Saturday, December 15, 2012

Blog December Post 16 - Trust

Today's Destiny Card word is Trust.
 
There has been an interesting discussion over on the This Week In Libraries LinkedIn page about dealing with "old fashioned" colleagues and  managers.
 
The original question read: I notice that in public libraries at least some colleagues are still somewhat afraid to show themselves as a professional. To be proud about their work in their social network (I heard someone say: If I had to wear a uniform, everyone in the bus to work would see I'm a librarian, with fear in her voice...). And not only fysical but also online. Maybe they want to twitter with the library account, but with their personal account showing that they are a librarian... brrrrr. I think that's a shame and sometimes it irritates me. Do you recognize this and if so, how do you deal with it?
 
But then it changed to be more about how to get "old fashioned" colleagues to move with the times with regard to social media and technology.
 
I'm a proud librarian and I'm proud of my place of work - so I won't dwell on the first question.  I also know that my library staff are proud of what they do too.  However, I'm not sure how they would sit wearing uniforms and I know that they are certainly not comfortable promoting the library online.  I don't think the promoting online part has anything to do with being ashamed of what they do or where they work - it is technology uncomfortableness.
 
Technology uncomfortableness (excuse spelling and the fact that it may not even be a word) is not fear of technology - as they are all quiet happy to use computers - it's being uncomfortable or not confident in using a tool/device that they have not used before.  And where people like me jump in and try to "play" with something new until it isn't uncomfortable anymore.  My staff stop at stage one - they look at it, see that it is something new and they don't know how to use it - and then don't know how to take that next step without guidance.
 
And I think that is the point - guidance.  Maybe that should be the word of the day but I can link this in with trust - it's coming.
 
While the original post relates to social media, I'm going to relate it more to any new technology or device.
 
Our library has introduced downloadable eAudio books, Ancestry.com and we are about to launch Zinio - downloadable eMagazines.  With the first two products/resources, I found that my staff felt more comfortable and trusted themselves to be able to promote these resources to our library members, after they had received training.  And not training from me, because I feel it's a bit like children, when a parent tries to show their child something, sometimes the child won't listen because they know their parent too well or don't think their parent knows what they are doing (not saying I don't know what I'm doing), but when someone new and fresh shows the child something, the child absorbs.  The same can be said with my staff.
 
Often I will show them something, it sinks in a bit but not as much as having someone new and fresh providing the training.  It is also a formal step whereas if I train them they would take it as informal and possibly not as serious.
 
So I provide them with the access to and time to attend formal training on the resources we are introducing.  And they trust that I will do that.
 
That said, with Zinio due to the timing of the training, I was the only staff member available to attend and the launch will be happening when I am on leave.  I have downloaded the user manual and sent the link around and asked staff to take time to familiarise themselves with this new resource.  I trust that they will do that (fingers, toes and eyes crossed - shhhh).
 
This week I will sit with those I can sit with and go through it with them and I will assist over the telephone with those I can't yet get to.  Then when I return from holidays, I will organise a formal training session in a time and place they can all get to.
 
So to sum up, I think to overcome technology uncomfortableness you have to provide your staff with support and training and trust.  And eventually that technology uncomfortableness will be less so.
 
 

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