Training Librarian Job Description

After rather unsuccessfully finding a job description for a Training Librarian I humbly post mine in the hope it will assist other "Seekers" who want to create one.

JOB DESCRIPTION / PROFILE TRAINING LIBRARIAN
NAME OF JOB HOLDER	Denyse Knipe
JOB TITLE	Training Librarian
JOB LEVEL	8
DIRECTORATE	Library and Information Science
DEPARTMENT/SECTION	Information Literacy Training
DIRECT SUPERVISOR
DATE	2012
JOB PURPOSE
Training
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.    Presenting information literacy course to students and staff according to fixed schedule and requests of lecturer.
2.    Delivering information about the literacy courses to staff & students busy with research, and at faculty or management meetings when requested to do so.
3.    Dealing with user enquiries which may involve one-on-one training revision sessions and providing the training.
4.    Present basic computer skills on request to skill students so that they are able to use the on-line catalogue, Internet, databases and type assignments by way of a computer or laptop.
5.    When requested to do so assist with training on other campuses where the trainer is away or post is vacant.
6.    Participate in all community upliftment projects identified by library or Faculty by developing and providing training and other administrative training and support when requested to do so.
JOB PURPOSE
Administrative Duties
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.    Bi-annually compiling advert icw training and circulating to Science Faculty
2.    Maintain an annual booking calendar up-to-date for all modules to be presented,  indicating times, module to be presented, student/staff numbers and contact details of their lecturer
3.    Keeping a global register per diploma of attendance of students at different modules  to monitor attendance so as to facilitate presentation of Certificate of Attendance. Follow up bi-annually with lecturers where no bookings have been done for a diploma at the Faculty of Science or where attendance by students is sporadical .
4.    Marking and keeping record of all written or online assessments and sending the marks to lecturers on request.
5.    Maintain the Drop-Box account creating the necessary i-cloud files and uploading all updated modules, videos or other information relevant to training. Invite all new trainers via email or at InfoLit meetings to link to the account.
6.    Keep Library Science Faculty FaceBook page up-to-date weekly with relevant scientific articles, links to suitable Internet sites, positive communication from TUT icw projects that are of interest to students e.g. Science and Technology Train, and any information that supports personal improvement e.g. study methods and life-skills.
7.    Annually update, compile and photocopy the Student Workbook for all first years with additional information on Information Literacy modules, outcomes and including the latest academic sites, databases and all handouts.
8.    Attend  and represent the InfoLit SC at all meetings that are relevant to Information Literacy. Includes LIS SC, ThroughPut Committee and meetings with Staff and Student Development.
Curriculum Development and Instructional Design
1.    Keep all modules updated by keeping photos, video clips, screen-shots of changes to the layout of the Library sections, change in staff profiles or new staff members, changes on the Library homepage, catalogue, Internet and database sources, plus keep speakers’ notes captured on the slides, relevant to the current month.
2.    Contributing to academic course development by participation in on-line professional groups or networks e.g. via LinkedIn, including ongoing liaising with academic support departments e.g. TLwT, faculty departments and lecturers and with Librarians that are involved in Information Literacy Training at TUT or at other academic institutions both nationally and internationally.
3.    Do ongoing research to ascertain the latest methodology being used and content being covered both nationally and internationally in the field of Information Literacy. Update training where necessary and if needed arrange training for Information Librarians. Drop all updates into DropBox for the Information Literacy Sub-Committee members.
4.    Attend conferences, and/or present papers and attend training to keep own knowledge in the latest developments in information literacy, presentation skills, methods, content and computer skills up-to-date. Where applicable implement into TUT InfoLit Modules after consultation with InfoLit SC.
5.    In consultation with TLwT support service and with input from members on the InfoLit SC and when needed database librarian, develop scripts and record Camtasia video clips for linking to PowerPoint modules or to be used online via MyTutor for revision or distant students. Keep these videos updated with any changes in content, internet sites, databases, homepage or screen shots etc
6.    Together with input of question ideas from the InfoLit SC members create questions for the question bank in a variety of display options using Blackboard for on-line revision assessments. Combine with PowerPoint and video tutorials and publish for use by student and staff bodies on and off campus. Monitor use and update when necessary.
7.    As chair-person of the Information Literacy Sub-Committee ask secretary to call for Agenda points, fix dates and format of meeting and chair/facilitate meeting. Follow up with Librarians who have committed to certain tasks and provide feedback by way of a report to the Library Information Science Steering Committee.
Electronical Resource Centre
1.    Supervise ERC Assistant and when needed staff under their supervision to ensure the smooth running of all services in the ERC, i-centre and Knowledge Commons.
2.    Provide one-on-one assistance/training to students doing information searches on Internet or databases and in the use of programs needed to produce a typed report and correctly referenced paper.
3.    When requested to do so, train/assist researchers busy with literature searches when they are using databases and the Internet in the ERC/knowledge commons.
4.    Make sure that all problems – hardware, software, electrical or staff are reported timeously by the ERC assistants to the relevant departments. Follow up if necessary.
5.    Send suggestions for upgrades in hardware or programs needed in the ERC to the ERC Manager for consideration and implementation by adding to the global image.

The Science and Technology Train 2012 - background

The rural village of Matjiesfontein is being pointed out by myself. We walked there every day across the 'vlakes' and railway lines. Here I am carrying a new box for the library cards for the school library which still needs to be set up. The tiny public library is only open half day and the children have no where to study or work through reference books like encyclopedias, Creating a school library with a study area is vital. The computer center now set up by the university has very old computers but at least its a start. At present only one teacher can access Internet via a mobile modem and she does all the searching for the junior and high school children who do not even know how to use Internet.

The Train to Matjiesfontein came as a result of us traveling to Matjiesfontein in the Western Cape of South Africa rural area. It is part of the up-liftment project of the Science and Technology Train which will travel to all the poorer areas bringing the truth and a love for science and mathematics to children who have never had the opportunity to see 'science' at its best.  
Mentoring classes and computers will form part of the project. Old train carriages have already been donated, just funding is needed to get it off the ground. It is around R4 million rands for the basic project, but it can be done. Dr Stoffel Fourie from Tshwane University of Technology Science campus, has such a vision and heart for this project - it has to work.

Partners are also erecting a gigantic telescope there - largest in African. This will bring work for the poor coloured community who lives in the surrounding areas.

I am working on the side project of community up-liftment and am busy upgrading the local rural Public Library, introducing technology and mentoring - it meets the needs of the local community but not necessary the needs of the school. Too small to expand futher. 

I am trying to create a school library in the town at Matjiesfontein. The school has one store room it will let me use. Needs shelves, book boxes for preschool grade, paint, carpets and windows for the to-be library, and a container for a new store room.

I have one computer and a few second hand books to give them. Have bought them a simple program for managing their stock. Will train them next time around.

I am also needing tables and chairs for the school children. 

???    Can you help make make a difference in their lives. Do e-mail me kniped@tut.ac.za for an address if you want to be part of this project and have the finances to send the furniture or paint, carpets etc to me. I will make sure it reaches its destination via the Tshwane University of Technology, Science Library where I work as a Training Librarian. Together we can make a difference in the lives of the children of Africa.  Denyse

The Train to Matjiesfontein Pt 2

The Dining Car

The icy Karoo morning air slips through the cracks where the double pane used to be and makes its presence felt kissing my cheek and gnawing at my finger tips and toes.

The dining room meets us unadorned, its naked tables staring back at us, not a placemat, cutlery or curtain in sight.

For a few seconds a flashback to earlier times when as a child I travelled on the train from Cape Town to family – reluctantly forces its way back into my brain. “Don’t live in the past”, I think but the picture is indelible, printed in my memories forever and not that easily brushed aside.

The sound of the gloomy meal time gong once again echoes down the long winding corridors of the carriages. “First sitting”, calls out the ghost of Christmas past. Tables elegant with white “brookie” lace table clothes and serviettes greet the hungry traveler, ladened with fresh fruit and a protea to remind us of the land of milk and honey that we all were part of.

White waiters a splendor in their black and white attire and waistcoats, sweep past with professional ease – extending the warmth of a South Africa welcome to visitors to its shores and taking orders for the steaming hot three course breakfast served on white plates with heavy silver cutlery engraved with pride S&R.

Hot coffee would be served warming the insides and the double window panes and bright curtains would fight the battle and keep the icy fingers of the Karoo morning air outside. It feels like yesterday and then reality kicks in tearing me back to the present with a voice of the waitress wearing the same dirty apron she wore last night at dinner.

“We have no..” as the waitress starts to rattle off a list of what is not available on the menu once again. No surprize here, we accept this without complaint or resistance. Our Fatherland is slowly closing down one service at a time. Lack of service delivery, lack of training, lack of insight, lack of implementing quality to enhance self-pride in ones work – who knows, who cares?

“May we have two eggs please in place of all the missing items”, sparks a running debate of over fifteen minutes with the rest of the staff relaxing in the back chairs of the dining coach. The team decides this time and only this time they will break the rule and supply one extra egg. Thank goodness I almost thought we would have to wait till lunch for a decision, making the extra egg redundant.

“I would like my eggs soft and coffee please”, I dare to ask.

“What?” She scowls, reminiscent of an old school ma’am in Oliver. “You want your coffee first?” The menu clearly states juice (in a foam-a-lite cup), two choices of breakfast (of which they have almost none of the ingredients) followed by coffee. I knew I was expecting too much these people are trained like parrots and cannot deviate from the menu without a “debate” with the rest of the staff texing in the back seats. My heart sunk, lunch time was coming closer by the minute. Then she spun around walked to the kitchen and brought me a cold plate of food with eggs so hard I would need a hack-saw to cut through them, and then ten minutes later thankfully, the hot coffee with steaming milk in a plastic cup appeared. No I did not ask for the juice, would you have?

In the days of old the train driver would slow down during meal times and catch up later. This train driver put his “foot in die hoek”, with the wheels conveying his message – “I want to get home, get home, get home, home”. Coffee splashed everywhere, the ice cold butter tore at the cold toast, the eggs rolled over one more time to die. I just sighed and ate as fast as I could, wrestling for the last time with the Karoo air still sneaking through the cracks determined to freeze the coffee as well, left a tip and in passing, glanced at the younger generation who had crawled in late for breakfast - thankful that maybe it was just as well they did not know what they were missing.

The New South Africa – love it or leave it! 2012


The Train to Matjiesfontein came as a result of us traveling to Matjiesfontein in the Western Cape of South Africa rural area, and was part of the up-liftment project of the Science and Technology train which will travel to all the poorer areas bringing the truth and a love for science to children who have never had the opportunity to see 'science' at its best. Partners are also erecting a gigantic telescope there - largest in African. I am working on the side project of community up-liftment and am busy upgrading the local rural Public Library, introducing technology and mentoring. I am trying to create a school library in the town at Matjiesfontein. The school has one store room it will let me use. Needs paint, carpets and windows.I have one computer and a few books. I am also needing tables and chairs for the school children. Can you help make make a difference in their lives. Do e-mail me kniped@tut.ac.za for an address if you want to be part of this project and have the finances to send the furniture or paint, carpets etc to me. I will make sure it reaches its destination via the Tshwane University of Technology, Science Library where I work as a Training Librarian.

The Train to Matjiesfontein Part 1

The Karoo – from the Window

The early morning coffee waitress stood at my door shouting “coffeeeee” at the top of her lungs ripping into the last of my quiet peaceful dreams, she was not going to take no for an answer.

Everyone woke up and bought the cold coffee just to get rid of her. My eyes adjusting to the early morning light caught the sight of the Karoo and its wildlife waking up.

The Karoo has a personality of its own. Buck and Meerkat stand and stared at us as if seeing a rushing train for the first time, the semi-desert plants bend slightly in the wind we leave behind and then just as sudden as it changed, life reverts back to the quietness of the Karoo morning with the large eagle dropping lower and lower in ever descending circles onto an unsuspecting field mouse or dassie. The circle of life continues here  as it has for centuries before man came with his ox-wagons, cattle, pollution and guns.

At its edge of the growing sunlight,  little “dorpies” appear. Out of the box dwellings, roof firmly held in place by rocks and even larger pumpkins, humanity spills walking with a spring in their step and a smile, despite the poverty, on their faces. No tax, no electricity accounts, no worries. Those worries that are left will be drowned tonight by a ‘dop’ in a tin mug. Truly picked by the sun, the wine and life, they head for the farms.

They raise their hand, as if to greet the rising sun, which by now is causing a long splash of orange across the horizon, to greet us with a wave, strangers sharing this common time and space for a second. I wave back, our lives touch,  and we all move on.

A long forgotten rural graveyard flashed by, almost totally hidden by the unyielding ‘kakiebos’. Its citizens long dust, ghosts of the past. The local population amble past on way to work, oblivious of those who gave birth to their forefathers and forged their future, resting in peace waiting for that glorious resurrection, promised centuries ago.

Tar roads that stop in the middle of no-where, on route to what is now an unknown destination give way to grass and local plants as nature reclaims its place from invading civilization. This land was hers before we came and she knows it. Soon it will be hers again in all her glory.

Our train speeds past the old stations where gardens once stood proud and tall. I remember. Tendered by a loving Station Masters hand aware of the competition from his neighboring station, these have now become casualties of neglect. Only a few ‘vetplante’ remain – survival of the fittest – most suited to this arid terrain, growing side by side with tall grass throwing their seeds to the wind.  
 

The buildings stand forlorn – glass panes gone as the wind takes its course howling through the empty rooms once again. Paint peeling off the walls like petals dropping off a flower that once was. Door frames, devoid of wood – crumble and like those ancestors who once worked here with pride – turn back to piles of crumbling bricks and dust.

The history we once knew is fading fast, captured only in the memory of those of us whose time on this earth is drawing to a close, leaving nothing of the glorious past when interpersonal relationships and care were more important than technology, to the new generation - who no longer remember, no longer experience and no longer care.