Training Paraprofessionals for Reference Service (How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians) - Softcover

This quite complete manual contains a range of instructions for training paraprofessionals in reference work. McDaniel and Ohles focus on three important areas: creating a training manual, for which they give guidelines; orientation for paraprofessionals, which they outline; and proper methods of training, which they include. They also offer a well-written section on training for specific subject areas--business, government information, etc. The good advice runs high, even including such rudimentaries as a list of things that should always be on hand at the reference desk. Finally, McDaniel and Ohles discuss performance evaluation and procedures for it as well as revising the program. Patrick Dewey

...a superbly written, concise, and practical resource that will be invaluable to public libraries in any system using paraprofessionals to provide public service...may become a timeless classic of the field.