Coursework and practical tasks are set by instruction in a series of seven modules, with a short course option of four modules for staff who do not work many hours.  These modules are taken sequentially, with work on one module needing to be completed and assessed before work on the next is begun.

The trainee is supervised by a colleague who has already completed the course.  This supervisor will support the trainee, discuss the coursework with them and make judgments about their work, which are recorded on site. 

Here is a short list of the practical tasks that trainees are asked to do in each module.  A full list of learning outcomes in every module can be found on www.branching-out.net

Module 1 Readers

• Talk to 5 different borrowers about how they choose what to read
• Read through some theory online
• Discuss with supervisors about barriers to choice for readers
• Explore a reader-centred website and consider how to use it in the library

Module 2  Library staff

• Complete online questionnaires
• Consider the impact of staff views about books, select and write briefly about three books in their Learning Log
• Talk directly with borrowers to explore their reading choices
• Visit a website provided for readers through the People’s Network.

Module 3 Reader-to-reader

• Undertake two small, short-term promotions in the library which use the power of reader recommendation
• Download and print resources provided online (although this may already have been done by the co-ordinator or supervisor)
• Visit a related website

Module 4  Books and audiences

• Online and offline work learning to anlayse book cover signals and how books are targeted to readers
• Searching for books on the shelves and writing about the way they are marketed
• Learn to use this knowledge to choose which books to promote
• Optional practical experiment using books in returns section
• Make some practical observations of readers

Module 5  Displaying books

• Research issue figures in your library
• Online and offline exercises using books to practice making visual impact with face-forward display
• Make and maintain a small face-on display and monitor how it issues
• Visit a book related website to research information

Module 6  Targeting a promotion

• Prepares the trainee to plan a small-scale promotion in their library
• Exercise to differentiate reading audiences and meet different needs
• Main task is to identify one target audience and plan an appropriate location in the library for a promotion
• A library walkthough asks trainees to analyse the library space from a reader’s point of view, deciding how much space they will need, planning where to keep top-up stock and how to use shelves, bookstands, tables and dumpbins
• Trainees will discuss their plans with their supervisor and will need your advice and support too.

Module 7 Running a promotion

• Main task is to locate, set up, run and monitor the planned small scale promotion
• Introduces how to identify appropriate stock for the promotion – what kinds of books will appeal to the target audience, how many, what not to include
• Sets trainees the task of working out appropriate ways of informing other staff of what they are planning, and how to get other staff to support them.
• Evaluation tasks to help them assess the results of their experiment – may include counting issues and/or a series of observations of the use of the promotional space.