Elements of the Expertise Technology Trainers Need to Instruct Academic Library Employees

Abstract

Although academic library employees use high technology in their work, we know little about the abilities needed by their trainers. This ethnographic, baseline study explores elements of expertise that academic employee library trainers should have, such as knowing 1) how to learn about technology, 2) how to understand information science, 3) how to learn about trainees and develop effective training approaches, and 4) how to negotiate organizational constraints. These findings are useful to academic library employee technology trainers and to those who hire and supervise them.