Do we connect?: A staff development programme

Staff development as opposed to staff training demands a different kind of learning approach. Library staff who are accustomed to the passive learning of technical skills, often equating training with instruction, can be less confident in an active learning environment. The paper describes the design and delivery of a staff development programme which focussed on issues of customer care, interpersonal skills and rules and procedures. Group interactions and outcomes of the programme are analysed and modifications considered. It is concluded that the benefits of a staff development programme both to the service and to individuals within it can be considerable but that success depends on the willingness of individuals to take responsibility for their own development and on the commitment of management.