Positive Action Traineeships in NW Libraries - Case Study
2. Planning and managing the traineeships
An outline generic work programme was devised. This programme identified the key milestones in each traineeship and included planned contact with the TTR co-ordinator and local managers as well as with each other. We felt it was important that the trainees met each other to try to counter any feelings of isolation they might experience.
Visits to other library services such as Manchester's Powerhouse Library in Moss Side were arranged, as well as involvement with key events in Library calendars such as World Book Day, Adult Learners Week and Black History Month. In order to understand libraries involvement in the book acquisition process, visits were arranged to library suppliers and booksellers.
Trainees both worked through the on-line reader development training programme, Frontline (see Footnote) . They also attended training on project management organised by NALD as well as a one-to-one career development mentoring session with an experienced NALD (National Association of Literature Development) mentor.
Both trainees worked closely with their local reader development specialist, with additional support from the TTR co-ordinator. They attended bi-monthly Time To Read regional meetings and updated staff from other library authorities on their work. Both trainees completed monthly monitoring forms with their managers, which were then forwarded to the TTR co-ordinator who kept an overall eye on both placements. The TTR co-ordinator also administered and monitored the budgets and was responsible for the final report to ACE NW.
Footnote. Frontline: on-line training course offered by Opening The Book
Librarians in the North West have pioneered partnership working to encourage new readers into libraries. Time To Read is a partnership of librarians engaged in reader development activity in public library authorities in the North West Region. All 23 public library authorities in the region currently support Time To Read.