Advanced Level Training for Capacity Development of Library Assistants in Schools/Colleges
“Investing in Library Personnel to Support High Standard of Learning”
Introduction
Libraries play a critical role in supporting a high standard and quality of learning in any educational institutions irrespective of the size of the institution. The success of any sound education systems is hinged directly and strongly on the quality and efficiency of the services provided through the library. Libraries indeed form the bedrock or the soul of any successful educational or academic institutions.
However, there is acute shortage of trained manpower in the field of library and information management sector in the country. In the absence of trained and efficient library personnel, the full participation of libraries in education and cultural capital of the country will be at serious stake.
Almost every school in the country has library assistants most of whom are directly recruited after class XII with no prior training. These library staff need basic training to develop and enhance their knowledge and skills for effective management of information and library services to support meaningful and wholesome learning of students and teachers’ professional growth and development. In 2017, Samtse College of Education developed and offered tailored-made ten days short-term Professional Development programme for library assistants of the country and trained a total of over 200 library assistants of schools and colleges.
The contents of the present PD programme is based on the findings of an online survey conducted while doing situational analysis of school libraries in 2017. It is also based on the observations made on the field realities of the fifteen school libraries and eight college libraries in 2018 during the Diploma in Library and Information Field visit. It is heartening to note that all the twenty-three libraries visited have sizeable library collection of books, adequately furnished library space, practical library policies and procedures for effective provision of library and information services. During these field visits, all the heads of the fifteen schools or their deputies reported on the positive changes brought to their libraries by their library staff after attending the Diploma in Library and Information Management programme and short PD programmes. These were echoed by the library staff themselves, who earnestly made request to continue to provide training on selective and practice-oriented knowledge and skills of library management.
All the twenty-three library assistants of the schools and colleges expressed for the need to enhance their skills of in-depth library classification and cataloguing. In particular, besides the crucial need to get hands-on-training in library classification and cataloguing all the library assistants requested customised training in implementation of Koha library management system in their libraries. At a wider level, there is a need to standardize library classification and cataloguing systems across all libraries in the schools and other educational institutions. These ten days intensive PD programme is designed to equip library staff with the essential skills of carrying out in-depth classification and subject cataloguing of their library resources.
General aims and objectives
The overall aims and objectives of this proposed professional development training programme is to develop and enhance knowledge and skills of library assistants for effective management of library resources and services.
Specific learning outcomes
Upon the successful completion of the training, the participants will be able to:
- Perform in-depth classification of library materials using Dewey Decimal Classification system;
- use all DDC tables to perform in-depth classification of library resources;
- build complex DDC classification numbers following instructions in the schedules;
- classify Dzongkha literature;
- classify government documents;
- catalogue library resources using AACR2 rules and MARC21 standard; and
- carry out subject cataloguing of library resources using SEARS List of Subject Headings
Target participants
This training programme is specially designed to address the needs of library assistants working in the schools, colleges of RUB and other relevant government agencies and institutions who have availed some training on library and information management systems such as the Diploma or Certificate in Library Information Management System but still need a more advanced knowledge and competencies to enhance their skills of in-depth classification and cataloguing.
Training programme schedule
| Session I | Session II | Session III | Session IV | |
| Days | 9.00AM – 10.30AM | 11.00AM – 12.30PM | 1.30PM – 3.00PM | 3.30 PM – 5.00PM |
|
Day 1 | Registration Introduction to training programme Concept, functions & types of library classification
| DDC summaries, Schedules, and relative index
| Steps in DDC classification Number building using schedules and relative index
| Number building using schedules and relative index
|
|
Day 2 | Introduction to Table T1 Practical exercises in number building using T1 (continued ) |
Practical exercises in number building using T1 (continued)
|
Practical exercises in number building using T1 (continued) |
Practical exercises in number building using T1 (continued)
|
| Day 3 | Introduction to Table 2 Practical exercises in number building using T2 |
Practical exercises in number building using T2 (continued) |
Practical exercises in number building using T2 (continued) |
Practical exercises in number building using T2 (continued) |
| Day 4 | Introduction to T3 Practical exercises in number building using T3
|
Practical exercises in number building using T3(continued) |
Practical exercises in number building using T3 (continued)
|
Practical exercises in number building using T3 (continued)
|
|
Day 5 | Introduction to T4 Practical exercises in number building using T4
|
Practical exercises in number building using T4(continued) |
Practical exercises in number building using T4 (continued)
|
Practical exercises in number building using T4 (continued)
|
| Day 6 | Introduction to T5 Practical exercises in number building using T5
|
Practical exercises in number building using T5(continued) | Introduction to T6 Practical exercises in number building using T6 (continued)
|
Practical exercises in number building using T6 (continued)
|
| Day 7 | Classification of Dzongkha Literature
| Classification of Dzongkha Literature (Continued) | Classification of Fiction
| Classification of Fiction (Continued)
|
| Day 8 | Classification of Govt. Documents | Classification of Govt. Documents
| Classification of Govt. Documents
| Classification of Govt. Documents
|
| Day 9 | Subject Cataloguing Choice of Headings, Sears list of subject headings | Deriving subject headings using Sears list (Continued)
| Deriving subject headings using Sears list (Continued)
| Deriving subject headings using Sears list (Continued)
|
| Day 10 | Descriptive Cataloguing
Introduction to AACR2 | Descriptive Cataloguing
Introduction to AACR2 (Continued) | Descriptive Cataloguing
Introduction to AACR2 (Continued) | Feedback, Closing ceremony/ Certificates |
Number of participants: 25 participants
Duration of workshop: 10 days (4 sessions per day)
Cost per person: Nu.20,000/- (Nu.2000 per day inclusive of working lunch and refreshments, stationery, training reading materials, etc.)
Profile of the facilitators
| SL. | Name | Qualification | Teaching Experience | Teaching Philosophy |
| 1. | Mr. Yeshey Dorji | M.Sc (ILS) | 33 Years | Committed to Library Science development in the country |
| 2. | Mr. SangayDawa | Dip.in Library Studies | 15 years | Dedicated and highly motivated in professional development and exploring new ideas |