solvers and consultants to individual library units. The LSA (Library Support Assistant) program, referred to as DAVEs (from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey), was created to reduce response time for computer, network, and library system-related problems at the department or unit level. DAVEs work in conjunction with LSPs (Library Support Providers) to ensure that computer-related tasks are handled quickly and efficiently. A R T I C L E S 1 3 Figure 1 University of Virginia Library Staff Education and Development Program (http:/ /staff.lib. virginia.edu/HR) Program Opportunities Library Faculty and Support Staff BI (Bibliographic Instruction) Luncheons-roundtable discussions Career planning/advancement - Univ. of Tenn-Knoxville IS degree program, lTC programs Staff Events - Staff Fair (Fun Day), Small group brown bag lunches with the Univ. Librarian, Conferences, Workshops, National/State/Local Professional Meetings Annual staff appreciation luncheon Customer Service Workshops Staff Sharing Supervisors Training Training of Trainers Travel Library staff email listsrvs - communication (current awareness and procedures) LSPs (Library Support Provider) and LSA (Library Support Assistant) program-computer support Mentoring for new librarians New employee orientations-includes Univ. library/Unit library staff "shared training" Research (faculty and staff) Short courses - In-house Training Computer technologies Online library system (VIRGO)- all components of sirsi, discussion groups Library resources - databases, full text sources, digitized collections Staff development skills User Education courses (open to staff, faculty, and students) 1 999-2000 Course Curriculum Speakers Forums - Invited speakers from both inside and outside the University Program Resources Funding Sources Associates of the Library Staff Development Fund Department Delegated Fund Faculty Research Fund Staff Education and Development General Fund Travel Fund Support (leave time, staff assistance, equipment/laptop computer) Collection of training resources-videos, online documentation, handouts and tutorials Student Assistants Customer Service Training Library procedures training-various operations of the library (circulation, shelving, ready reference, technical services procedures) Library collections and resources, databases . . . Online catalog system Tutorials Other Staff Policies Grants Laptop Computer Policy for Research Projects Promotion and Ranks for Library Faculty Telecommuting UVA Tuition Assistance UVA Tuition Reimbursement UVA Tuition Waiver University Opportunities Univ. of Virginia lTC (Information Technology & Communications) ( www.i tc. virginia.edu/i tcweb!help/training!home.h tml) Computer workshops Computer-based training Computer coffees and Knowledge Exchange Events Computer survival skills Conferences ITC-cable and video-based training Local training partners-Local Service Provider training program Microsoft Office user specialist program Office technology skills certification Teaching Resource Center-Instructional technologies in the classroom Training of technical trainers Training resources - software manuals, video training, handouts, tutorials, cable and other sources Web certification Univ. of Virginia Organizational Development. and Training (www.hrs.virginia.edu/odtl) Leadership Program Management Program New Employee Fair New Employee Orientation Program Supervisory Program Training the Trainers EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 1 4 A R T I C L E S Figure 2 Library Staff Education Catalog of Courses (staff.lib. virginia.edu/HR/description.html) Virgo Courses Cataloging Workflows Training Session Changes in Database Access: WebSPIRS to FirstSearch The Circulation Module for Non-Circulation S taff Circulation Workflows Training Session Finding Legal Information on the Internet Info View Searching for the Library Staff User An Introduction to Serial Orders MARC for the Masses MHLD's in VIRGO Mining the Display 1/Display 2 Item Screen Not Just Another VIRGO Class OVID Databases Passport for Windows Power to the People: VIRGO Reports for Information Gathering Serials Orientation Session: version 99.2 Statistics Refresher Workshop VIRGO Order Record VIRGO OPAC Indexes VIRGO Request Module Web Delivery Demonstration WebCat for Library staff WebS PIRS Databases Workflows Thtorials Windows 95:A Basic Overview Web Imaging with Photoshop Computer Technology Courses Access I : Basic Skills for the New Access User Access II : The Art of the Query CGI for Non-Programmers\CorporateTime: An Introduction CorporateTime for Designates E-Text Center Databases: An Overview for Library Staff Eudora: A Windows Mailer Excel I: Basic Skills for the New Excel User Excel II : Building Your Workbook Excel III: Becoming a Power User Excel IV: The Advanced Power User Internet Explorer, the B rowser An Introduction to VI, the UNIX Editor JOVE for the Power User Mac OS 8: An Introduction Netscape Communicator Netscape for Library Staff: Searching the World-Wide Web Network Protocols and Topologies Office 2000 Enhancements: Myth and Reality Outlook Express PageMaker I and I I Peri l a n d l i EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 PowerPoint I and I I Regular Expressions Simeon Mail: An Introduction Understanding File Structure and Management in Windows & UNIX UNIX I and II Web Page Workshop A Web Page Workshop for Library Staff B Windows 95: Advanced Word 2000: (5 sessions) An Overview For the Die-hardWordPerfect User; AutoTools: Rx for Busy Employees; Doing It With Style(s) ! ; Mastering Mail Merges; Toolbars and Nothing But! WS_FTP for File Management Staff Development Series Adapting Our Work Habits of Today to the Library of Tomorrow Drivers Wanted: Career Strategies for the 90s Effective Writing I: Basic Writing Skills Effective Writing II: E-Mail Etiquette Effective Written Communication in the Workplace III: Writing Monthly Reports & Other Communications Effective Written Communication in the Workplace IV: Evaluations and Performance Plans Effective Written Communication in the Workplace V: Writing for Success (How to Be) the Millionaire Next Door: Investing in the Stock Market on the Internet Public Speaking The Role of the Supervisor in Today's Workplace I & II The Supervisor as Team Leader 1\vo's Company, Three's a Crowd: Understanding Group Dynamics in the Workplace Turning Failure into Success When Three's Definitely a Crowd: Resolving Problems in Your Group Work Habits for the New Workplace Skills for the New Workplace Series Assertive Communications The Art of Brainstorming: How to Generate Ideas in Your Group Asking the Right Questions: The Reference Interview Building a Team that Delivers Communication Issues in Supervision I-IV: Basic Skills, Coaching for Improved Performance, Delegation, and Giving/Receiving Feedback Friendly Persuasion: The Art of Negotiating to Get What You Want From Confrontation to Cooperation: Negotiation Skills Hearing What They Say In the Details: The Art of the Referral It Takes Two to Tang(le): How to Successfully Resolve Your Conflicts Keeping Your Cool: Dealing With Angry, Rude, and Defensive People Reframing the Game: Learning How to Cope with Situations You Cannot Change S/He Said: Gender-speak in the Workplace of the 90s Successful Customer Interactions Time Management for Workgroups and Teams Wet Book Recovery A R T I C L E 5 1 s While Library Technology Services staff are responsible for hardware and software infrastructure of the library as a whole, the LSPs and DAVEs are responsible for installing and maintaining hardware and software , trouble-shooting computer-related problems, and providing one-on-one tutorials and training in their assigned areas. Training for LSPs and DAVEs is coordinated by the Library Training Coordinator and provided by Library Technology Services staff, library trainers , and university ITC instructors. Training the Trainers. Training the trainers is a program that brings together staff from all departments and units of the libraries who are designated library trainers. These individuals volunteer their time and special skills for training and instruction in the program. Once a year a workshop is held for trainers featuring invited guests from the university 's Teaching Resource Center, Organizational Development and Training, and other training agencies or businesses. A monthly trainer meeting is used to cover issues and topics of interest to trainers and to provide updated information on projects and problems encountered at various library sites. Career Development. Staff development is a continuous and gradual learning experience. As part of the university l ibrary's interest in staff career development and education, arrangements were made with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville School of Information Sciences to offer a distance education master's degree program using interactive telecommunication technology through the University of Virginia Divis ion of Continuing Education. Four sites in Virginia receive the degree courses via an electronic classroom in Knoxville. To date, one University of Virginia staff person has received the degree since the program's beginning in 1996, and 38 are currently enrolled in the program. Staff may also become certified in computer technologies through the ITC programs. Both professional and computer technology programs serve to provide avenues of choice for staff. Research. As noted earlier in this article, the University of Virginia Library has a unique and generous program wherein grants of time and/or funds are made available to enable library faculty to conduct research. A faculty research committee administers the library's faculty research program with the mission to provide support for research and scholarship to faculty members of the University of Virginia Library. These paths of scholarship are important to academic librarianship and are supported by the university. Although the primary focus is support for library faculty, staff involved in research projects may also apply. Proposals for research projects are submitted to the faculty research committee outlining the research project proposed, the time needed, a detailed breakdown of estimated costs, and a statement indicating what the faculty member hopes to accomplish with the time or funds requested. Upon completion of the project, a presentation is made to the Library Faculty at-large. T he University Programs University development and training is an integral part of the training program and is available to library staff for specialized computer training, computer certification programs, and university-wide supervisory and leadership programs. ITC ( Information Technology and Communication) and ODT (Organizational Development and Training) offer programs to individuals who need more intensive and specialized training. The Department of Information Technology and Communication (ITC) states on its web site that ITC's purpose is to provide and promote information technology and communication within the university community as staff prepare for a world of rapidly developing technological innovations. Training services include short courses, training and certification for technologies, local training partners program, cable and video-based training, conferences and round-table discussions, and i nstructional technologies. The Department of Organizational Development and Training (ODT) offers a range of profess ional and organizational development services to faculty and staff. These initiatives are developed in response to identified needs. Services available include training, leadership development, technical assistance, consulting, and trainer/facilitator development. These services are designed to i mprove indiv i dual performance , fac i l i tate organizational change, and enhance the quality of worklife at the University of Virginia according to its statement of purpose. ODT also administers the Educational Aid, Tuition Waiver, and Administrative Internship programs. ODT programs have shifted their emphasis with some workshops wherein previous workshops were planned and individuals attended. Now the focus has changed to target programs for special groups, and individuals are recommended for participation by their supervisor or department head. Training Statistics and Observations For planning purposes, library staff was recently asked to respond to a survey indicating their training needs and interests for the coming year. There were no real surprises in the responses. Interests expressed ranged from training for new technologies and software applications to providing documentation online and expanding human-based workshops . It has been observed that staff has made positive attitudinal changes toward training. Technology is no longer an option. It i s an essential element of both the professional and personal life and is viewed as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. Staff has accepted training and understands the necessity for keeping up with technological EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 1 s A R T I C L E S skills. Training is no longer treated solely as the supervisor's responsibility but rather a joint effort in identifying training needs for the individual. Because of this, staff has become pro-active in requesting training for current job responsibilities. From any group, there will always be one or more who want to take every course offered in the program, then there are those who are working in very specialized job responsibilities and see no need for any participation. As to preferred training times, Thursday morning was a first choice with some interest expressed for evening courses. Statistics in Figure 3 were compiled by the Training Coordinator covering Oct. 1998-Aug. 1 999. These will be used for benchmarking analysis and planning purposes in the coming year. A Vision for the Library ofTomorrow As we approach the 21st century, the Library of Tomorrow will build on library staff training and development programs that have focused on the traditional library and its services in the past decades. The Library of Tomorrow will offer extensive collections of all media types and will serve a community of users who will expect a more efficient delivery of information. In the next five years, the University of Virginia Library expects to build its digital collections extensively, including commercial ly purchased collections and shared digit ized collections of other major research libraries nationwide and within the state. It will build on the work that has been established in the last few years to create Information Communities. These communities will function as learning and teaching environments in which subject-specific web sites are developed around print and digital versions of the library collections. These web-based approaches will reach students, teachers, citizens, and businesses. Libraries will create valuable resources and promote higher standards of education for K-12 students and teachers. Distance learners will have access to rich collections. Innovative technology will be utilized and demonstrated at its highest level. All of this change means reshaping library services to the user, providing s taff expertise in building the collections , and effectively developing and us ing innovative technologies to deliver information. The University of Virginia Library will continue to foster partnerships in the creation of the Library of TommTow's digital collections. The University of Virginia Curry School of Education is an acknowledged leader in the use of technology to link the university's resources and K- 1 2 schools. In the 1980s, Curry School faculty developed a K-12 network known as Teacher -LINK, which connected local teachers with the university's online systems. It evolved into a statewide system called VaPEN (Virginia Public Education Network). Now this connectivity will be taken into the 21st century to achieve higher standards of education and enable more effective teaching. EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 Figure 3 Yearly Statistics For UVA Library Staff Education Courses Covering Oct. 1998-Aug. 1 999 Base Figures : 1 46 Support Staff 65.5 Faculty 21 1.5 Total Staff Education and Training Program Total number of courses offered Average number of courses per month Total number of attendees Average number of staff per course Average number of staff attending per month 109 10 907 8 .3 35 Thtorials ( one-on-one) Number of Staff VIRGO Info View Basics Workstation training for new employees Misc. tutorials with individual trainers 7 9 1 2 Courses Offered by External Trainers Number of Staff Financial Planning Seminar UVA Computing Survival Skills Number of attendees (LSPs) Number passed certification exam (LSAs and LSPs) Sexual Harassment Workshop American Red Cross First Aid Certification 30 8 20 8 7 Number of Number of %Total Staff Courses Taken Staff 15 or more 3 10 or more 20 5 or more but less than 1 0 39 3 courses 39 0 courses 2 1 1.3 % 10% 19% 19% 10% A R T I C L E S 1 1 The questions now being asked are: How is this done? How do we make use of digital and print collections available via the Internet and found in major research collections? How do we foster an Information Community that will support public school teachers and develop their expertise in the use of technology to create curriculum packages and content-specific lesson plans while delivering resources that enrich the subject content? How do we prepare education students today for the technological changes and use of digitized library resources and collections in their teaching materials? A partnership between the Curry School of Education and the University of Virginia Library has begun on such an adventure and has been funded through a recently awarded grant. While the possibilities are exciting and creative planning goes forward, the challenge to library staff will be an expectation to provide services and expertise in the use of these resources . Staffing the Library of Tomorrow In pursuing such endeavors as creating the Library of Tomorrow, staff will have to be aggressively reassigned and retrained. Special skills, knowledge of new technologies, creative thinking, and the ability to translate the technological innovations into practical products wi l l be required of l ibrary s taff. Instructional staff will need to know how to organize and deliver electronic information to users and assist users in creating their own digital collections and products . Technical expertise in designing interfaces and software packages will be necessary in addition to building the infrastructure that a digital l ibrary environment requires in server hardware and storage capacity. Digital collections require the same extensive quality and standards of cataloging that have been established with print materials. The challenge will be to find ways to re-train existing staff and hire qualified staff with high-level technical skills and expertise. Benchmarking Staff Training The University of Virginia Library has initiated a new project, a review and evaluation of its staff education programs through benchmarking staff training. By examining what we are doing now, how we can do it better, and identifying and assessing staff training needs for the 21st century, the University Library will approach the challenge in an organized and knowledgeable manner. I t will develop new ways to train staff efficiently and cost-effectively for the job requirements in the 2 1 st century. B enchmarking is the practice of measuring a company's product or service against that of a leading company. I t is a management concept that is being embraced by governments, universities, the service sector, and the healthcare industry. Benchmarking is a continuous process with the purpose of analyzing what, why, and how the organization is doing compared to leaders of similar organizations. Libraries that utilize this practice prepare for a systematic and rigorous examination of a l ibrary service, customer satisfaction, or work processes. The process is then measured against those libraries recognized as the best and the result is changes and improvements in the library organization . The benchmarking process i s fairly simple, consisting of planning, observing, analyzing, understanding, and acting on change. In the 1999 ASTD State of the Industry Report, Laura Liswood, president and CEO of American Society for Training and Development, stated that the research summarized in the report provides clear evidence that increases in education and training investments are followed by improved performance. Dollar investments in education and training, while growing, remains smal l , compared to the dollar costs spent on information technologies. Another segment of the ASTD report includes the annual data of Benchmarking Services which collects information from all types of organizations on the nature of their employer -provided training expenditures, practices, and outcomes. In the report, a group of firms called the "leading-edge" represent the pinnacle of training practices in the U.S . both in the amount of training and the types of human performance practices provided. As part of the University of Virginia's Library review and evaluation process for benchmarking staff training, best practices in both libraries and businesses should be examined, and a review of the literature for current and future training practices compiled and updated for future reference. A review of eight to ten top -rated Schools of Library and Information Science and their curriculums may well be worth investigating in order to understand the education and training graduates receive today and the skills they will bring to the workforce. Styles of learning which utilize new technologies should be explored, and a list of training resources and their descriptions developed while assessing current library training documentation and materials for creativity and instructional design. Current statistical data of program offerings should be analyzed and compared to other libraries. Understanding the current trends, standards, and strategic plans as set forth by the major library associations and divisions such as SLA, ALA, LIT A, MLA (Medical Library Association) , and AASL (American Association of School Librarians) would be beneficial as applied to current training practices. And finally, a list of recommendations, a plan of action, and an implementation schedule should be prepared indicating short-term and long-term changes and expected outcomes. Trends and Implications What are the implications for the University of Virginia Library and its training programs entering the 21st century while progressing through a benchmarking project and facing a continuous state of change and technological advances? The trends cited in the 1999 ASTD report may well be reflected in the library staff education and training program which are projected as follows: EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 1 a A R T I C L E 5 • increases in staff development and training budgets • increases in the number of people trained • increases in use of external training personnel and products • expanded use of learning technologies • emphasis on technical skills training • introduction of innovative training and work practices • collection of statistical data for analysis and evaluation Included in staff education programs will be an increase in cross-training or job sharing, team-solving practices, computerized documentation of individual competencies and certification, with an increased focus on evaluation of training outcomes and performance assessment. Classroom instruction is the primary setting of training today. It is seen as decreasing with more reliance toward learning technologies or technology-delivered training such as computer-based text products, intranets, the Internet, interactive multimedia, simulations, groupware, visual basics, virtual reality, EPSS (electronic petformance support system), and other self-paced delivery methods. This is not to predict that classroom instruction will be eliminated but it re-enforces the theories for embracing varying styles of learning that will continue to be explored and tested. As educators, we know about the personal touch that a good teacher brings to a class and the give -and-take of classroom discussion that cannot be mirrored in computer-based technologies, but there is room for all forms of learning. Of such importance is a training program today, that no one person should be expected to carry the responsibility for planning and implementation alone. To fully carry out a staff education and training program, an appointment of an advisory group composed of professional library staff working with the Training Coordinator is recommended. This will ensure full input from all library departments and units, bringing to the planning process the necessary training and skills expertise of individuals. The challenge facing the library profession today is that of training staff to use various technologies effectively while developing an understanding of user needs and limitations. Our mission will be deemed a success if we are able to impart the knowledge and effectively instruct end-users in the application of these new technologies and resources that we have mastered. Will l ibrary staff be able to cope with change and new technologies in the 21 st century Mr. Jefferson? Again the answer will be an enthusiastic and resounding Yes!-if staff education and training programs are planned and i mplemented in an organized manner, recognizing that change is an ongoing process. EDUCATION LIBRARI ES VOL. 23, Nos. 2/3 References Bassi, Lauri J. and Mark E. Van Buren. ( 1 999). "The 1999 ASTD State of the Industry Report". Training and Development, 53 (1), suppl. ,1-33 . Clemons, Harry. (1954). The University of Virginia Library 1825- 1 950; Sto1y of a Jeffersonian Foundation. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Library. University of Virginia Library. ( 1 999) Creating the Library of Tomorrow (Draft). Unpublished document. Note: This article is available at the following web address: www.people.virginia.edu/-hla5f/article.html. Included are links to university and library staff development and training web pages, full texts of library policies and guidelines, and other sites of interest. Specia l thanks to S uzanne B ombard, Li brary Training Coordinator, and Gail Oltmanns, Associate University Librarian for Organizational Development for their help in providing information and statistics for this article. Betsy Anthony is Head of the Education Library, University of Virginia, 405 Emmet Street, Charlottesville, VA, USA, 22903. She helped establish the University of Virginia's Education Library, becoming its first Education Librarian in 1 973. The Education Library is located in the Curry School of Education. E-mail: hla5f@virginia.edu.