Training library?

[bflynn]

Two requirements in the PD technician specialty track are to create a training library and to assist a member with checking out material from the library.

How can this be accomplished if the library already exists but nobody needs or uses it? 

I find the idea of a library of physical training material to be outdated. While necessary and important 20 years ago, today there is more connectivity capability in your average squadron meeting than an entire wing probably had 20 years ago.  Nobody is going to check out physical material unless it just doesn't exist online, which is a bit unthinkable.

I believe this needs to be changed, but until then...what is everyone else doing?

BTW, the last thread I saw on this was from 2006, http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=952.msg12407#msg12407. If I've missed something in the interim, please let me know.

[a2capt]

If it exists and no one uses it, perhaps it's out of date .. who says it has to be books on a shelf, either.

Setup a page with links to resources, show people how to find stuff if they can't. Document it. Carry on.

[EMT-83]

To satisfy that requirement, I created an electronic library on the squadron's file server and gave a demo during a meeting. It did get used for a while, but honestly, it's easier to find the material on-line.

This is just like the SUI requirement to maintain a library. It's updated every two years, and no one looks at it otherwise.

[BFreemanMA]

A similar requirement also exists for ESOs. We put the training manuals in an easy-to-download place and have trainees access them as needed for training and refreshers. Although, this has me thinking: it would be a good idea to have all the necessary 'library' materials in one place so a cadet or SM doesn't have to scour the internet to find things. The regs are all in one place, but I think ES documents like the task guides are available in their latest form at NESA's website, where a new member wouldn't necessarily think to look. What do you think of a "mega" library organized by category (PD, ES, CP, etc)?

[MacGruff]

I've done both.

As part of the Foundations training with new members, I make it a point to show them the Capmembers site and where they can find the applicable regulations. I explain to them about the updating process and that they should be checking there when they have a question. In addition, I keep printed copies in 3-ring binders at my desk.

Most members seem intrigues by the online stuff but do not really refer to it given the questions I am sometimes presented with. The paper version is a pain to keep up to date, but it allows me to show people stuff relatively quickly.

I've done the same with the task guides for those specialties that have them and that we have members interested in.

[Eclipse]

A similar requirement also exists for ESOs. We put the training manuals in an easy-to-download place and have trainees access them as needed for training and refreshers. Although, this has me thinking: it would be a good idea to have all the necessary 'library' materials in one place so a cadet or SM doesn't have to scour the internet to find things. The regs are all in one place, but I think ES documents like the task guides are available in their latest form at NESA's website, where a new member wouldn't necessarily think to look. What do you think of a "mega" library organized by category (PD, ES, CP, etc)?

This already exists:

http://www.capmembers.com/forms_publications__regulations/indexes-regulations-and-manuals-1700/

http://nesa.cap.gov/

Is easy to use and accessible by anyone.  Links from local sites to these pages are all that are necessary
and all that should be used.

When units start hosting their own copies, they put their members at the very real risk of referring to
outdated documents.  Same goes for printing them and keeping them in binders, etc.

It's bad enough that NHQ leaves old versions of documents in the CSS for spidering by search engines and
there is no indication, beyond the dates, that you're reading an obsoleted document, but it's gets exponeitally
worse when additional copies are hosted locally, not to mention all the click farms that steal archive documents
from various sources and make them available for the cost of ad views.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

At times the Old Big Blue Book had its uses.