Enquiry Skills and an Introduction to Dewey for Public Library Staff
A CILIP Training Session for Staff Working in Public Libraries
Online, Half-Day Course
24 September 2024 10am-1pm
A key role for public library staff is to provide assistance to customers in finding what they are looking for. This session covers two areas. The first part explains the process behind enquiry work to find the best outcome for customers. It also looks at smart ways to use search engines for better discovery. The second part of the session is an introduction to classification and cataloguing: what is Dewey and what do those series of numbers mean?
Course Level
This session is suitable for staff at all levels but may be particularly useful for staff new to public libraries and those with less experience of information discovery and classification. It is also suitable for those wanting to refresh or consolidate their knowledge of those areas.
Learning Objectives
- Gain a deeper understanding of how to effectively assist customers in finding what they are looking for by following a structured enquiry process.
- Learn smart techniques and strategies for using search engines to facilitate better discovery for library customers, including advanced search operators and filters.
- Feel more confident in your ability to help customers navigate through information and resources, leading to improved customer satisfaction.
- Gain an understanding of the purpose and principles behind classification systems such as the Dewey Decimal Classification system.
- Learn about the structure and organisation of the Dewey Decimal system, including how to interpret and use the series of numbers to locate materials in the library.
Trainer: Mystery Beck
Faculty Librarian, University of Portsmouth
Mystery originally started out as a teacher but moved into libraries to pursue her passion for the field. She began her career in libraries as a Senior Library Assistant in a Canadian Public Library, before moving on to become a Reference and Instruction librarian at a big university, also in Canada.
She then moved to the UK where she became a Metadata Librarian at the University of Portsmouth, where she is now a Faculty Librarian for Law and Criminology.
As well as her job as a university librarian, she works as a freelance CILIP trainer undertaking training courses on cataloguing and classification and enquiry skills.
Professional Knowledge and Skills Base (PKSB)
This course supports the following area of the
PKSB:
3.2 Understanding information seeking behaviour
5.5 Classification schemes and taxonomies
7.10 Supporting information discovery
10.1 Customer service skills
13.6 Communication skills
Professional Development
Venue:
Online using Zoom. Delegates will be sent the Zoom Meeting details as part of their joining instructions.
There are online training sessions for public library staff throughout 2024: find out more
A CILIP Training event, provided for library staff working for GLL
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