Streamline Training of Student Library Assistants Using a Course Management System and Flipped Classroom Method

Abstract

Training even a small number of student staff can be time consuming and stressful for small libraries. At the University of Idaho Law Library, we employ law students, who can only commit to one to two years of work, as circulation desk workers. The high turnover rate, desire for consistency in training, and the time strain for full time staff led us consider an alternative method for training student workers. In this presentation, we endeavor to share our experiences in creating and refining an online, flipped classroom-style training program using BbLearn, the UI’s course management system (CMS). Attendees will learn about our approach, from determining the best pedagogical method for our students to learning unfamiliar video-editing software. While we will focus on our efforts to create comprehensive trainings for use of Alma, Primo, and other UI- and law-specific resources, we hope to encourage others to adapt our approach as an alternative method for training student staff.