TRAINING STAFF FOR NEWLY INSTALLED AUTOMATED CIRCULATION SYSTEMS

With the aim of discovering the important factors in training staff to use newly installed automated circulation systems, libraries in New Zealand with such systems were sent a questionnaire in 1988. This asked questions about how libraries had trained staff to use the system, and the outcome of this training in terms of satisfaction with their decisions regarding training, and of sparseness of mistakes made by staff after implementation of the system. Three facets of the administration of training were vitally important: (1) The vendor of the system must be heavily involved in the training; (2) As many staff as possible must be given a detailed training in the whole system; (3) As much of the training as possible must be given before system implementation.