Frontline Interactive online course for frontline staff in the adult lending library Can be taken anywhere anytime All you need is internet access and an address (can be hotmail) Can be taken in variable timeslots from 5 minutes to 2 hours

Benefits Good for staff: –Relevant, practical, fun Good for borrowers: –Improves the library experience Good for managers: –Workforce development

Approach Structured learning builds through 7 modules / short course option of 4 modules Balance of theory and practical tasks Online learning immediately applied in everyday work situation Starting point is readers not staff

Module 1 first task

Online support Before you talk to borrowers you can read helpful tips on: Which readers to approach Questions to use How to get people talking (and to stop them!)

Practical help with task

Learning Log Every trainee has their own online Learning Log to store their work Online exercises to practice Space to record thoughts and findings Revision quiz at end of every module

Learning Log sample page

Supervisor role Every trainee has a supervisor Authorities choose own supervisors Supervisor need not be a line manager

Supervisor Log responds to Learning Log

Discussion Board Structured into course not an optional extra Swap experiences with staff from other authorities Shared sense of purpose and context Develops online confidence

Discussion from pilot authorities

Later modules Module 4 looks at books and audiences Online exercise develops stock knowledge Content can be updated with new book cover examples

Sample page

Sample online exercise

Supervisor Log Support for supervisor to assess trainee’s progress Transparent to their trainee, no secrets Advance notice of what the supervisor needs to do to support the trainee Embeds learning in the workplace

Supervisor Log contents

Sample learning outcomes

Making learning fun Module 5 explores Displaying books Interactive exercise with book covers teaches new display principles Reinforces stock awareness learning from Module 4 Do it online then do it with real books in the library

Sample page

Credits Frontline is created and managed by Opening the Book for Branching Out Branching Out is an initiative from the Society of Chief Librarians, funded by Arts Council England, to reach readers through public libraries Thanks to the staff at South Tyneside Libraries for permission to use their work to demonstrate the course.