Library Cheat Sheets, Guides and Manuals: How to Create Effective Instructional Materials

Instructor: Cate Gable

Library Cheat Sheets, Guides and Manuals: How to Create Effective Instructional Materials

Understanding how to capture and convey detailed instructions in writing can be critical to the effective operation of your branch or library system. Changes in procedures, technologies, and equipment will always require training updates for your staff and the public. Do you need signs or handouts to help users navigate a new database? Would step-by-step guides or cross-training materials help your staff learn new tasks? Do you need a comprehensive manual for your pages? Come learn the 'tricks of the training trade' from a professional writer and teacher.

Workshop Description: In this lecture format InFoPeople workshop, you will learn practical techniques for developing a wide range of instructional materials for your library. Whether you need a basic orientation manual for the circulation desk, a product sheet for a new piece of equipment, or a computer skills "cheat sheet" for the public, this course will show you the steps to take. You will learn a consistent, disciplined process for developing training materials that can be applied to a variety of contexts for any future project.

Highlights: Library Cheat Sheets, Guides and Manuals will teach you how to:

• Recognize and understand some of the basic concepts and vocabulary of training
• Assess what type of instructional materials are appropriate for your needs
  • Who needs to know what, when
  • What resources are available for this project
• Conduct a preliminary assessment for a specific training project
• Identify major steps for the task(s) involved:
  • Sequence and group the learning steps into modules
  • Review formatting options for your material
  • Determine appropriate writing styles and language options
  • Assess when and how to use illustrations
• Create one page "cheat sheets" for procedures like:
  • Opening the library
  • Answering the phone
  • Handling difficult situations in the library
• Introduce instructional materials to staff and patrons
• Successfully launch your training effort
• Handle updates once materials are finished

Who should attend: Anyone who needs to create training materials, user guides, or how-to documents for library staff or patrons.

Prerequisites: Those attending may want to have a specific instructional need or project in mind.

Please Note: There is a $75.00 fee for this workshop. InFoPeople does not provide parking passes, lunch or refreshments.

Check-in: 8:30 to 9 AM Instruction: 9 AM to 4:30 PM