NOW FOR THE HARD PART: END USER EDUCATION.

The information needs of end users are increasing and are becoming more complex. The plethora of resources and the resultant data smog create a challenge for knowledge navigators. As libraries commit increasing resources to a digital environment they need to maximise the effective use of these resources. The key is end user education by information specialists, adding value to digital libraries. The challenge is to redefine our role to ensure relevance in an age of end user access, digitisation and IT support. This paper draws on the practical experience of implementing two end user programs in a Sydney public library: Intemet Training Centre (target group: the community); Information advantage (target group: local Tafe classes) and discusses market research, course design and evatuation, and other challenges of implementation. Edited version of a paper presented at Digital Libraries Technology 99--the third annual conference Transforming library information services for the digital era 22-23 July 1999

To describe digital resources as user friendly we must make a number of assumptions about the user and the way in which the information is presented. It must be assumed that end users have a basic level of computer literacy, and the critical thinking skills to evaluate the resources they find. Meanwhile the resources have a great variation in software functionality and layout as well as the type, scope and level of information they include. The other variable which compounds the challenge to the user is the variety of resources: catalogues, internet, and networked and standalone cdroms. Great strides are being made in ensuring modern interfaces are seamless, but there is still a long way to go.

There are technical challenges in designing a useful database, and issues of access and storage. Many more challenges are to be found in ensuring that users can actually gain the knowledge they require from it.

   After using Medline (in any one of its five internet interfaces), Web of
   science, Dialog, e-journal packages and library catalogues, users are
   generally left confused. How can they remember the truncation symbols they
   should use in each database? Or what is actually in the fields ...? Or be
   fully conversant with the software required to read the full text products?
   How many have had unforgettable experiences retrieving material that was
   not relevant to their search, or had problems with incompatible
   software?[1]

The model client, who is information literate, will have little difficulty in adapting to a well designed system. Much has been written recently about the need for bibliographic instruction in academic libraries to combat what Raine describes as `the dearth of research experience and the clear phenomenon of `library anxiety'.[2] This indicates that the model client is rare indeed. If model clients are not to be found in academic libraries, how much less likely are they to be discovered in public libraries, which they may visit infrequently as the need arises?

Users have always required assistance in seeking information. Librarians, as knowledge navigators, have taken on this role for at least a century. Yet in these final years of the millennium, information overload has become a cliche. Australians are generally more educated and those who are not, are seeking to become so. There has been an exponential increase in mature age students, and a general acceptance that people will retrain at least once during their careers. Research based school curricula push students or their parents into libraries, often with unrealistic expectations of what can be found. Resource poor institutions are stretched trying to provide adequate learning resources.

In an age of convenience, the time poor expect magic bullet solutions to their questions. In the popular imagination, the internet has become a modern version of the philosopher's stone, the key to the universe. The answer to all questions must be on the net, and users expect to be able to locate it immediately, at the push of a computer key. In the hustle of digitisation the information poor, who are often the financially poor, become increasingly marginalised. In international terms Australia's take up rate of home pc/internet use is impressive. In March 1998 the ABS indicated that 14% of homes were connected to the internet.[3] This leaves a mere 86% which were not. Although these figures are changing rapidly we cannot assume that a high degree of familiarity with digital information will necessarily be typical of our client base.

Client perspective

Client needs, wants and expectations have all risen sharply, as have the requirements for information literacy including digital literacy. Clients need to be able to read, preferably in English, and significant numbers have difficulty with this essential skill. The plethora of information resources now available requires increased skills in selection and discrimination, which many do not have. The digitisation of an increasing volume of information resources requires computer literacy, which some have had no chance to acquire. The ability to make meaning from data or information itself requires both skills and practice, yet without meaning `information' has little real value. Not all of our clients will attain wisdom, but as the hierarchy of knowledge illustrates, mere provision of data is ineffective unless clients have the skills to make use of it.

Hade's diagram[4]

This is an important issue of equitable access. Navigating through data smog and explaining the principles which transmute data into useful knowledge are logical extensions of our traditional function of disseminating information. This critical facet of the librarian's role should be emphasised as it raises our professional profile in an increasingly digital environment.

   Librarians have always been identified with information, but we now need to
   take a more active role to ensure that we are identified with the
   technology that provides information[5]

Defining user education

Sager defines library instruction or user education as

   ... activities such as providing library tours; delivering classroom
   lectures, presentations, or demonstrations on information gathering skills
   and resources; developing and teaching credit and noncredit library
   courses; coteaching or providing course integrated library instruction;
   developing print, media and multimedia library instructional material; and
   even creating and implementing library signage systems.[6]

While this definition has obvious applications in an academic environment there is also an increasing need for these activities in the public library as technology complements or supplants more traditional resources and throws open the doors to a much wider range of information through the internet and other digital information resources. The public library environment has other inherent challenges as we deal with individuals rather than larger homogenous class groups.

Organisational perspective

From the organisation's perspective, user education meets access and equity imperatives. To give an economic rationalist focus, it also meets the aim of effective information service, maximising the investment in staff and other resources. Management must define service levels to ensure organisational goals are achieved. These goals must also match user needs, if not their wants and expectations. Managers may choose to explicitly list this defined service level in terms of user guarantees.

As users become more competent they require staff assistance less frequently and are better able to phrase their requests for assistance. Their expectations are more realistic. Resources are used to more and better effect, again maximising the cost benefit of the resource dollar. Personal, mediated service has always added value to information; managing this in a time effective manner can more effectively meet our professional and organisational goals.

Designing any user education program requires efficient project management. First, thorough market research, including identifying the need. Secondly, ensuring its fit with organisational objectives and resources. Thirdly, the program development, promotion to target client groups, and implementation. Finally, evaluation and future development.

This paper reviews two user education programs initiated in the public library context at Liverpool City Library. The first was aimed at local Technical and Further Education (Tafe) students, many of whom were from a nonEnglish speaking background. It was obvious to staff that many students were unable to use library resources effectively, even for basic research. The second program was aimed at the general public, through the offering of introductory internet courses.

Case study 1 The information advantage

Establishing the need

The local Tafe institute is situated very close to the public library. Anecdotal evidence from reference desk staff, who offer one on one assistance at point of need, acted as the spur to visualising a more formal program of user education. Some of the observed difficulties Tafe students experienced included

* the students varied widely in their previous experience of formal education. Some seemed unfamiliar with basic principles of library research

* many students were from nonEnglish speaking backgrounds. Communication difficulties meant that extra time needed to be given to their assistance, which was not always easy at a busy reference desk

* many users had problems using the library's catalogue, often seeming unaware of the use of the different fields or of keyword searching

* students were confused when their assignment questions (which were often multidisciplinary) required the use of several resources. They expected one book to have `their' answer. None appeared aware of the uses of journal literature

* many students were computer illiterate. Some had never held a mouse before. Most had not previously used the intemet for research

One or two Tafe teachers were already in the habit of booking their classes into our standard `How to use the library' tours. We seized the opportunity to informally discuss their students' needs and the concept of a more targeted program. The enthusiasm and support of these key teachers proved invaluable.

Resources

With management support--critical to the success of any project--we decided to further research the option of a user education program for Tale students. We were fortunate to have a technology room set up with six pcs plus a pc projector. The challenge was to design a program which would not strain staff resources while meeting our aim of enhancing our present information service to this client group. We anticipated that such a program would maximise staff effectiveness, as students would need less one on one instruction. There would be no significant costs, except staff time.

Market research, liaison and promotion

It was decided that the initial research would take the form of a reality check on our own observations through an appointment with the Tafe librarian. He amply confirmed our perceptions of need. Despite large numbers of students, the Tafe library was cramped and underresourced. It held just two pcs, only one of which had an interact connection. Space constraints made any form. of user education difficult, and in fact none was offered except for a familiarisation tour at the beginning of the academic year.

The next step was to discuss the concept of a free, public library based, user education program with the acting principal. This was another important relationship. She arranged opportunities for us to address Tafe staff meetings, at which there was a very positive response from teachers. Throughout the entire process our smooth relationships with key Tafe staff were crucial. Tafe teachers guided our assessment of need, our development of content, and the level to which we pitched our program, as well as promoting our program to their students and colleagues.

Developing the program

From the beginning the program was targeted to students undertaking academic courses such as tertiary preparation. Students undertaking vocational courses such as hairdressing seldom used the library and did not perceive themselves as requiring research skills. Nor did their teachers. As the Tafe had no budget for `information literacy', we did not charge participants. Indeed, the program was seen as an extension of our normal information service. As we wanted to minimise point of need assistance, we decided to offer the program only to classes, not to individuals.

Program development would be a team project. This avoided overburdening a few key staff and gave less experienced staff a professional development opportunity. The entire city information services team was involved, including the serials officer, local studies librarian and the corporate researcher. Additionally, the readers' services librarian was invited and also Mylee Joseph, who was already involved with the interact training centre. Challenges were

* maintaining cohesion and momentum with a cross-team group

* determining program timeframes, content, and delivery methods

* ensuring content quality and consistency

* developing administrative and evaluation processes

The process worked well as a team building exercise. While some less experienced staff were initially hesitant, by the end of the process everyone had gained confidence and developed new skills. We worked in pairs or small subteams writing the content, then critically discussed and refined each other's efforts, which included full trainer's notes. This was handled as part of the learning exercise. All staff learned how to use equipment such as the pc projector and powerpoint slides. Rehearsals were fun.

The result was eight half hour modules, any of which could be booked separately or in combination. The choice of half an hour was dictated by a number of considerations, including the booking schedule for the technology room. Half an hour represented a reasonable period of concentration for adult learners, and would fit in with Tafe schedules. The modules were

* Introduction to library services--the tour of the library, with emphasis on handouts and relevant resources

* Research skills; or, how to spend more time at the beach--a powerpoint based introduction to study skills

* How to use the catalogue--primarily hands on, with take away exercises

* What! No books? How to use reference cdroms--based on Sydney morning herald and World magazine bank, primarily hands on

* How to use the interact--demonstration with the pc projector, plus hands on

* Business, legal and statistical resources--tour of the legal and ABS collections, plus hands on interact exercises

* Local history, current issues and family history--based on a tour of collections, with take away exercises

* Interlibrary loans--based on handouts

In practice, and despite our consultation process, only a few modules proved popular. In the event the program soon stabilised into a 1 1/2 hour visit, comprising

* Introduction to library services

* What! No books? How to use reference cdroms

* How to use the interact

Many groups of students, accompanied by their teachers, booked to use these courses. Evaluations were very positive, and the program was written up in a Tafe publication by one of the teachers.[7]

Administration

Staff who had written the modules were intended to be the primary trainers, and a matrix was developed giving four possible trainers for each module. Full trainer's notes were included with each module, as well as all handouts, evaluation forms etc. All master copies were kept together in a folder for easy reference.

The program was not offered to individual students; bookings were only accepted from the class teacher, and we requested bookings two weeks in advance. In practice, teachers often phoned to book in a class with only a couple of days' notice. Whenever possible--that is, when the technology room was not already booked--we fitted them in. Bookings were immediately written into the library roster to ensure staff would be available. As the Tafe did not require weekend classes, this was relatively easy to manage; the few requests for evening groups were fitted in. In general, partly because it was not a complicated program and there were plenty of trainers, administration worked very smoothly.

Evaluation sheets were provided at the end of every session. Teachers were informally asked for their feedback, and the trainers themselves filled in evaluation forms. These were critically analysed and used to refine training delivery.

Problems encountered

There were the usual technology glitches. The pc projector had a mind of its own, the interact was occasionally slow or down. As we were fortunate to have skilled technology support staff within the library, these were only minor problems, if frustrating.

The users voted with their feet in choosing modules which met their needs. From our perspective as information professionals, it had been assumed that research skills and catalogue use would be important, even mandatory, for students. Students and teachers alike preferred the interact and cdroms, which were perceived as giving them entirely new skills rather than rehashing skills they believed they knew or could pick up for themselves.

We needed to give more attention to promotion. Even after the program had been running some months, teachers would phone saying `I've only just heard you're doing something for Tafe students'. The program ran for too short a time, but there seemed also to be seasonal variance in the bookings, based on the academic year and the teacher's preference.

Future development

There was no future development at that public library. When three key staff left simultaneously (albeit coincidentally), the program was closed down after approximately six months' operation. In effect, the program ran as a pilot only. Had the program been extended, we would have needed to formally address issues such as staff recognition and rostering for evening classes.

At that stage, more thorough evaluations including surveys were being contemplated, and these would have led to cost benefit analyses to determine the ongoing value of the program. During its short life, however, it proved popular with a number of Tale teachers and students and laid the foundation for possible further liaison with the local Tafe. It was planned to offer it, revised as necessary, to other local Tafe institutes, the community college, and the University of the Third Age (U3A).

As a number of individual library users had also expressed interest it might well have been possible to extend it to become one unit in a holistic program of information literacy based within a public library.

Case study 2 Internet Training Centre

Establishing the need

The construction of a large public library at Liverpool, which opened in 1996, created new opportunities for the library service. A technology room was incorporated into the design of the new library, along with the necessary wiring anticipating the growth of the intemet as a research tool. The local community has a high proportion of unemployed youth, unemployed adults, new migrants and low income earners. These groups could potentially benefit a great deal from access to the internet for job seeking, computer skill development, communication and research.

Resources

Funding for the equipment, however, was not readily available and in 1996 an application was lodged requesting grant funding through the library development grants administered by the State Library of NSW. The terms of the grant were to provide basic intemet training to low income earners at a very low cost. The application was successful and the equipment was purchased and installed. Six pcs with intemet access were installed in the technology room in a `classroom' layout, facing a large whiteboard. A pc projector was also purchased.

The grant provided for the equipment only, and staff resources were drawn from the library's existing staff.

Developing the program

At this time the Internet Training Institute (ITI) was already well established. However we did not choose to become an ITI facility as the fees for each course would have precluded most of the target market. In order to comply with the terms of the grant, targeting low income earners, an introductory course was developed inhouse. The course focused on learning to use Netscape effectively and locating and using search engines to complete searches. At that time Netscape still held the largest portion of the browser market and was chosen as the library standard. It was necessary to be able to translate terms for Microsoft Explorer during some classes. It was envisaged that only an introductory course would be required in the short term.

In order to ensure staff were competent and confident to present the courses a number of training opportunities were utilised. Two staff members attended the ITI `Train the internet trainers' course and three others who were also part of the training team attended courses at the Macarthur Community College and the technology access program at the State Library.

Market research, liaison and promotion

Initially the market was identified through the demographics of the area. ABS data highlighted the high levels of youth unemployment, residents who were not born in English speaking countries, and general unemployment. The attendance in courses confirmed the need for training for these groups and also for a surprising number of professionals and seniors, keen to develop internet skills, or simply to understand what `all the fuss was about'. In order to promote the course effectively fliers and signage in the library were used and intermittent advertisements were placed in the local paper. A vast number of the fliers were collected from the library. Not all resulted in immediate bookings but the availability of the course met with great interest.

Staff recommendations were also a key factor, as staff on the information desk had limited time to help individual customers as much as was often required. Tafe students who attended the information advantage sessions received a very quick introduction to the internet which acted in many cases as an advertisement for the training centre.

A key stakeholder quickly emerged and a partnership was forged with the University of the Third Age. Students, all over fifty and mostly retirees, could sign up for courses through the U3A prospectus and a course was tailored to meet their particular interests and needs. These courses were extremely popular, with a large waiting list. Tailored courses were also provided for groups such as local legal officers from a state government department. School groups also accessed classes as a part of library orientation programs.

Administration

Initially five courses per week were offered but as time passed this was reduced to three courses per week, on average, which proved sufficient to meet demand. The scheduling of classes was tweaked until the best combination of day and time was established. A database was maintained recording basic details of attendees and income. The bookings for classes, requiring payment at booking, were handled at the circulation desk. Courses which did not have more than 33 percent enrolments were postponed and students were enrolled in another session. This required regular monitoring of the bookings and some re-organisation. Classes were limited to just six people to ensure that each participant had maximum access to the pc, ie one person per pc. Weekend and evening courses proved the most popular, and sessions were scheduled accordingly.

By September 1998, after just twelve months, more than 250 people had attended courses, paying only $20 each for a two hour course.

Six staff members shared the training load, incorporating it into their regular duties. Staff were drawn from different areas of the library, including the reference team, technology team, and perhaps more surprisingly the children's and community information teams. The ability to communicate with customers coupled with a fairly high level of comfort with technology were the key prerequisites for trainers. Staff were required to incorporate training along with their other responsibilities as no staff were employed for the specific purpose of running classes. However casual staff were occasionally employed to replace staff on desk shifts.

The course and the handouts were continually fine tuned. The powerpoint presentation ensured a standardised delivery and the trainer's notes contained the more technical details. The course was hands on which ensured a high level of participation and, it was hoped, increased retention of the information. It was often difficult to get the participants to leave at the end of a course as they were so absorbed in what they could find. In many cases they had quickly become addicted to `surfing'.

The overall feedback from attendees was very favourable. The course was marketed as introductory and although some participants had a degree of familiarity with the internet there was almost always a significant amount of new information they were able to glean from the class. Others had never used a computer and it was their first encounter with Windows and a mouse.

Problems encountered

The browser wars between Netscape and Microsoft Explorer have seen a dramatic reversal of fortune for Netscape. Future courses may need to be offered using the Microsoft Explorer browser. In general the access via the ISP was very reliable and only a couple of classes were postponed or cancelled due to technical problems. The plug ins and version of the browser which was available was maintained by the technology team and standardised on all library equipment.

The demand for more advanced courses required additional expertise, not readily available amongst library staff eg html programming, genealogical research, the use of chat facilities. Other feedback suggested specialised areas of interest which could, not be catered for individually or economically.

Future development

In order to cater for the demand for more specialised and more advanced courses Liverpool Library is investigating becoming an Internet Training Institute agency, having largely fulfilled the terms of the initial grant. This will allow for the expansion of the variety of courses offered with ready made courses.

The training of more library staff as intemet trainers will be imperative. The number of sessions run can be shared amongst staff ensuring minimal disruption to other library activities and an opportunity for multi-skilling staff. The requirement to keep on top of developments in the interact provides a motivating factor for staff which has positive effects on their performance at the information desk as well.

Conclusions

The catalyst for both projects was a particular vision of empowering clients and staff to make the best use of all the library's resources. Without the unwavering support of management neither staff time nor facilities would have been available to establish or maintain either program.

The programs were particularly effective in meeting the needs of those that might otherwise have been marginalised from digital information: adult students, seniors, the unemployed, those from nonEnglish speaking backgrounds. It is fair to say that, in at least one public library in western Sydney, the internet is not the sole domain of the young, white, 25-35 year old professional male. It is a resource utilised by students, mothers helping their children with homework assignments, grandparents emailing their grandchildren and researching their family history, migrants communicating with friends and keeping up with news from home, unemployed young people--in fact, anyone in the community who wishes to take advantage of the library's facilities and services.

Empowering the local community has been only one of the benefits. Staff gained a great deal from the experience of coordinating and providing training. The opportunity to learn more about both the technology itself, and training customers from various backgrounds, has improved the ability of staff to use the internet as a reference tool and to assist customers to use it effectively as well. Staff axe also more in tune with client service, understanding the areas that users find more confusing and having more experience explaining the intricacies of the technology in different ways to ensure effective communication.

Librarians are knowledge navigators. We rarely create information, and increasingly the classification and categorisation of it is shared by networks such as Kinetica and the subject directories on the internet. It is becoming increasingly difficult to recognise our former custodial role when the perimeter of the library is somewhere in cyberspace.

Yet despite this sudden globalisation of the work environment and even the pervasive data smog, librarians are still cutting a swathe through to the information our clients require. We are reminded of the adage `think globally--act locally'. The clients who present themself at the information desk may need to access an international source but the assistance they require is immediate and personal.

One could argue that the future of digital information will ensure new systems are so user friendly, and that the community will become so computer literate, that the need for user education will disappear. Our clients may prefer to access information from the comfort of their own homes without a librarian's unnecessary intervention. That day may come, but our experience with both the Internet Training Centre and the Information Advantage program suggests that it is still a long way off, and that end user education is a crucial part of an effective information service.

User education programs are not cheap, although their primary costs are in staff time. But we need to consider the costs of not providing a full service in a service industry. `Consumer expectations demand that the provision of any service be accompanied by some level of support or guidance from the provider'.[8] The huge investment in digital information can only be truly realised if end users can locate the information they require in order to take meaning from it.

Public libraries cannot afford to be complacent about existing levels of service. Meeting the challenges of the present and the future requires flexibility and responsiveness to client needs. If we do not provide our clients with the value they want or expect, we open the door to our competitors. Once upon a time, we could assume most of our clients could use our resources. This assumption is no longer valid.

As Lepani remarks

   ... the knowledge economy demands a competency that links information
   management skills, systems thinking and learning skills, and information
   technology competency, at various levels of sophistication. We need to
   merge concepts of computer skills with information research and analysis
   skills ... The critical new skill is not just how to get information
   relevant to a task, but how to do this within time constraints, and how to
   extract meaning from the `noise' of competing voices.[9]

If we do not assist our clients to gain these critical skills, who will?

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

References

[1] Missingham, R Science and technology: a web of information: impact of the electronic present and future on scientists and libraries Information online & on disc 99 conference proceedings 19-21 January 1999 Sydney 1999 p222

[2] Raine, K Radical writing: a proposal for bibliographic instruction at Iowa State University Katharine Sharp review no 7 Summer 1998 http://edfu.lis.uiuc.edu/ review/7/raine.html

[3] Australian Bureau of Statistics Year Book Australia 1999 (ABS catalogue No. 1301.1)

[4] Hade, D Literacy in an information society Educational technology 22(8) August 1982 p9

[5] Newton, S and Vilkins, A Creating our future: the librarian as interact trainer Creating tomorrow today: Can you imagine ... Public Libraries Section and Reference and Information Section conference proceedings 9-12 November 1997 Brisbane p61

[6] Sager, H Implications for bibliographic instruction in G Pitkin ed The impact of emerging technologies on reference service and bibliographic instruction Westport CT, Greenwood Press 1995 p51

[7] EFS takes to the information superhighway Talking Tafe: South Western Sydney Institute no 3 November 1998 p7

[8] Newton and Vilkins op cit p62

[9] Lepani, B Technology convergence and information literacy in D Booker ed Information literacy: the professional issue: proceedings of the third national information literacy conference conducted by the University of South Australia Library and the Alia Information Literacy Task Force, 8-9 December 1997 Adelaide, University of South Australia Library 1998 p19

Jennifer Burrell BA (Hons) DipEd DipLib&infoSci AALIA is Research & Information Services Team Coordinator, Parramatta City Library, and was previously Reference Services Librarian at Liverpool City Library. Jennifer has written a number of articles on user education, staff training, and client focused collection development. Address: Parramatta City Library PO Box 32 Parramatta NSW 2124 tel[phone] fax[phone] [e-mail]

Mylee Joseph BA (Lib&infoSci) AALIA is Manager--Outreach Services, Willoughby City Library. She was previously Internet Training Centre Team Leader and Children's and Youth Services Librarian at Liverpool City Library. Mylee is the President of the Children's and Youth Services Section of ALIA (National/NSW) and is currently leading a team training library staff to maximise effective use of the internet as a reference tool. Address: Willoughby City Library 407 Victoria Avenue Chatswood NSW 2067 tel[phone] fax[phone] [e-mail]

Jennifer Burrell Research & Information Services Team Coordinator Parramatta City Library NSW and

Mylee Joseph Manager--Outreach Services Willoughby City Library NSW Received July 19993