In September, the Innovative Library Services team launched a new look for https://support.iii.com, including a new Training and Learning Center. We interviewed Schlomit Schwarzer, Manager of the Education Department at Innovative, to learn more about the new centralized collection of training materials.
Schlomit, tell us about your role at Innovative:
For the last year and a half, I have managed the education department to provide training services to our customers – we are also known as the training team. I’ve been a librarian for over 34 years, working in academic, public, special, and school libraries. I have been part of the Innovative training team for the last 15 years and I have logged almost 2 million travel miles during my time as a trainer.
What is the new Training and Learning Center?
It is the new, one-stop shop for training articles.
We have a variety of different customer resources but received feedback that customers wanted more training and how-to content. So we developed a centralized location of resources for our libraries interested in more education and training materials. For more specific issues or troubleshooting, the Supportal knowledgebase will continue to be a good source of information.
On the Training & Learning Center, the articles range from how to guides and videos for performing basic functions, such as how to create an item record, to more advanced functionality setup and usage.
Why should libraries be interested?
This is the first time we are offering a wealth of online training for free with no restricted access or login required. Because the access is open, the training information can be used to train anyone in the library, even when they are working from home. Libraries can download and edit the documents to record their specific workflows and policies, and create custom training agendas for their local staff trainings. The materials are easy to preview, download, and print.
What’s next?
Our training team has recorded over 40 videos and webinars this year alone and all of those resources are available on the center. As we continue to build more resources for Polaris and Sierra, we will also develop training guides for Millennium, Virtua, SkyRiver, and Vital. We plan to continue to deliver new content, and make sure existing content stays up-to-date.
What is your favorite thing about working with Innovative customers?
I get a great sense of fulfillment when I help customers find solutions for issues. I also learn a lot from our customers, in many aspects, while working with them.
How is the Training and Learning Center different than Bookwhen and Innovative training classes?
The new Training and Learning Center provides free access to training materials, which are generic in content, such as, “How to create a bibliographic record,” and can be used by any library.
Bookwhen is the website used to register for upcoming training services or workshops.
Innovative’s Training Services are customized, for fee, educational opportunities designed to be personalized to each library’s workflows and situation.
Take a tour of the new Training & Learning Center on one of our upcoming webinars:
September 23, 2020, 11 a.m. EDT: https://go.iii.com/WBN-Training-Center.html
September 23, 2020, 9 p.m. EDT: https://go.iii.com/WBN-Training-Center-APAC.html