Training Temporary Reference Staff for Maximized Learning: A Case Study

Abstract

This paper will discuss the 2018 redesign of the University of Michigan Library's Ask a Librarian reference service. The library's tiered reference model relies heavily on the support of graduate student and part-time staff — a temporary workforce that is expectably vulnerable to high turnover. As such, a training program must consider the vast knowledge required of staff to prepare them for providing reference service, provide ongoing support/training, and be sensitive to the constraints, responsibilities, and roles of these employees, who are often first and foremost, full-time students and/or individuals working multiple jobs. The training redesign focused on the creation of an interactive, online learning component that could also provide a knowledge base of support for staff to continually refer to, while engaged learning activities were emphasized during limited in-person training sessions to reinforce training and offer opportunities to build camaraderie between new staff and their fellow colleagues.