Hi All
Back in the mists of time at the beginning of the year, I asked for peoples experiences of promotional activities and developing marketing strategies etc. and I promised to summarise responses for the list.
As you might have expected the most responses I got were from people asking if I was going to summarise for the list. Sorry to take so long in getting round to this. I expect it's too late for some of you...
I've finally managed to find time to get around to working on this project and here is a brief collation of the responses received.
Thanks to all,
Lisa
General Ideas/Promotional Activities
For me, the essential is "word of mouth" - getting out to as many places
as you can where people are, getting your face known, as I think people
remember people rather than services. Even if you do something as
simple as help make the tea somewhere (as I have in my last job!),
people see you are friendly and approachable...
To give an example from this job: one thing we do is try and tack on to
courses and conferences, just to make people aware of our existence, and
show that we come to them. Tomorrow, for instance, we are taking a
trolley of books up to a teaching area, to raise the profile of our
services. Beyond staff time, this doesn't cost too much at all.
In my last job (a very small departmental library at Oxford University)
I would say that attitude was the key - getting staff on board and
making them focus on our bottom line, i.e. the user experience - though
that's easier said than done!
..............
When I was employed by Barnet PCT NHS Trust, one of successful
promotional activities was to obtain kits from NLH. We used these
once a year during the promotion of 24 Access week ( not exact
wording) and we requested a table in the staff Canteen where we
talked to the willing, demonstrated databases using a laptop, gave
out membership forms etc. We also organised visits to the wards
giving demonstrations on database searching. One that intrigued me
was making surprise visits to the wards staff rooms during their tea
break and talk about the library services , giving out leaflets as well.
I hope this helps, but the bottom line is to identify a theme or
library service you need to promote based on perceived need.
..............
Using television or LED screens around the Trust
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Make sure you tap into the nursing staff - they tend to think the library belongs only to the doctors.
Get champions in each area
Deliver ILLs by hand if you can - that way you get to talk to people on the way, and in department as well as sorting out the request itself.
Of course, this isn't always practical, but it can work really well.
Visit admin staff/secretaries for each area - not only can you register them, you can use them as folk to spread the word in department. They're also good for sending things out via as they always have up to date staff lists and email groups set up.
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Posters everywhere, stands in the canteen.
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Tap into eduction days, inductions, meetings - even if you only have a stand at the door.
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Don't forget about the KSF. Get yourselves mentioned in relation to training for that.
..............
Everyone seems to recommend posters, stands, emails, intranet and internet sites, bulletins or rss feeds and the like.
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Marketing Strategies / Plans
The marketing plan from the Fade Library in Liverpool can be accessed via their accreditation wiki:
With thanks to Kieran Lamb.
Colin Engel offered a helpful Communciations & Marketing Plan.
Contact: Colin Engel, Deputy Library Manager, Clinical Library Service, 1st Floor C Block, Russells Hall Hospital Dudley DY1 2HQ
[log in to unmask]With thanks to Colin.
Helen Thompson also offered a very useful strategy.
Contact: Helen Thompson, Library Services Manager, Chief Information Officer's Department, NHS Leeds, North West House, West Park Ring Road
LEEDS, LS16 6QG
[log in to unmask] With thanks to Helen.
Many Thanks to all who replied!
Lisa Lawrence
Clinical Librarian
Palliative Medicine, Cancer Services, Critical Care, Pain Management
Library & Knowledge Service
Education Centre
Royal Derby Hospital
Uttoxeter Road
Derby
DE22 3NE
Tel: (01332) 788155
Fax: (01332) 789233
Email:
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