Library Skills: synchronous (live and face to face) training guide

This page and its subpages detail how bookings for our Scheduled Programme of sessions are administered, including essential information for trainers. See the navigation menu subpages for different aspects of online training administration.

If you are involved in delivering our scheduled programme of session, here are the key things you need to know:

• Target audience: Our scheduled programme of online sessions is being delivered as a single programme open to all our users and not restricted by site. There may be some exceptions where sessions are only relevant to a particular subset of users, but trainers are encouraged to offer sessions that are relevant to as wide an audience as possible.
• Scheduling spreadsheet: The scheduling spreadsheet for the year is in the Scheduling spreadsheet folder in the Files section of the General channel of the Library Skills Team with a separate tab for each term.
• Creating the event in Teams or Zoom: The lead trainer for each session should set up the meeting in the agreed platform. MS Teams is our preferred platform. If using Zoom, ensure all presenters have active Zoom accounts.
• Creating the event in LibCal: An event for the session should be created in LibCal by one of the trainers for that session or another appropriate LibCal admin person. Please also enter the URL required for joining the session into the scheduling spreadsheet. See Managing events in LibCal guide for library skills trainers in the Library Skills Team, General Channel, Files area > Scheduled Skills Programme > LibCal guidance.
• Attendee expected numbers: You can see who has booked on your session by going to 'Manage event' in LibCal. Alternatively you can look at the public view of the calendar to see how many places are left for the session. The total number of places available is in the scheduling spreadsheet so you can then work out how many places are booked. We normally experience about a third no-show for sessions.
• Creating the feedback form URL: The trainers for the session should agree who will create the LibWizard survey for the event and create the URL following the Feedback surveys guidance. Enter the URL in the scheduling spreadsheet.
• Inkpath URL: Doctoral students need the Inkpath code to log their attendance on the Doctoral School system so the code needs to be shared at the end of the live session. A few days prior to the event, we receive an email to the Library Skills queue in LibAnswers with the link to the Inkpath code. This is then forwarded to the lead trainer. If you haven't received the link by the day before, contact Sabrina or Angela.
• Links to share in the session: Trainers should ensure they have links to hand for the feedback form and Inkpath code to paste into the chat and share in the session.
• Observing sessions: If you wish to attend a session as an observer or for your own learning, enter your name in the 'Other staff attending' column in the scheduling spreadsheet and join the session using the link in the spreadsheet. Do not book a place for yourself as this takes up a place.