NextGen: Good Orientation Counts

By Katherine Mossman -- Library Journal, 6/15/2005

Much is made of the tension that occurs in the workplace between the NextGens and established library staff, but there may also be some more tangible reasons why new library professionals report feeling uncomfortable. Consider the way your organization introduces new people to their jobs.

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How often are new librarians sent to their assigned posts before receiving an official "real-life" orientation? Is there a formal process to educate new employees about the institution, branch, or other locations they have just joined? Or is your library so desperate for a body at the reference desk that new librarians are rushed to staff desks, alone, on their first or second day?

The irony is that librarians often train paraprofessionals better than they train each other. When I began work as a paraprofessional at a mid-size library system, I spent three days in a training room learning about circulation operations and basic information searching skills. By the time I got to the branch, I knew more about issuing a library card than most of the librarians, and I was able to cover the information desk when needed. On the other hand, the new librarian staff didn't receive any formal training before reporting for duty.

Your library is probably like a lot of others: understaffed and caught in a cycle of employee attrition that is exacerbated by an ineffective (or nonexistent) retention policy.

Why orientation matters

During their crucial first few weeks on the job, new librarians need as much hands-on, real-world training as they can get. If they are ushered to the information desk without an introduction to the staff interface of the catalog or to your databases, they will experience unnecessary stress, and they will remember that the library didn't take the time to prepare them. To avoid alienating your new professionals, NextGens or not, make them feel welcome by providing immediate and on-point orientation sessions.

The verb orient, as defined by Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed., 2003), means "to acquaint with the existing situation or environment." It is a simple concept, just as critical to successful job performance as job training or ongoing professional development.

It's important for Human Resources to present an overview of your institution's employee benefits and harassment policies, but this is not enough. You can bet that new employees in a private enterprise don't get behind the cash register without an orientation, or without learning a thing or two about how great the company is, or without a distinct sense of what they will encounter at their posts.

Avoid trauma

Becoming oriented in a library job shouldn't be traumatic. And let's face it, this is an era where low pay, less competitive benefits, and other conflicting interests are affecting library staff retention rates. Successful orientation programs help offset these negative factors. But, most important, employees feel better when they sense that their employer is invested in a relationship with them. From the beginning, an orientation program sends a clear signal that the organization is committed to an employee's success.

New librarians have an immediate need to know the practical information that helps them conduct their daily work. Libraries should look to the private sector when it comes to developing a meaningful employee orientation.

I once worked for a large hotel chain, and I didn't report to my department before I spent two days in a training room with that week's other new hires. I filled out forms and learned about the company's benefits. I also learned about the history of the firm and, in detail, about what I could expect to encounter in the first few weeks on the job. A trained facilitator addressed my immediate and most pressing questions, clearing up issues before I reached the job site.

During the orientation I became more comfortable with my new role in the organization. By the end, I understood the operating principles and the basic administration of the company. I arrived at my post with a solid foundation from which to build my career. I had a good sense of what to expect and what was expected from me. Orientation is a time for new staff to learn about their institution, but it is also a great opportunity to get to know your new hires.

It is true that you'll need to dedicate time and resources to training your already overworked employees to train incoming staff. But if it improves your new employees' satisfaction rate (and therefore your retention rate), it is well worth the effort and expense. Chances are, you won't have to look far for help: the NextGen librarians already in your ranks are chomping at the bit to contribute.

Author Information

Katherine Mossman is Supervising Reference Librarian, the New York Public Library Donnell Library Center. To submit a NextGen column, please send it, at approximately 900 words, to Rebecca Miller at miller@reedbusiness.com