LEARNING HOW TO TRAIN

…AND THEN…

DOING IT ! ! !

A true storyby

Lisa Lewis

Funded by IMLS Based at SLIS at LSU Mission: a sustainable program of

archival training for staff and/or volunteers working in any type of historical repository

Telling Ain’t Trainingby Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps

Also The Ten-Minute Trainer: 150 Ways to Teach it Quick… by Sharon L. Bowmanand Training for Dummies by Elaine Biech

Training is NOT…

OBEDIENCE TEACHING EXCESSIVE TALKING

Whaaap, whaaaap,whaaap, whaaaap…

But Rather

Sharing Knowledge Pointing the Way Showing Doing

Activities aimed at particular objectives

based on archival skills

Built Upon Learning Objectives All Starting with ACTION

Articulate goals for seminar Demonstrate understanding of archival

terminology Write archival mission statement Identify items with historic value Describe an appropriate archival storage

space List sources of archival products Locate resources for archival standards and

best practices Etc.

In Other Words

We used activities Aimed at particular objectives

Based on archival skillsIn a user-friendly way

Often drawn from existing web- based content

A Variety of Information

Terminology Online content Standards and Best

Practices Contacts

Ourselves List-servs Local Organizations State Associations National Archival

Societies

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PUBLICATIONS

Conserve O GramsShort, focused leaflets about caring for museum objects, published in loose-leaf format.

A Variety of Methods

•Word Games•Shout-Outs•Short Lectures•Fill-in-the-Blanks•Action Plans•Group Sharing•Group Problem Solving

Historic New Orleans Collection, NOLA

Our Attendees

Came from very varied backgrounds

Examples Newspaper editor Library school students Photo journalist Studio Operators Many others who all

wanted to know HOW TO DO IT . . . . NOW

The Disappointment and The Challenges

They couldn’t learn it all in one morning Overly complicated activities FLOPPED

Preparation took a LOT of time Time management sometimes difficult Meeting expectations, sometimes

unrealistic A really limited budget

But we did manage “motivational” prizes Pencils, tape measures, calendars

The Up-Side

Pointing the Way to further information, resources, knowledge opportunities

Learning a LOT of basic terminology

Empowering them to act to improve preservation, description, arrangement and access to significant collections

Connecting them with each other and with the archival community

More Up Side

Significant Content being added to ATC site MUCH LESS CREATION

TIME A more uniform process

Learning from our mistakes and those of others

Benefits for Records, and for us

Better situations for existing records in small repositories

Much better products make it to established archives in the long-run

Teaching others improves personal knowledge

Suggestions…if you try it Remain flexible Remember that

PRACTICE is the best of all instructors

Adapt to individual training groups

Remain responsive to situations that develop

Include some humor www.archivaltraining.o

rg for more information