Thanks to all who responded to my query on marketing user education. 
Most people who responded where after this sort of information
themselves, which leads me to think that there's room for some sort of
training course here.

That aside, for those of you that are interested, I've summarized some
of the replies and added the sort of thing that we're currently doing to
publicize User Education here at the Cairns Library.

Jo Parker from the Open University replied:

"At the moment we rely on web pages, an email distribution list, flyers
and
inserts in whatever staff development material we can get involved in. 
It
all seems to work for us, although I would say that the use of email
is
deceptive because you reach the people that are already computer
literate
and not quite as in need of training as some.  I am reviewing our
publicity
at the moment, and am considering visiting the various faculty training
reps
to promote the more subject specific training sessions"

And Tracey Stanley from the University of Leeds had tried the following
methods:

"- posters and flyers produced in-house and circulated to libraries 
and departments
- advertisement in our student newsletter
- advertisement in Library newsletter
- circulating messages on internal email lists - postgrad research 
list, academic staff research support lists, staff development list
- section in the course brochure of our staff development unit
- web pages with details of sessions (see 
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/infskill/ for the latest)

Of these, I think the ones which have netted most response have 
been posters, the web site and email to university-wide lists.  Our 
evaluation of the programme showed that these were the most 
frequently cited means of hearing about our programme.  We also 
discovered highest awareness of sessions (and attendance at 
sessions) by postgrads.  

This year we are planning to produce promotional mouse mats to 
go in our clusters, and postcards suitable for going on a 
noticeboard."

Here at the Cairns Library we advertise our sessions using:

Our Web page - giving details of the sessions including times and
dates

Using posters - Which are in prominent places around the library, we
also hand A4 posters out at the end of sessions detailing the content of
each of our sessions. This has proved to be quite a powerful marketing
tool - and of course we have a captive audience at the end of a training
session. I've noticed that people like to know what sort of thing
they'll be likely to do in a session. Although it is quite hard to get
this sort of information across concisely, its worth the effort to give
it a go.

Bookmarks - a bookmark sized flyer with the name of the session and the
dates and times etc, that we liberally dot about the library, mainly in
the database area where people realize they need help.  These have also
proved an excellent method of getting the message across. Although on
the downside they only have limited space for information - especially
since we've expanded our number of training sessions. (..and some people
actually were using them as bookmarks rather than reading the
information on them - readers eh? who'd have 'em!)

The main points that have emerged from my (limited) experience of
marketing our session is:

- Be concise

try and get over your message in as few words as possible, people don't
have the time to read reams of information.

- Avoid Jargon

As a profession we're notorious for using terms which we understand
perfectly well but are a turn off for users ('Search Strategy' is a
classic - I've been using it happily when a simpler term such as
'Searching Skills' does the same job just as well)

- Emphasize the benefits for the user

Let them know that these are 'life skills' that will 'save time' etc
etc....

One book which is very good at explaining how to write publicity
material is

Quinn, Patrick. 'Effective Copywriting for Librarians' PPRG
Publications 1992. ISBN 0951404334

Stuart Benjamin
Assistant Librarian - User Education
Cairns Library
John Radcliffe Hospital
Oxford


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