vol. 10, no. 2 (2015)

Staff Training, Onboarding, and Professional Development
Using a Learning Management System
Sona Macnaughton, MLIS
Librarian/Learning Designer
Red Deer College Library
Mary Medinsky, MLIS
Public Services Coordinator
Red Deer College Library

Abstract
Looking for a fresh, interactive way to train your staff? A learning management system
(LMS) can be used to support flexible learning opportunities for library staff. This article
describes the benefits of using an LMS for staff onboarding, training, and professional
development and overviews criteria for selecting an LMS appropriate for your public or
academic library staff training needs.

Keywords
professional development, staff training, onboarding, learning management system,
lms, online learning

Introduction
Red Deer College (RDC) Library is a constantly changing place; each year we introduce
new approaches, services, resources, or technology to the mix. Effective onboarding
and ongoing staff training and staff professional development are essential to ensure
that the Library continues to provide responsive, learner-centred service. Over the
years, we have tried various formats of staff training and encountered several
challenges; the biggest of which was getting all staff into the same room at the same
time due to varying schedules. A more flexible approach to providing library staff
training was required.
In addition, RDC Library faced the challenge of training staff in using Blackboard, the
College’s Learning Management System (LMS). At RDC, each course on campus,
whether face-to-face or online, has a Blackboard component. The Library provides
Blackboard support to students, therefore staff need to be familiar with the features of
that environment.
It became clear that using an LMS to train library staff would bridge the challenge of
coordinating staff training with the requirement of training library staff to use Blackboard.
Training with Blackboard affords staff the opportunity to learn how to use our
institution’s LMS in order to better support students, while at the same time providing a

Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, vol. 10, no. 2 (2015)

flexible training platform for library staff. Using course design principles, we created a
series of asynchronous training courses with learning outcomes, learning modules,
rubrics, and quizzes for self-assessment.

Exploring a Learning Management System
LMS Defined
A learning management system is an online platform that facilitates “the administration,
documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of e-learning education courses or
training programs” (Boundless, 2015). Many MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses)
are delivered via an LMS, such as the New Librarianship class offered by David Lankes,
which was delivered via CourseSites in 2013 (Lankes, n.d.).
An LMS is used widely within educational environments to teach courses; many K-12
schools and post-secondary institutions use an LMS. Red Deer College uses
Blackboard, and all instructors at RDC use at least some features of this teaching and
learning tool. RDC Library was able to utilize the institutional tool, and therefore did not
need to select a learning management system.
Selecting an LMS
For libraries that are not part of an institution with an established LMS, there are many
options available. These range in functionality and pricing (see Fig.1). Some are free to
use (e.g. CourseSites), but typically have limitations in number of courses, students,
and/or functionality. Others have cost implications (e.g. Blackboard and Moodle), but
provide more scalable functionality. Given that there are several free and low-cost
options available, an LMS becomes an accessible system for providing e-training to
library staff.
When comparing different learning management systems, the following common
features can be considered:
•

Authentication: Ability to create individual user accounts for private access.

•

Learning Modules: Ability to organize the course structurally by breaking it down
into learning modules or units.

•

Communication: Ability to communicate with course participants through features
such as messages, email, chat, announcements, and calendar.

•

Collaboration: Ability to allow participants to interact with each other through
discussions, groups, breakout rooms, peer assessment, or social media.

•

Assessment: Ability to assess performance through assignments, assessments,
and self-assessments.

•

Accountability: Ability to track usage, login access, and completion of tasks.
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Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, vol. 10, no. 2 (2015)

(Fig. 1) Limited Survey of Learning Management Systems by Cost
Type of LMS by Cost
Free Account

Open Source 1

Enterprise

Details
● No license or
subscription fees (may
offer optional
subscription fees for
additional features)
● No License or
subscription fees
● Requires server (cost)
● Requires installation/
configuration (human
capital)
● Requires license or
subscription fees
● Requires server or
hosting (cost)
● Requires installation
and/or configuration
(human capital)

Examples
● CourseSites
(by Blackboard)
● Edmodo
● Schoology
● Moodle
● Sakai

● Blackboard
● Canvas
● Desire2Learn
● Hapara

The Learning Management System at Work
Training in Libraries
Ongoing staff training is an identified area of need in the oft-cited The Future of Human
Resources in Canadian Libraries (Ingles et al., 2005) study. In an environmental scan of
e-learning for public libraries, Wendy Newman highlights that “training should become
more visible and its urgency highlighted...” (as cited in Renzetti, 2011, p. 3) and it was
concluded that for “complex topics and big-picture learning, e-training can be an
effective and efficient tool for management to engage staff in communication, but not a
substitute for long-term leadership and support in this tumultuous area of librarianship”
(Turner et al, as cited in Renzetti, 2011, p. 8).
An LMS is well suited for e-training in Libraries since they are designed to deliver and
assess learning.
There are many examples of public libraries adopting e-learning methods to train staff
and onboard new employees. An example of a public library using an LMS platform is
the staff orientation program developed by the Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL).

1 For an extensive overview of an open source LMS, visit the White Paper Open-Source Learning

Management Systems: Sakai and Moodle (PDF).

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BCPL leverages the many features of an LMS to train staff across the 16 branches in a
timely manner (Mantegna, Hepler, & Lombardo, 2010).
Onboarding & Training at RDC Library
New staff members starting at RDC Library work through a detailed checklist to ensure
workplace success—the goal of all onboarding programs. RDC Library is constantly
working on ways to make this process more seamless for both new staff and
supervisors.
This issue is not unique to RDC Library. Long library hours and numerous part-time staff
can create a challenging situation when it comes to onboarding, prompting supervisors
to consider whether incoming staff are getting the information needed to be successful.
To help navigate the training complexity of the single-service desk model, a set of
Learning Commons Support rubrics were created. These rubrics outline the technology,
reference, and circulation skills all staff need, which are categorized into three levels:
Proficient, Competent, and Needs Training.
In support of these rubrics and the on-demand training model, an online course in
Blackboard became the ideal format not only for presenting documents and tutorials,
but also for encouraging self-assessment and discussion amongst staff who would not
normally have the occasion to interact with one another. It also became a natural choice
since the Library already had an existing course developed in Blackboard.
This first course, Blackboard 101, was created to orient Library staff on using
Blackboard to support students. This course was developed by a Librarian who is also a
Learning Designer, using backwards course design principles. Backwards design
involves first creating course learning outcomes, then determining assessments that
align with these outcomes. The course content is organized into learning modules,
covering all aspects of using Blackboard. Evolving over time, and to help solve the
challenge of coordinating staff training, this course expanded in scope to include
additional library training topics. This eventually led to the development of a second
course.
The second course, One Service Desk, was created to train Library staff on the singleservice model, taking into consideration the Learning Commons Support rubrics. This
course was developed by Library Supervisors, modelling the structure and design of the
first course. Much of the course content existed in different forms, in different places;
this content was collected and added, along with assessments, into learning modules.
The One Service Desk course was designed with a learning path that logically
progresses through content to meet the identified learning outcomes. While supervisors
are responsible for determining the course learning outcomes, and curating and adding
the content, staff at all levels participated in creating and/or finding content relevant to
the various course learning modules. For example, staff created tutorials about
memberships and technology using Camtasia, searched for database tutorials from
various vendors, and suggested different training assignment options based on

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questions answered at the service desk. This approach distributed the workload of
content creation, empowered staff to be involved in shaping their training, and made the
development of the course a more manageable project. Nonetheless, there was a time
investment required to develop the courses; the time commitment will vary depending
on a number of factors, including the scope of the course content, familiarity with the
selected LMS, experience with course design, and comfort level with technology.
Supervisors are responsible for training their staff, and as instructors of the course, can
effectively employ course tools to provide meaningful learning opportunities to staff. The
course integrates discussion boards, assignments, and quizzes for self-assessment.
Supervisors have the ability to track which staff members have accessed the course, to
view the assignments and quizzes, and to monitor discussions. Supervisors can then
use the activity and performance in the course to assess problem areas; once identified,
these problem areas can be addressed with additional training opportunities.

Lessons Learned
Evolution
RDC Library has been using an LMS for staff training for three years. During that time,
our training course has evolved. What started as a course to teach library staff about
how to use Blackboard has expanded into a course about providing service at the
Library Desk, covering such topics as reference, circulation, and technology. Through
this process, we gained a deeper understanding of adult learning, training, and course
design.
Meta Learning
It is essential to demonstrate to library staff the value of on-demand training through an
online course. The benefit for all staff is the flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere. This
learning can take place at an individualized pace and can be self-regulated. More
significantly, the Library course provides an opportunity for staff to learn in a format
similar to RDC students, which can promote empathy and improve learner-centred
service.
Meta Training
It is critical to train staff on how to use the training tool. Each LMS is different, and while
most are fairly intuitive, there will be a learning curve. A staff quick start guide coupled
with a learning module on using the LMS would be beneficial to help staff efficiently
navigate the tool. Part of our impetus to start using Blackboard for staff training was to
familiarize staff with its use to support students. This results in staff who are familiar with
the LMS in order to support students and to further their own learning as staff.
Course Design
It is important to apply principles of course design when developing a course in an LMS.
The RDC Library applied a backwards design approach, with developed learning
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outcomes, learning activities, and assessments that measure the outcomes. Learning
outcomes follow a specific format, using measurable verbs from Bloom’s Taxonomy (“by
the end of this course, library staff will be able to...”), which mirrors the curriculum
design process used by the College for all credit programming.
It is also crucial to make the course dynamic with opportunities for interaction, rather
than a static repository of information. Course designers should maximize LMS features
by integrating interactivity, creating a learning path, adding assessments, and
encouraging discussions. Course designers should also integrate a mix of text, images,
and media through a mix of Open Education Resources, Creative Commons, and library
resources. The benefit of an LMS course is that it provides authenticated access which
is required to provide access to copyrighted and library licensed content that supports
training.
Lastly, it is essential, in keeping with good course design, to keep the course fresh and
current and to streamline content so that it is not duplicated; repeated content creates
too many places to access information, causing staff frustration and miscommunication.
The LMS course can work in conjunction with an intranet or document repository, but
shouldn’t in and of itself become a document repository. To take full advantage of any
LMS, the training course should be developed with clear learning outcomes and aligned
assessments.

Next Steps
Professional Development
The Library is committed to ensuring that at least 5% of staff time is spent on
professional development (PD) activities. This PD expectation is identified in all full-time
and part-time RDC Library job descriptions.
The challenge is to ensure we are providing a way for staff to participate in professional
development activities even if they have no daytime availability for face-to-face
opportunities. Through the Library LMS course, we share webinars, provide
opportunities for peer coaching, access to discussion boards, provide training
assignments, and access to training modules.
RDC Library is piloting library-wide membership to the Partnership’s Continuing
Education Certificate 2 which provides staff with the opportunity to document and track
all professional development, including Blackboard modules, training and webinar
attendance, and peer-to-peer learning.
Badges
The integration of digital badges is a natural progression of the library training course.
Digital badges provide an online representation of learned skills. Mozilla offers a free,

2 For more information about the Continuing Education Certificate, visit http://www.cec.laa.ca.

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open source program (which is itself badged and levelled) to create badges that your
staff can earn as a result of e-learning.
If your library decides to move in that direction, there is work involved in getting certified
to create the badges. However, the benefit is that these badges contain data that
verifies that a staff member has completed the course.

Conclusion
To address the challenge of coordinating training for a complement of full-time and parttime library staff, RDC Library has used a to provide a flexible alternative to face-to-face
training.
What initially began as a simple course to orient library staff on how to use the College
LMS to better support students has morphed into a multi-faceted onboarding and
advanced training course. Over three years of usage, the course has evolved and
remains a work in progress, with its design and outcomes being continuously assessed
by supervisors through ongoing staff participation and feedback. This feedback has
been generally positive, but there is always room for growth and development.
While staff have a preference for face-to-face training, they are receptive to online
learning opportunities. For those staff without daytime availability, the library courses
provide a viable training option to provide the knowledge and skills required to ensure
workplace success.
From our experience as a college library, we have found that ongoing orientation and
professional development activities are crucial to supporting our mission; this is true of
all library contexts. Given the complexities of training a diverse staff group with
conflicting schedules combined with the added responsibility of supporting students in
the college's LMS, creating an online course to meet both needs was a natural fit. As a
result, it is clear that a well-designed online course in a learning management system
can provide a structured, asynchronous learning environment. This solution has
successfully supported staff training, onboarding, and professional development at RDC
Library.

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References
Boundless. (2015, July 21). Using a learning management system.
CypherWorx. (2015, June 4). What to look for when choosing an LMS.
Ingles, E., De Long, K., Humphrey, C., Sivak, A., Sorensen, M., & de Peuter, J. (2005).
The future of human resources in Canadian libraries. University of Alberta.
Lankes, D. R. (n.d.). New librarianship master class (MOOC).
Mantegna, J., Hepler, M., & Lombardo, S. (2010). Virtual staff orientation reduces time
to bring new staff up-to-speed. OCLC Webjunction.
Renzetti, R. (2011). Elearning for public libraries.

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