Training, Supervising, and Evaluating Student Information Assistants

Abstract

Abstract Training, supervision, and evaluation of student assistants is not a topic covered in most library school curricula; it is a skill that it is assumed one will have or acquire through on-the-job experience. This article focuses on the hiring, supervision, training, and evaluation of student information assistants in the reference/electronic resource setting. Student Information Assistants are known by many names-reference assistants, peer counselors, research assistants, and database assistants, to name a few-but within this article I will use the name Student Information Assistants (SIAs). Key Words: Student library assistants-training ofreference services (libraries)academic librarieslibrary personnel management