Today, new members make choices from a long list of options, everything from the best method for telecommunications access to how much documentation they need. It is the network's job to provide complete information and sound advice so that the new member can make the right choices. To do our job well, we ask lots of questions, ranging from the library's overall objectives in joining OCLC to the particulars of their cataloging and ILL practice, staffing issues and automation environment. Once decisions are made about how OCLC services will be structured, implementation moves on to the critical stage of training. Rather than taking a pre-packaged training show on the road, we are able to custom tailor new member training based on choices the library has made about their service.
Training also tends to be the most enjoyable stage of implementation for the network staff.
Every network trainer knows the satisfaction that comes from seeing a new OCLC member get excited during training as they first discover the richness of the service. From Washington, D.C., to Alaska and from Panama to Saudi Arabia, the nation's federal libraries and information centers support the programs of their respective agencies. The network must provide training and technical support that is timely and effective, for a clientele distributed around the nation and around the world. When feasible, several federal libraries in the same geographic area will jointly sponsor a regional workshop. In addition to saving on travel costs, this strategy encourages federal libraries' participation in local resource-sharing initiatives.