YRL is committed to providing the highest quality service to its members -- for Client Services, its primary focus is training. In addition to providing training sessions upon request, we take a proactive approach by constantly assessing needs and developing content that is accessible and relevant. If you have any request for training materials or sessions, contact a Client Services Librarian.
It's also important to stay up-to-date on YRL and its services. Be sure to sign up for our newsletters and listservs.
Courses
We know that finding time is the biggest barrier for staff learning. That's why Client Services Librarians develop in-depth training courses so you can learn at your own pace when you have time. We'll also refer you to great courses that others have developed.
Niche Academy for Staff
Watch general interest training for staff or take one of the custom YRL-built training courses:
-
Item Record Training 1: Adding or Modifying Item Records
-
Item Record Training 2: Volume Control
-
Patron Registration
Successful completion of the Item Record Training courses is required in order to receive permissions to add item records in Polaris -- and, yes, there is a test!
Niche Academy for Patrons
Online tutorials to introduce patrons to many of YRL's popular eResources, including cloudLibrary, OverDrive, Lynda.com and PressReader.
Lynda.com from LinkedIn
For staff and patrons alike, your library membership card gets you access to thousands of online courses on a wide variety of topics.
FOIP: Focus on Privacy Online Training
Developed by Service Alberta, this interactive online self-managed course for employees of public bodies will build your basic awareness of Alberta's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP). It takes about 1-2 hours to compete, but you don't have to do it in one sitting.
Once you complete it, read the FOIP FAQs for Public Libraries document (PDF).
DigitalLearn
A partnership between Public Library Association and the Chicago Public Library, DigitalLearn.org is an online hub for digital literacy support and training. You'll find self-directed tutorials for yourself and your patrons covering everything basic skills like how to use a mouse to more intermediate courses like using Microsoft Word.
Documentation
When you need to brush up on the basics or want to print off instructions to have at hand, our documentation provides you with the steps you need.
-
Cataloguing: Instructions on creating an item record, a record set and performing bulk changes.
-
Circulation: Instructions on check out, check in, ILLS and uncatalogued items, and processing holds requests.
-
Patron Services: Instructions on creating a patron record and explanation of all the information in the patron record.
-
SimplyReports depository: Instructions for running more than 30 different types in this online reporting tool.
-
Useful Polaris reports: Include the breakdown of which reports you should be running daily, weekly, monthly and yearly.
Troubleshooting guide for mobile devices
There are so many devices out there! You don't need to know everything about each one, just the common steps for troubleshooting.
You have access to Office 365 Education, an extenstive collection of productivity apps. View the Office 365 Reference presenation to learn more about what each app does.
Videos
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to access recorded webinars, training videos and playlists:
SimplyReports series
Get familiar with this powerful reporting tool, go through the useful reports to run at your library and watch a tutorial on how to use pivot tables in Excel to manipulate the data.
Polaris series: Notifications
Learn the basics about Polaris notications and troubleshooting, then stick around for a deep dive about the settings in the background that make it all work.
Getting Started with Polaris Leap
Unchain yourself from the desk using Leap.
eResources
Watch recorded webinars for YRL eResources and access videos created by vendors, such as EBSCO.
Services for patrons with print disabilities
Introductory videos for CELA and NNELS.
The Alberta Library
Learn about TAL, TALOnline and VDX.
New Library Website! An Introduction