Managing Libraries

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to create a library and assign it to end-users.

Purpose of Libraries

Libraries are designed to empower learners by allowing them to search for and self-assign items, curricula, and programs. Here’s how it works:

Learner Self-Management

Self-Assignment: Learners can choose and assign items, curricula, and programs that interest them.
Class Registration: Learners can also register themselves for classes available in the libraries they have access to.

Manager Capabilities

Assigning Resources: Managers have the authority to assign items, curricula, or programs from their library to their team members.
Direct Report Registration: If a class allows manager registration and is included in the manager’s library, the manager can register their direct reports for that class.

Administrator Flexibility

Outside Library Assignments: If a learning entity is not included in a library, the Administrator can still assign it to learners using various methods.
When learners are given choices—like selecting from various prerequisites for a specific item or choosing different methods to complete a curriculum requirement—it is important to place these learning events in the libraries users have access to.

Library Creation

The process to create a library consists of the following:

Identify the purpose of the library and which population of users should have access to it.
Create the library entity.
Add the learning events (Items, Programs, Curricula, etc.) to the library.

Library Banners

Library banners are used to highlight items that are designated as New, Featured or Revised. The banner will scroll on top of the library to bring attention to the course. Banner configuration is done in the Library Property file.

Banner configuration: Navigate to System Administration → Configuration → System Configuration → LIBRARY.

The Library Property file code below shows the available banner settings that can be displayed.

Code Snippet

1234567
browseCatalogBannerContents[Featured]=true 
 browseCatalogBannerContents[Revised]=true 
 browseCatalogBannerContents[New]=true 
 browseCatalogBannerContents[AdminRecommendation]=true 
 browseCatalogBannerContents[P2PRecommendation]=true 
 browseCatalogBannerContents[LFRecommendation]=true 
 browseCatalogBannerContents[Rated-4-and-up]=true

Multiple Libraries

A company can have unlimited libraries, and items and learning materials can be found in more than one library. Companies utilize libraries to maintain a balance between transparency (making everything visible and accessible to all learners) and relevance (ensuring that users see what is most useful to them).

When a company has multiple libraries, items can be added to all of them, and each class can be placed in the library specific to its region. This allows all learners to see the items, but only the classes relevant to their own region.

Examples

Libraries for regions:

Classes are accessible to learners based on their respective regions, such as The Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania, or Africa. Learners can only see the classes in their own regions and may be able to self-register. Administrators have the ability to register learners from other regions into an offering, even if it is not in the regional library.

Libraries for specific groups of users:

Managers: certain programs, curricula, and items are exclusively available to managers, who can then assign them to their direct reports or self-register them into classes.
New Hires: basic training items are accessible only to learners with recent hire dates.
Advanced Users: a library containing advanced topics may only be accessible to learners who have successfully completed a specific item

Assign Libraries

An assignment profile is the only way to assign and grant users access to libraries.

Steps

Create an assignment profile to define the population of users by attributes (such as region, is manager, hire date, employee type, etc.), item completion, and security domains.
Add the library to the assignment profile and Execute Changes on the profile.
Access to items, classes, curricula, and programs added to the library that you created will now be immediately available to learners in their library searches.

Result

You have assigned libraries.

Create a Library and Assign it to Learners

Business Example

Your company has decided that they would like to make all of the items and curricula that you have previously created available to an additional group of users. In this exercise, you will create a library and then an assignment profile to make it available to a group of users.

Steps

Create a Library and add items to it. Then create an assignment profile using the information provided below to make the library available.
Field Value
Job Code Sales Manager, Sales Associate, Sales Director NE.
Employee Status Full Time
Employee Type Exempt
Hire Date On or After January 1, 1995
Security Domain ACME-CORP and security subdomains
1. Log in to SAP SuccessFactors HCM as a Learning Administrator and navigate to Learning Administration → Learning Activities → Libraries.
2. Select Add New.
3. Use the information below to create a new library:
  - Library ID and Descriptions should start with your initials.
  - Add yourself as the Contact.
4. Select Add.
5. Select the Items tab.
6. Select Add Items (plus icon).
7. Enter your initials in the keyword search field and select Search.
8. Add all of the items you have created.
  Note
  If you have not created items, use existing items.
9. Select the Curricula tab.
10. Select Add Curricula (plus icon).
11. Enter your initials in the keyword search field and select Search.
12. Add all of the curricula you have created.
  Note
  If you have not created curricula, use existing curricula.
13. Create an Assignment Profile (using the steps in the Learning Needs Management training guide) to grant any user who meets all of the following criteria access to your library:
  - Job Code: Sales Manager, Sales Associate, Sales Director NE.
  - Employee Status: Full Time.
  - Employee Type: Exempt.
  - Hire Date: On or After January 1, 1995.
  - Security Domain: ACME-CORP and security subdomains.

Field	Value
Job Code	Sales Manager, Sales Associate, Sales Director NE.
Employee Status	Full Time
Employee Type	Exempt
Hire Date	On or After January 1, 1995
Security Domain	ACME-CORP and security subdomains

Summary

Libraries allow learners to self-assign items, curricula, and programs, and register for available classes.
Managers can assign learning resources and register their direct reports for classes in their libraries.
Administrators can assign learning outside libraries and configure libraries for user-specific needs like regions or roles.
Library assignment requires creating and executing assignment profiles for defined user populations.

Continue to quiz