Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Rebekkah Aldrich, Position for Library Sustainability
Mid-Hudson Library System
The presenter talked a mile an minute but after an hour talking she was only on step 2. But she reassured us we'd get through all 10 steps in the 3 hour workshop. The bulk of the workshop was an overview of the importance of getting the public to support you in order for your library to be a sustainable resource in your community. She kept stressing the number one way to get the word out is by word of mouth. I picked up a few good tidbits - including some websites for good design templates and infographics. The 10 steps were simple and no-brainers but a good refresher of what not to do:
Step. 1 - Don't listen. Don't ask. Assume
Step 2. Make sure patrons have a horrible experience
Step. 3. Speak with many voices
Step. 4. Create an insiders club
Step 5. Only communicate when you want something
Step 6. Design? Who need it?
Step 7.Be a noob online.
Step 8. Rest all your eggs in one basket
Step 9. 2 weeks is not enough
Step 10. Stay inside the library
Libraries need people to invest in them - we need to mobilize and get the word out about the awesome things we do in order to get a strong base of support and users who will vote on keeping library services intact or even expanded. Based on a PEW patron survey, 91% of Americans say libraries are important BUT 31% are not sure what we do." 50% to 60% have a library card. How to reach the latter 50% is what we need to do by actively looking for ways to promote and market our services.
The most helpful information I got was her discussion of Step. 6 - design. Some websites geared towards consistent design of marketing materials and infographics. Free clipart sites openphoto.net, unprofound.com, stock.xchng. Free infographics templates - infogr.am, labs.good.is, piktochart. Some fun mottos to break down the elitist impression that people may have of librarians: I'm an information ninja! Chicks dig big brains; I like big books and I can not lie!
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