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Automated systems, like manual systems, will not be successful without adequate training and preparation on the part of the staff. Some problems will arise where adequate training is lacking. The article discusses the structure and organisation of on‐site training of staff in the use of TINLIB software at the University of Ilorin Library. Particular attention is paid to the content of the training, trainers and what the programme is out to achieve. The article discusses some pitfalls in the training exercise and offers suggestions for future training programmes.

With the aim of discovering the important factors in training staff to use newly installed automated circulation systems, libraries in New Zealand with such systems were sent a questionnaire in 1988. This asked questions about how libraries had trained staff to use the system, and the outcome of this training in terms of satisfaction with their decisions regarding training, and of sparseness of mistakes made by staff after implementation of the system. Three facets of the administration of training were vitally important: (1) The vendor of the system must be heavily involved in the training; (2) As many staff as possible must be given a detailed training in the whole system; (3) As much of the training as possible must be given before system implementation.

Automation is pervading all areas of academic library work. Librarians must be adequately trained in order to exploit the new technology. The literature recognizes that there are certain prerequisites for successful training. Libraries in developing countries face additional problems in the area of training for information technology. There are special circumstances at the University of Botswana Library. The University of Botswana Library automation training programmes aim to tackle these special circumstances and the problems unique to developing countries, and at the same time fulfil the recognized conditions needed for successful training. Gives a detailed outline of several University of Botswana Library automation training programmes.

The study aims at investigating the need for training and methods involved in information technology in the government‐owned oil industries – Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) – with particular reference to the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI).

In seeking solutions to the problems raised five research questions were formulated. The population consisted of the library staff, and the method of data collection was through interview.

The results, amongst others, revealed that the commonly used training method is the internal consultancy method.

Makes modest recommendations that, if implemented, could benefit the librarians in the Nigerian oil industry from improved training, which will in turn benefit not only their users, but also the industry as a whole.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT) Libraries' research and demonstration project has achieved its goal of innovative utilization of technology to meet a national library need for efficient and effective staff training materials. The project demonstrated that librarians, who are not computer programmers, can use HyperCard™ as an authoring tool for instructional units. The response of evaluators throughout the development period and subsequent period of regular use, indicates that a machine‐assisted method and the training materials themselves can be enjoyable and successful for library trainees. The implementation plan, developed and used for more than two years at UT, shows that such a program can be instituted on a librarywide basis. Distribution of the computer‐based training units to other libraries means that training materials, which are not available commercially, can be made available to thousands of academic libraries.

The successful implementation of an automated library system depends on many factors. While systems and libraries vary greatly, an area that can never be overlooked is staff training. By its very nature automation training differs from other types of in‐house library instruction. This article identifies seven critical issues in implementing and maintaining a staff training program. Issues discussed include timing, modularity location, documentation, follow‐up and continuity.

Library assistants were originally considered to be professional librarians in the making, and were trained accordingly. With the expansion of libraries and librarianship, Britain's “apprenticeship” system of qualification gave way to formal library school education, and a new category of “non‐professional staff” was created, of people who were unwilling or unable to proceed to graduate‐level qualification. The development of non‐professional certificates of competence in the UK is described against parallel developments in the US, Canada and Australia; the COMLA training modules are also examined. The theoretical and practical issues surrounding training are discussed, training schemes and qualifications in the four countries analysed, and the relative merits of in‐house training and external certificate programmes argued.

Considers the particular challenges of training staff for interlending work in libraries. Discusses the need for interlending as part of the concept of publication availability, the problems of setting up a training course, aims and objectives of training, the trainees and trainers, and techniques and training materials. Concludes that the problems posed by the co‐operative nature of interlending demands a structured training programme to ensure its success.

Argues that the training of librarians in GDR times gives a strange picture and is difficult to understand. On the one hand it can be seen and understood as a continuation of the traditional German library training before 1933, which was closely linked to practical library work. On the other hand, there was the ideological and political influence by the communist dictators who had made various efforts to restructure and reorganize the system of professional training at that time. With the slow demise of the GDR economy, which had been noticeable since the beginning of the 1980s, general conditions of library training worsened. The fall of the GDR was therefore a release and traditional library training could be rescued. Argues that since 1990 a swift development has been going on and we can now see a similar training of librarians as in the western part of Germany. At the moment we focus our work on an internationalization of studies including joint degree courses and exchange programmes. To provide the students with a broader European feeling and work experience is a necessary challenge nowadays and helps to meet the changing requirements in information management worldwide.

The role and expectations of new professional assistants in academic libraries are explored. A special balance and a specific emphasis are needed in this formative period, to give new recruits the full breadth of knowledge and skills required in the short term and provide the basis for continued training in the future