Training of librarians and library users:

the Lithuanian case

Gintarė Tautkevičienė

Aistė Pranckutė

Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania

• Training librarians and users at the national level

• Trainings at institutions

Outline

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Lithuanian Research Libraries Consortium: Opening of Research Databases for Lithuania

eMoDB.LT (2009-07-21 – 2012-07-21)eMoDB.LT2 (2012-05-30 – 2015-09-20)• Main goals:

– to improve the access to worldwide scientific information,– to develop the competence of librarians and academic

community in searching for, retrieving and using information resources.

Types of training and online training material

Lectures followed by practical exercises

Self-study material on the internet

Disctance education course

Individual consultation and training

Lectures

0 10203040506070

61.2

58.7

38.8

36.0

11.6

Percent

4

Survey of the training demands and content in using online information resources

http://www.lmba.lt/apie-lmba/projektai/emodblt2/mokymo-moduliai

Online self-training material: textbook, slides, exercises, reading lists• 10 training modules

on the use of the online research information resources

• 1 specialized module for librarians – databases administrators

Participants of the training courses

5

Benefits: 2-3 librarians from every institution were trained to be trainers

Training eMoDB.LT (2010-2011):

• 1046 participants from 33 institutions:

• 760 lecturers and researchers

• 286 students• 84 librarians

Training eMoDB.LT2 (2014-2015):

• 838 participants from 32 institutions:

• 533 lecturers and researchers

• 305 students• 81 librarians

Training the trainers (providing training and consultations on the use of the databases)

Training the researchers and students (duration - 8 hours; 20-25 researchers and/or students in a group).

Training librarians and users: case of Kaunas University of Technology

6

New strategy of KTU library

7

Subject Librarians

8

• Provide individualized thematic consultations and assistance

• Inform about library resources and services

• Develop users’ (students, academic staff and researchers) information competence

• Organize educational and cultural events

• How to develop training materials?

• How to organize and provide training?

• How to communicate with users?

• How to manage information effectively?

• How to share and disseminate information using technologies?

• …

Need to improve professional, organizational, educational skills

What can we do without big money?

9

Training for Librarians

Monthly training sessions

Internal resources –

librarians (experience,

topics)

Guest lecturers from

other departments

Information providers

(workshops)

Weekly English classes

Provided by colleagues

(professionals in the English

language)

10

Training the users

In groups

IndividualHands-on trainingsInvited

publishersWebinars

Creating additional material

Video tutorials

Support and help guides

Subject guides

Go to meet the users rather than wait for them to come

Trainings for the users

Topics of training sessions

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Library information system and services;

Library information system (For PhD students);

Search strategy at the Library;

Information search in the Library catalogue and KTU virtual library;

Search and ordering publications in the catalogue;

Scientific information search;

Search e-resources from subscribed databases;

Citation and copyright;

Scholarly communication and open access

How to find a journal for publishing

…

Trainings for international students

12

Library video tutorials

13

How to use the library catalogue

How to renew the lending term

How to request the book from the catalogueHow to locate books in the reading roomHow to find the books from the reading list

How to pay fines

How to make a copies

…

Conclusions

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Librarians need different competencies: information management, educational, communication, digital literacy, etc.

The competencies may be developed by using internal resources, attracting external experts and publishers.

The training of users in the library is a welcome practice, but it is more effective when the training is part of the study curriculum.

There should be partnership between the library and the academia on different levels (study and research support, acquisition of resources, atracting the users, etc.).

To be an effective agent in the academic community, the library is responsible for developing this partnership by being proactive.

Thank you for your attention

More information is available atwww.ktu.edu/en/library

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