Title: The Library from a Patron’s Perspective

Day of the week/Time: Varies based on staff schedule. Training will be 1 ½ hours.

Audience: Mandatory training for all new staff and a refresher training every 3 years.

Goals: Tour the children’s library from a patron’s perspective. Simulate what it’s like visiting as a child and a parent with a child.

Reasoning for Training: Although this training is not related to literacy skills it will be valuable to help staff deliver quality service. To provide the best possible service it is helpful for staff to understand the library experience from the patron’s perspective. The library as experienced by a child or a parent with a child is different than the experience by an adult. This training will help provide that perspective.

Curriculum: Staff will be led through a series of roleplays that simulate the experience by children or parents with children. This will include looking at the physical spaces from a child’s height and looking for materials that children are interested in. For the parents perspective it will involve scenarios such as accessing the library with a large number of belongings while pretending that they also need to take care of a child. After the scenarios staff will discuss the challenges these patrons may face and brainstorm how they can make it easier for families to access the library.

Supplies: Stroller, several bags with books, a list of topics children are interested in.

Staff: 1 youth librarian or library assistant.

Community Partners: N/A

Budget: $0