By Gabriella Petrone ‘21
This semester a new type of training was implemented for student workers at the library: the tech modules. When I first heard we were trying our hand at all the different pieces of technology in the library to ensure that we can explain them to patrons, I thought it was going to be a fairly simple task. I grew up with technology at my fingertips, how hard could it really be? Naturally, using the cloud-based printing system (wepa) is now second nature and was not an issue. Other modules however, such as the powerslide scanner and microfilm scanner, made me pause, causing me to follow the directions with the utmost accuracy. I definitely did not expect to complete every single task with flying colors on the first try, but I also did not expect to mess up. Multiple times. On everything from the copier to the powerslide scanner to the one button studio.
The most important learning opportunities did not come from the modules that I finished quickly and efficiently, but from the ones that I had to ask my boss and coworkers about. An example of this is my experience with the one button studio. The one button studio allows you to create high quality video projects without any prior video production knowledge because with the touch of one button the lights change, and the camera records. There is also a projector available that you can use to display slideshows, and there is even a green screen you can use to take your video to the next level. The one button studio on paper seems to be the simplest task. Despite this I had issues. What I would come to learn from my coworker that day was something she had figured out herself: you need to make sure the one button studio program is open on the computer and working. I had mistakenly overlooked this step because of my attentiveness to the instructions and the simplicity of just clicking the bright blue button.
The confidence I have to explain the different technology of the library has increased because of the tech modules. Prior to completing the tech modules, if a patron needed assistance, I often had the same amount of knowledge about the tech as the patron, causing an air of uncertainty. After completing the modules, I began to have more confidence in my explanations because I had previously taken my time learning the ins and outs of the piece of technology in front of me. This new training exercise is important because it has given the lending services student workers the skills needed to explain more than just where to find a book. It is crucial that we understand and are experts on the entirety of the library so we can easily field any question that might arise.
