Library Management

Using worksheets to encourage independent learning by staff in an academic library: a case study
Penny Dale
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Library Management, Vol. 23 Iss 8/9 pp. 394 - 402
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Using worksheets to
encourage independent
learning by staff in an
academic library: a case
study
Penny Dale
The author
Penny Dale is Subject Librarian for the School of
Conservation Sciences and for Higher Education at
Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK.
Downloaded by Ohio University At 11:56 23 June 2016 (PT)
Email: pdale@bournemouth.ac.uk
Keywords
Libraries, Management, Workplace learning, Training,
Continuing development, Employees
Abstract
Describes the development, introduction, use and
evaluation of a series of worksheets designed for library
staff at Bournemouth University. The reasons for the
development of the worksheets, designed to be a part of
a range of training and development opportunities, are
described in this paper. Their value as a self-directed
learning tool is considered and the question posed as to
whether such materials can assist the process of
encouraging self-directed learning. The paper considers
the usefulness of such materials and the cost in terms of
initial and ongoing development.
Electronic access
The research register for this journal is available at
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregisters
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is
available at
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
Library Management
Volume 23 . Number 8/9 . 2002 . pp. 394402
# MCB UP Limited . ISSN 0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120210439870
394
Introduction
Staff in academic libraries work in a dynamic
environment, having to update their skills on
an almost continuous basis. As Oldroyd
(1996) observed: ``the only constant factor . . .
seems to be change'', and that pace of change
shows no signs of relenting as academic
libraries move towards virtual learning
environments. Library managers face the
challenge of providing development and
training opportunities that are equally
accessible to all staff, regardless of the hours
they work or where they work. The challenge
of training staff to respond to the changes in
the skills required of them is well
documented. Goulding and Kerslake (1997)
in particular addressed the training needs of
the increasing number of part-time workers.
However, there is a need to go further, and
look at methods by which all staff can not only
be trained to a level of proficiency, but also
enabled to develop as individuals. The
constraints imposed by multi-campus
institutions and the demands of increased
public service duties in response to longer
opening hours and higher user expectations,
also need to be considered. Confessore and
Kops (1998) analysed the connection
between learning organisations and a culture
that encourages staff to take responsibility for
their own learning. Not only does the
organisation benefit, but so also does the
individual who is involved in the process.
They argue that there is a link between
learning organisations and self-directed
learning.
The process of individuals taking
responsibility for managing their own learning
is known variously as self-directed learning,
self-managed learning, autonomous learning,
asynchronous learning and independent
learning. For the purposes of this article the
term ``independent learning'' has been chosen
because as Baume and Baume (1998)
observed:
We reviewed some of these independent learning
skills taking responsibility for learning, making
connections, being strategic about learning,
planning, monitoring learning progress and
adjusting activity or plans, and continued
questioning both about what one is learning and
about the effectiveness of one's approach to
learning.
This extract describes the drivers behind the
strategy described in this paper, although
there is one important difference. The
comment was made in an article directed at
 Independent learning by staff in an academic library
Penny Dale
academics in the context of classroom
teaching. The literature of library staff
development has yielded little to indicate that
the technique has been widely used, or if it
has it has not been documented. Hepworth
(2000) describes the efforts made by
librarians to ensure that students have the
skills to manage their own learning, but the
purpose of this paper is to see if these
techniques can work as a staff development
tool.
Independent learning and Bournemouth
University 1993-1999
The value of independent learning has been
extensively described. Of particular relevance
to this paper is the concept of individual
autonomy described by Boud (1988) as being
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an important goal of students in higher
education. Independent learning is also
increasingly recognised in the commercial
environment as a ``key to maintaining
competitive advantage'' (Guy et al., 1994).
Wilcox (1996) describes autonomous
learning as ``a process of learning in which
learners function autonomously, taking
responsibility for planning, initiating and
evaluating their own learning efforts''.
Within the learning environment of an
academic library it seemed that any methods
that could be used to encourage independent
learning should be investigated. Efforts to
foster independent learning are not new at
Bournemouth. During 1993 and 1994 an
experience-based development programme
was made available to staff (Hutchings and
Dale, 1995). This met with some success, but
a degree of opposition to the process was also
identified.
A series of shorter customer care focused
workshops was delivered over the next five
years, using experiential learning, which were
generally well received. To encourage
reflection on the workshops, participants
were asked to return to a short follow-up
session two weeks after the workshop. At this
session they were asked to describe aspects of
their work and their working environment
that they had noticed as a result of the
workshop. This served the purpose of
encouraging critical thinking about the
service and most participants responded
positively to this approach. As one
participant observed:
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Library Management
Volume 23 . Number 8/9 . 2002 . 394402
. . . it focused my mind on particular issues to
look out for at work to improve my service to our
customers.
This comment is typical of the responses, the
words ``focused'' and ``concentrated''
appearing regularly, indicating a willingness
to engage afresh with the interaction with
customers.
In addition, a series of worksheets for use by
individuals was introduced in 1996. These
were produced as bibliographic CD-ROMs
came into more general use. Their purpose
was to help staff through the processes of
accessing and constructing a basic search,
using examples provided by the subject
librarians. These were found to be useful, and
succeeded in their purpose of introducing
staff to new technology and a rather different
way of working. Initially they encouraged
independence, and staff used them
individually or in pairs to look at databases.
However in the longer term they were not a
success, as rather than use newly acquired
skills to try other databases, there were
requests for a worksheet every time a new
database was introduced. Whilst this is
reasonable if the interface is very different or
unclear, it is too time-consuming for the
proliferation of databases that were being
added to the electronic portfolio. The
emphasis shifted to a more conceptual
approach using an electronic tutorial designed
by the University of Glasgow (1994) that
introduced search techniques for electronic
resources. However in spite of introducing
this package to staff and promoting it as part
of the training programme there was no
evidence that it was widely or enthusiastically
used, and demands for worksheets continued.
In the context of this experience the training
programme was re-modelled. Databases that
posed particular challenges of content or
access would be covered by briefing sessions
to all staff. The relevant subject librarian
normally delivered these, and participants
would be given a handout at the end of the
session and asked to try it out for themselves
at a convenient time. These briefing sessions
continue to be run on a regular basis and
attendance is always good.
The idea of the worksheet was not shelved,
however, but the content was completely
revised. Instead of being basic guides that did
little to encourage independent learning,
packages that would encourage a culture of
independence and autonomy would be
 Independent learning by staff in an academic library
Penny Dale
developed. To do this it was decided at the
outset that regardless of the topic the content
would be generic to all staff and that the
worksheets would be available for
downloading from the intranet. Use as a
training tool by line managers and other
trainers would also be encouraged.
The worksheets were developed to add a
new dimension to the training and
development opportunities available to staff.
The differences in the learning styles of
individuals as shown by Honey and Mumford
(1992) indicate that some individuals would
respond better to this approach than to the
more traditional methods currently available,
thereby reinforcing the point made earlier in
this paper of maximising equality of access to
training.
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The development phase
In addition to institutional and pedagogical
reasons for encouraging independent
learning, the demand for a different approach
to training was being voiced by groups of
library staff. There were requests for training
at different times, in more flexible formats
and in different locations. The particular
needs of three groups of staff indicated that a
more radical approach to the provision of
learning opportunities was needed.
At this point a description of the training
provision for staff at Bournemouth University
Library will put these developments into
context. During term time, all libraries are
closed for half an hour to allow staff training
to take place on Friday mornings. This is a
long established practice, and a programme is
arranged on a termly basis to ensure that
quality training and development
opportunities are available to staff. Library
development and training opportunities are in
addition to the Bournemouth University Staff
Development and Training Programme,
external training opportunities and
attendance at conferences.
One of the groups that had identified
additional training needs was the
para-professional staff. In 1999 this group of
senior library assistants started to work
regularly on enquiry desks to support the
service provided by professional staff. They
had had initial training, but recognised the
need for ongoing support especially for
helping users with electronic resources.
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Library Management
Volume 23 . Number 8/9 . 2002 . 394402
There was also a need to provide access to
training for staff working non-standard hours.
The training needs of staff who work during
evenings and weekends demanded a fairly
radical approach, as they could not always be
incorporated into the regular training
programme. The challenge was essentially
one of equality. The library management
team wanted to ensure that all staff had access
to training regardless of the hours and days
they worked. Various methods are used to
ensure equality of access to training. These
include paying staff overtime or giving them
time off in lieu, offering training at alternative
times and cascading within sections or
groups. All of these methods have their uses,
but are expensive in terms of resources and do
not always help staff who work during the
evenings or at the weekends because other
commitments mean they are unable to come
in during the week.
Finally, supporting training material had
been requested by a group of staff who are
group mentors for the library management
system, TALIS. This group of key trainers
each cascades system enhancements to a
small group of colleagues, and also provide
any top-up training identified by an
individual. These key trainers, most of whom
had little or no training experience, felt that
sometimes they needed a more structured
approach, particularly where the circulation
system and routine procedures overlapped.
The development of the worksheets during
spring 1999 coincided with the re-launch of
the staff appraisal process throughout the
university. It was anticipated that as well as
making training available for individuals who
identified the need for remedial training,
further training needs identified as part of the
appraisal process might generate ideas for the
development of additional self-directed
learning packages. So far this last ideal has not
been realised, but it is anticipated that as
more packages are developed and perhaps
made available in an interactive Web-based
format this will change. The draft of The
Academic Services Staff Development Policy
2001 states:
The purpose of staff development is to enable
Academic Services to fulfil its strategic mission
within the University and also to enable staff to
meet their own individual needs and aspirations
(author's italics).
By encouraging staff to take responsibility for
their learning and ensuring that opportunities
 Independent learning by staff in an academic library
Penny Dale
are available, managers will be better placed
to respond to the strategic needs of the
university.
Staff were consulted at the start of the
project to establish which topics or subjects
they would like to have available in worksheet
format. The topic that was identified as being
most important was using electronic
information resources, and it was decided to
use this as the subject of a pilot. Other topics
suggested initially were using subject
gateways and guides to resources and finding
information about Bournemouth University.
Later two more topics were added, one on the
procedures for processing accounts for lost
books and one for waiving fines. It is worth
noting that only the last two are still in use,
together with a set of model answers. The two
worksheets that covered electronic resources
have been superseded by Netskills, the online
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Internet training package produced by the
University of Newcastle. Library staff are
encouraged to register as Netskills users, and
it is promoted in the training programme
alongside the other self-managed learning
opportunities. The re-design of the
Bournemouth University Web site in 2000
made it more intuitive, and this, combined
with a general increase in confidence about
finding material on the Web, rendered the
worksheet on finding information about the
university obsolete.
The topic using electronic information
resources lent itself fairly easily to a question
and answer format. However, it was
recognised from the beginning that the
process would be time consuming. The
CD-ROM worksheets mentioned earlier in
this paper had been time-intensive to write,
and they had never been fully evaluated as it
was planned these worksheets would be. The
support and help of other specialist members
of staff was sought, and willingly given, at an
early stage. This was necessary not only as a
quality control, but also to give staff
ownership of the end product.
The introduction phase
The worksheet went through several drafts
before being piloted with senior library
assistants who work at weekends. This group
was chosen as the pilot because they were
para-professional staff working non-standard
hours. The training needs of weekend staff are
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Library Management
Volume 23 . Number 8/9 . 2002 . 394402
not specifically the topic of this paper, but it is
important to note that in addition to finding
attendance at routine training events difficult,
they can also experience feelings of isolation
and even disadvantage compared to their
weekday colleagues. It was hoped therefore
that to use this group for the pilot would
reinforce their inclusion into the training
programme and ensure that the worksheets
were relevant to their training needs.
The completion of these pilot worksheets
gave valuable feedback that enhanced the
finished version. As well as identifying minor
errors of syntax, ambiguity and layout, the
response to the pilot indicated other areas for
attention, notably the need to set a time limit
on completion. This not only ensures that
enough priority is given to the task but also
enables the time taken to complete the task to
be monitored. When the pilot worksheet was
completed, the participants were given an
evaluation sheet. This also proved useful, as
the results not only proved that the exercise
was valuable to the staff concerned and
workable in terms of content, but additional
ideas in terms of content, layout and style
were generated.
The library staff development and training
group had discussed the concept of self-paced
worksheets; indeed much of the impetus for
the development of the idea had been
generated by that group. Following the pilot,
and the modifications resulting from that,
meetings were held during summer 1999 with
specific groups to introduce the idea to all
staff. The first meeting was held with line
managers, and this initial meeting highlighted
some of the concerns about self-managed
learning. There was a feeling that there was
not enough time to introduce new training
methods, and that other demands on staff
time would militate against the use of the
worksheets. In response to these concerns, it
was pointed out that all staff have a training
and development element in their working
week and that this was another method of
delivery, and not an additional call upon
available time. The worksheets had been
produced in response to requests from staff,
and all managers agreed, some with
reservations, to use the worksheets. In the
absence of literature documenting the
facilitation of self-directed learning with
library staff, the experience of students in
higher education was used to determine why
there was resistance to the encouragement of
 Independent learning by staff in an academic library
Penny Dale
autonomous learning. Particularly striking
was a comment made by A kerlind and Trevitt
(1999) who see the shift to self-directed,
computer-based learning as not only
requiring students to take responsibility for
their own learning but also that:
. . . we are setting up a situation of potential
conflict with many students' past experiences
and associated attitudes and values around
teaching and learning.
The reactions of some library staff endorsed
this view. In spite of being motivated to
attend training sessions, which almost all staff
did on a regular and non-obligatory basis,
some line managers were reluctant to make
the shift in attitude, and, perhaps more
importantly, were reluctant to encourage their
staff to start to think about training in a more
active way.
The worksheets were introduced with a
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light touch so that the ethos of self-directed
learning would not be compromised. The
challenges of meeting the training needs of
individuals taking responsibility for their own
development have been discussed by
Robotham (1995) who describes the
challenges to the trainer of introducing true
autonomy to sometimes reluctant learners.
Wilcox (1996) has looked at ``the impact of
instruction on learning and the ways in which
contextual factors influence the teaching and
learning process'' in the context of
introducing an adult education concept
(self-directed learning) into the higher
education classroom setting. It seems
reasonable to infer that a similar process takes
place when the concept is introduced to a
group of staff who although motivated are still
dependent to a considerable extent on
traditional methods of acquiring skills and
knowledge.
The second group to be introduced to the
concept of using the worksheets responded
more positively. This was the group of key
trainers who worked with small groups of staff
to keep them up to date with changes and
developments to the library management
system TALIS. This group was on the whole
enthusiastic about the worksheets, as they
were seen as an additional training tool that
could be used in either a one-to one or small
group situation. With a few exceptions the
members of this group were not line
managers, and their acceptance of the idea
stemmed from the realisation that the
worksheets could help them with something
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Library Management
Volume 23 . Number 8/9 . 2002 . 394402
they were already doing; it was a tool they
could use if they wanted to.
Finally a briefing session was held for all
staff, to introduce the worksheets and
encourage their use. This session provided the
platform to put self-directed learning in the
context of other development and training
opportunities available to library staff.
Independent learning was not being
introduced to replace existing provision, but
rather to ensure that all staff had access to
training, to provide material for those who
preferred to learn on their own, and also as a
personal development tool. At this session
efforts were made to address the four main
reasons identified by Robotham (1995) that
make people wary of directing their own
learning: first, because they lack belief in their
own ability; second, because they fail to
recognise the need for self-direction; third,
because they are set inappropriate learning
goals; and finally because of previous learning
experiences. Training is still too often
regarded as a passive process and individuals
are reluctant to take an active role, using
excuses such as lack of time, pressure of work
or inadequate resources. The provision of
worksheets was an attempt to facilitate the
process and give individuals who felt less
confident a starting point which would enable
them to become more self-sufficient in their
learning. The evidence of learning styles as
described by Honey and Mumford (1992)
indicates that individuals respond to different
learning experiences, and it was recognised
that some of the perceived reluctance to
manage learning might be rooted in a learning
style that was not conducive to self-
determination. Robotham (1995) questions
whether the style approach to learning is
appropriate, pointing out that not only can it
cause individuals to become ``intellectually
short-sighted'' but can prevent individuals
from ``select(ing) an appropriate learning style
from a range of styles''.
The delivery phase
To make the worksheets freely available they
were put on to the library intranet. As well as
giving individuals autonomy in deciding
which topic they wanted to learn and when
they wanted to do the learning, the electronic
versions had the added advantage of being
easy to update, and staff could be informed by
 Independent learning by staff in an academic library
Penny Dale
e-mail when changes are made. However,
other methods were employed of ensuring the
worksheets were used, such as handing out
worksheets already printed and on one
occasion sending the worksheet as an e-mail
attachment. However the danger of turning
the distribution of worksheets into a passive
exercise was recognised, and guidance was
simultaneously given to encourage individuals
to access the material themselves.
The evaluation phase
The evaluation of self-directed learning poses
a series of challenges for the trainer. On one
hand the trainer needs to know how effective
the training has been, but on the other hand
he or she has given autonomy to the learner.
In addition, the need to audit training and
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provide indicators of take-up and usage, in
addition to monitoring effectiveness can seem
rather at odds with learner autonomy.
Furthermore, learners can demand feedback,
particularly those who are less confident or
who want reassurance. In his chapter on
assessing students, Heron (1988) sees
collaborative assessment as an:
. . . intermediary stage between traditional
unilateral assessment of students by staff and the
sort of self and peer assessment model . . . used in
continuing education.
In the absence of a model to use for staff in an
academic library, the experience of higher
education has to be used with care, as the
worksheets were designed to help individuals
improve their skills, rather than learn subject
matter. Notwithstanding, Heron's
intermediary stage describes with accuracy
this attempt at Bournemouth University
Library to encourage autonomy amongst the
staff.
From the outset the intention was to
evaluate the worksheets, and as has been
described earlier this was done in a formative
way from the pilot project. Evaluation sheets
were produced for all the subsequent
worksheets, but relatively few were returned
when the material was freely available.
Comments made from those that were
returned were used in a formative way, for
example in the provision of model answers.
However it was necessary to undertake
summative evaluation to establish if the
provision of worksheets did help people who
needed support along the path to autonomy
and indeed whether they were useful to those
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Library Management
Volume 23 . Number 8/9 . 2002 . 394402
who simply wanted to use them as a means to
an end. Also the value of the project needed to
be assessed. A lot of time had been spent on
it, and if more work to develop new packages
and make them available in an interactive
Web-based format was to be done, then some
indication of the perceived usefulness was
essential. An evaluation questionnaire (see the
Appendix) was sent to all staff. The response
rate was somewhat disappointing, with replies
being received from less than 30 per cent of
the staff. Of the 21 replies received, 14 were
from part-time staff and only seven from
full-time staff. In spite of the low response
rate, the responses especially from the
part-time staff were encouraging. Overall the
worksheets had been well received (Figure 1),
with individuals confirming their need for this
style of training. A typical response to the
question about the usefulness of the
worksheets was:
They are useful if you need to clarify something
you may have been . . . unaware of and they can
be used as and when necessary, in your own
time.
The response from staff who work at the
weekends was encouraging. One answer to
the question about the usefulness of the
worksheets summarised this:
It was useful to recap on my knowledge of
accounts and waiving fines as they don't always
crop up every weekend.
The response from full-time staff was less
enthusiastic (Figure 2). There are several
reasons for this. Staff working full time have
more access to other forms of training, and
are generally better placed to take advantages
of a wider range of opportunities.
Additionally, working full time means that
individuals probably come into more regular
contact with the topics covered. Another
factor to be considered is the level of staff who
are full time; the majority of full-time
contracts are in professional or
para-professional posts. This raises the
question about whether these worksheets are
relevant to all staff. They were designed as a
generic resource, and the topics they cover are
issues that any member of staff could
potentially be called upon to know, especially
on enquiry desks. The results of this
evaluation indicate that any development of
the worksheets needs to be accompanied by a
further explanation of their purpose and use.
It can be seen from these results that part-
time staff know better how to access the
worksheets, and find them more useful than
 Independent learning by staff in an academic library
Penny Dale
Figure 1 Response from the part time-staff
Figure 2 Response rate from the full time-staff
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full-time staff. It is interesting to note that the
question asking whether individuals liked
learning on their own produced very similar
responses from both groups of staff, with a
marked trend for the ``neither'' option. It will
be interesting to see if this similarity continues
when other worksheets are evaluated; of
especial interest will be any change in the
numbers of staff either full- or part-time who
are prepared to commit themselves (or
distance themselves from) the concept of
autonomous learning.
The future
Staff were asked to suggest further topics that
would be suitable for development as
worksheets, and several very good suggestions
were made. It was planned that two of these
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Library Management
Volume 23 . Number 8/9 . 2002 . 394402
would be written during summer 2002, again
involving members of staff with expertise in
the topics.
It is also planned to investigate whether it is
possible to create an interactive Web version
of the worksheets. This has already been done
for students; during 1999-2000 InfoSkills
(Rutter and Matthews, 2002), an in-house
interactive Web-based package to help
students learn basic information skills, was
launched. The experience and expertise
acquired for this project can be used to
produce a Web version of the worksheets. It is
anticipated that by making the worksheets
available in a form that staff are already using
for other aspects of their work, access will be
easier and the interface more attractive.
Certainly the launch of a Web interface would
provide the ideal opportunity to promote not
only the product, but also the ethos of
 Independent learning by staff in an academic library
Penny Dale
self-management and the development and
training options that exist.
In Autumn 2002 a new library building
combining two of the present library sites will
come into operation. This will inevitably
mean changes in working practices. It will
also be an opportunity to re-visit the training
programme and how it is delivered. The
provision of library training materials for use
by individuals or groups will form part of this
programme. It will be up to managers to
ensure that their staff are aware of their
existence and for individuals to access them
on a self-determined basis.
Conclusion
The worksheets have begun to address the
particular training needs of some staff,
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notably part-time staff including those
working during the weekends. As described
above, work needs to be done to ensure that
full-time staff of all levels are aware of the
worksheets and their relevance to the service
provided by the library. Work also needs to be
done to help all staff to feel confident enough
to determine which training resources are
appropriate to them. Concurrent with this is
the apparent reluctance of some groups of
staff to discuss training and development
needs or to address how these needs could be
met, either by taking individual responsibility
for determining relevant training or by using
existing structures to request training
opportunities. As has been identified in this
paper, the appraisal process is critical to this
happening, and more work needs to be done
with appraisers to help their appraisees
articulate their training needs and agree how
these can be met.
The limitations of the worksheets in their
present format are also recognised.
Reminders are needed to encourage staff to
access the documents on the intranet, and
there can be the temptation when the
reminder is sent to print copies for future use.
The transfer to a Web-based environment
should overcome this, and also encourage
usage with staff who have been reluctant to
engage with the printed version.
The question of whether or not the
worksheets have encouraged staff to engage in
independent learning is still not fully
answered. The findings in this paper indicate
that some staff find them useful in some
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Volume 23 . Number 8/9 . 2002 . 394402
circumstances, but that the level of resistance
is still quite high and in some instances might
even discourage some individuals. To be
more certain the possibility of transfer to a
Web-based product needs to be researched
and tried so that comparisons can be made. It
is recognised that whatever the format,
worksheets can only be part of a much
broader training provision and the challenge
of encouraging staff to take responsibility for
their own learning is an ongoing issue for
managers.
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Appendix. TOPLIB development and training programme

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1. Patricia Layzell WardPatricia Layzell Ward is Editor of Library Management and joint author of Management Basics for
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2002. Library Management 24:3, 126-159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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