Comments on: Why This is Important to YOU http://acrlog.org/2008/06/27/why-this-is-important-to-you/ Blogging by and for academic and research librarians Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:43:31 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: The Knowledge Blog » Blog Archive » The short answer is yes http://acrlog.org/2008/06/27/why-this-is-important-to-you/comment-page-1/#comment-100022 The Knowledge Blog » Blog Archive » The short answer is yes Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:05:46 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=818#comment-100022 [...] become a driver for the organization? And like in the world of libraries don’t we need to market ourselves in this [...] [...] become a driver for the organization? And like in the world of libraries don’t we need to market ourselves in this [...]

]]> By: The Knowledge Blog » Blog Archive » Leading Learning and New Skills http://acrlog.org/2008/06/27/why-this-is-important-to-you/comment-page-1/#comment-100021 The Knowledge Blog » Blog Archive » Leading Learning and New Skills Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:53:40 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=818#comment-100021 [...] like in the world of libraries don’t we need to market ourselves in this [...] [...] like in the world of libraries don’t we need to market ourselves in this [...]

]]> By: The networked nature of information « (No Longer) Alone in a Library http://acrlog.org/2008/06/27/why-this-is-important-to-you/comment-page-1/#comment-94124 The networked nature of information « (No Longer) Alone in a Library Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:33:22 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=818#comment-94124 [...] become a driver for the organization?  And like in the world of libraries don’t we need to market ourselves in this [...] [...] become a driver for the organization?  And like in the world of libraries don’t we need to market ourselves in this [...]

]]> By: The short answer is yes « Learning Journal http://acrlog.org/2008/06/27/why-this-is-important-to-you/comment-page-1/#comment-88245 The short answer is yes « Learning Journal Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:45:54 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=818#comment-88245 [...] become a driver for the organization? And like in the world of libraries don’t we need to market ourselves in this [...] [...] become a driver for the organization? And like in the world of libraries don’t we need to market ourselves in this [...]

]]> By: Melissa Mallon http://acrlog.org/2008/06/27/why-this-is-important-to-you/comment-page-1/#comment-86608 Melissa Mallon Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:06:29 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=818#comment-86608 Thanks for your comments. I didn't mention it, since I was focusing mainly on students in this post, but we have developed quite a few ways to market information literacy to faculty. It may happen that students just don't care/pay attention, but I think it's at least worth a try. Thanks for your comments. I didn’t mention it, since I was focusing mainly on students in this post, but we have developed quite a few ways to market information literacy to faculty. It may happen that students just don’t care/pay attention, but I think it’s at least worth a try.

]]> By: stevenb http://acrlog.org/2008/06/27/why-this-is-important-to-you/comment-page-1/#comment-86359 stevenb Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:48:38 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=818#comment-86359 I wouldn't spend anytime marketing IL to students. You won't convince them they need it, especially if you call it IL. However, I would invest as much time as you can in marketing the value of IL to faculty. Ultimately, to reach the students you must go through the faculty. The faculty need to integrate IL into their courses seamlessly so that we are not in a "I'm the librarian and I'm here to teach you how to be information literate" situation. When students hear it from faculty it influences them to change their behavior. When they hear it from librarians it goes in one ear and out the other. However, librarians collaborating with faculty to deliver the message - and integrate it into the course - that can be powerful. Also, why bother to argue if students are customers or patrons. Let's just focus on delivering a better library user experience. What most defines a user experience is "differentiation" - connecting with users so that they see your product or service (is that too business like - we do deliver both products and services) as unique and different than all the other information resources they can access. It's not about what we choose to call them, it's about what they get from us and whether there is meaning in it for them. I wouldn’t spend anytime marketing IL to students. You won’t convince them they need it, especially if you call it IL. However, I would invest as much time as you can in marketing the value of IL to faculty. Ultimately, to reach the students you must go through the faculty. The faculty need to integrate IL into their courses seamlessly so that we are not in a “I’m the librarian and I’m here to teach you how to be information literate” situation. When students hear it from faculty it influences them to change their behavior. When they hear it from librarians it goes in one ear and out the other. However, librarians collaborating with faculty to deliver the message – and integrate it into the course – that can be powerful. Also, why bother to argue if students are customers or patrons. Let’s just focus on delivering a better library user experience. What most defines a user experience is “differentiation” – connecting with users so that they see your product or service (is that too business like – we do deliver both products and services) as unique and different than all the other information resources they can access. It’s not about what we choose to call them, it’s about what they get from us and whether there is meaning in it for them.

]]> By: Liz Uzelac http://acrlog.org/2008/06/27/why-this-is-important-to-you/comment-page-1/#comment-86348 Liz Uzelac Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:06:18 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=818#comment-86348 Thanks for the link, Melissa. My predecessor started Lav Notes and cited the "captive audience" as one reason for the publication's campus impact: Students voted it "Best On-Campus Publication" in spring of 2007. One thing I really enjoy about marketing in this way is the opportunity to have our audience discover things serendipitously. Our libraries have so many resources - keeping up with everything is a significant charge for our users! Weaving announcements together with research tips and tricks, plus throwing in the odd contest here and there, has kept our audience engaged. We've even had demand to increase the publication's frequency. That captive audience aside, I'd be curious to hear about anyone's experiences with getting web-based marketing materials such as those videos in front of your audiences. Any ideas or advice for how to get into the flow of what they see? Thanks for the link, Melissa. My predecessor started Lav Notes and cited the “captive audience” as one reason for the publication’s campus impact: Students voted it “Best On-Campus Publication” in spring of 2007.

One thing I really enjoy about marketing in this way is the opportunity to have our audience discover things serendipitously. Our libraries have so many resources – keeping up with everything is a significant charge for our users! Weaving announcements together with research tips and tricks, plus throwing in the odd contest here and there, has kept our audience engaged. We’ve even had demand to increase the publication’s frequency.

That captive audience aside, I’d be curious to hear about anyone’s experiences with getting web-based marketing materials such as those videos in front of your audiences. Any ideas or advice for how to get into the flow of what they see?

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