New Staff Welcome and Induction

One of the first jobs I do at the start of the new school year is to update my new staff welcome and induction package. This is for new staff – be that teachers, admin staff or others – that are joining the school. This is designed to make a first impression on new staff that the Library is here to help them and promote our resources and services. It’s a great way to advocate for the Library, as well as ensure new staff have the information they need.

I always ask to be included in the new staff official orientation day. If I’m not included in the official induction day, I make sure to note who the new staff are and visit them or invite them into the library for a welcome session.  This includes a short presentation with an overview of the Library resources, services and platforms and a welcome package with more information and a few treats.

A welcome package

I remember when I started at one of my previous schools, all the new staff members were given a little goodie bag from one of the leaders and it really brought a buzz around the room – mostly for the coffee voucher and chocolate inside. Now I create my own library goodie bags for staff joining our school.

Here’s what I include

  • A coffee voucher for our school’s coffee shop
  • Chocolates
  • Teabags and coffee sachet
  • A few library bookmarks with our opening hours and QR code to library homepage. I create my bookmarks using a Canva template and print them double-sided.
  • Our library staff brochure. I created my original document years ago for my previous library and have updated it for my current school. The brochure has lots of information about borrowing resources, online access to subscriptions and databases, our LibPaths and how to request or use one, our spaces and services and how to book one and QR codes to our online pages and resources.
  • A brochure on our Innovation Precinct, what the spaces can be used for and how to books a space or resource.
  • A infographic about what the Library can do for you.

If you’d like to create your own staff information brochure, I have created a free template on Canva that you can access, edit and customise for your school library.

Download the Template to create your own welcome brochure. 

 

A special LibPath for new staff

To support these physical resources, I have also created a page on our Library platform for new staff. This is where they will be directed from QR codes on the brochure and will be accessible when they login to the Library homepage. It enables me to make the links live and more accessible and provide a much wider scope of information and resources.

 

Information session

The main thing I want new staff to remember from our information session on their first induction day is that the Library is here to help. I’ve been through such an induction day many times at different schools and often your brain becomes so overwhelmed, it’s hard to retain information. That’s why I created the packages, so they have something to refer back to and don’t have to remember everything from the session.

But I do go through an overview of the Library’s services, introduce our staff (I have a team photo on our Library homepage and include staff photos in our brochure), show them how to find the Library homepage and a few key pages, and let them know how to request help, book a space or find a resource. Again I reiterate that we are here to help, and even if they need help remembering where the staff bathrooms are, if they come by the Library, we will assist. We then usually go and visit the Library spaces, and issue resources to staff who already know what they need.

 

It’s my hope that these little things make new staff feel welcome at the school and that are aware of some of the Library’s services.

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