Promoting the one person library

Abstract

One person libraries are seeing their role within the organisation shift. Competition from internal and external sources is placing an even larger burden on the library to justify its existence. Promotion is one tool which can be utilised in the struggle to remain alive. In the one-person library, the librarian is restricted to the amount of time given to a particular task. But promoting the library, need never take more time than is necessary. This paper aims to provide information on the basics and issues involved in creating and implementing a promotional program.

Introduction

A generation ago, the library was a standard in an organisation. It's role was definite, to collect, organise and disseminate information for use by staff. But times change and so does the role of the library. Internet and end user searching has shifted the user one step closer to information sources. More users are becoming independent in their information seeking. But don't worry, because the librarian has not become obsolete. We still are a valuable resource for our organisation. We can navigate through the information jungle and ensure that the right information gets used. This fact is slowly becoming apparent amongst our users and bosses. But we can't leave it at that. It is also our responsibility to be a visible member of staff. We should be the first place a user consults when searching for knowledge.

In the one person library, this task is made even harder because of the nature of our work and environment. Often, it is one professional running the entire operation. There will be times when this will seem overwhelming, however maintaining visibility within your organisation must remain your highest priority. So, instead of just managing your library, your have to also sell it. For it to become a treasured asset, you must continuously promote its products and yourself. Marketing and promotion are a necessity in today's environment. Your users need to be told about you and what you offer - they will rarely seek it out for themselves.

And for those of you who throw up your hands and cry "I have no time" - forget it - you make the time. As you'll hear, promotion doesn't need to take up too much of your time. The bottom line is, you need to do all you can to keep the library going and that includes incorporating promotion into your daily regime. You have a choice, promote yourself and the service or perish.

The one person library no longer holds the monopoly in the information services. Our competitors are slowly catching up and have even usurped some of our traditional tasks. But many consider that the library service is still unique and that our organisation knows our worth. Never presume. It is a mistake too many libraries have made and have paid the price, either shutting down completely or downsizing. It's all well and good to have a state of the art facility but if your users don't know about it, it won't be used.

This dilemma is best described as "kissing a member of the opposite sex in the dark. You know what's going on, the person you're kissing knows what's going on but no one else does unless you turn on the lights. Promotion is the process of turning on the light."

Benefits of promotion

The aim is to make your users aware of you and the range of services you can provide. And in the end, this will be the prime benefit. Once such awareness develops, a trickle down effect will occur and impact on:

• Usage of the service and it's products - as you convert awareness into active use, the users sit up and notice the service and recognise your expertise. This will lead to the second benefit.
• Your library's image and worth within the organisation will increase - you are readily recognised as the librarian, a valuable member of staff and your service does have a part to play in the organisation's operations.
• Users and non users will be better educated - this gives you the opportunity to increase your client base by making traditional non users aware of you and your service. But don't forget your current users either, they always need reinforcing. Never lose sight that promotion is a long term commitment.
• Changed perceptions - when the perceptions have changed about you and the service, you move away from being a luxury to an asset in the eyes of management.

In the end, if your one-person library isn't considered by staff within the organisation, it will not survive. You need to become an active member and avoid the temptation of staying behind closed doors.

Things to consider when preparing to promote

Before you go plunging into promotion, you need to consider the following things:

• Will the activities you use be costly and time consuming? You need to choose activities which will easily slip into your library routine and don't eat up your valuable time. As for cost, most activities I will be covering may have a minimal cost. E.g. In all my libraries I have made a point of creating a label which I stick on all my resources. The only cost has been purchase of the labels.
• Who is your target audience - is there more than one? At the Employers Federation I have two distinct user groups - policy and legal advisers - each have distinct needs and use information in different ways. It's possible that each user group may respond to different promotional items. Study them, be aware of their needs and maintain contact. Remember your promotional method must be appropriate for the users you're targeting e.g. Remote users as opposed to onsite, for the former group - e-mail or posters is the way to communicate while onsite users can be reached by print and personal contact.
• What part of the library will you promote? Most one person libraries promote the entire service but there may be an occasion when you wish to highlight a particular product. This is also the time to evaluate the products/services you want to promote. Note their strengths and weaknesses. The outcome will assist you when you develop your program.
• Talk to management about your promotions - enlist their support - they'll be impressed with your initiative.
• Identify what resources you'll require - this is the chance to find out what you currently have and identify the gaps.
• Seek advice from professionals - consult with your marketing professionals or speak to a library colleague about their experiences, good and bad.
• How long is the promotion going to last - are you planning a stand alone or continuous campaign? Or will you combine the two, depending on the products and the users you are targeting.

Four elements of promotion

Now promotion doesn't just entail the traditional things like pamphlets or brochures. In the one-person library setting, promotion features four elements - the librarian, the library, products and services and the promotional activities used.

1. Librarian
You are the cornerstone of the promotion. None of it will work if you're not part of the program. In one-person libraries, we are the library. I know of situations where the library was underused because the librarian was considered rude and unhelpful. An open door policy is essential. Ensure that you are fair in terms of access and provision of resources, so as to ensure a good image of yourself and the service. Keep these facts in mind:

• Whenever and wherever you meet staff you are promoting your library and yourself.
• You can't afford to drop your professional and welcoming attitude even when you're down in the dumps.
• You will be judged by subjective, personal attributes - your appearance and even your speech.

Maintain a professional manner on the phone, smile when talking makes a big difference. Establish relationships with your users, make people feel important by remembering and using their names. Personal promotion is a large part of our routine, whether intentional or not. It dictates the library's overall image.

2. The Library
Is your library clean and welcoming to users? Do you have your door open at all times? Staff are reluctant to knock and enter the library when the door is closed. Even I would rather walk away than knock on a closed door. My library consists of an office, but the door is always open. If this isn't possible, have a sign, inviting people in.

Keep it clean and attractive. Use signs to direct users, arrange your collection in a user friendly manner eg. Don't put your popular resources in a closed off area if you can help it. One of my first tasks at the Federation, was to move a large part of the journal collection out of the offices and onto open access shelving. Ensure your policies are catering to your users, if access is required outside of normal working hours, than make your library accessible. In my experience this is expected. At the Federation, I have no borrowing limit because of the ongoing nature of the projects staff work on.

Keep an attractive space for staff to use. It doesn't have to be newly painted or anything, just as long as there is a defined space for public usage. My office has two extra chairs for staff to use while browsing the shelves. This lessens the items taken off site.

3. Products and services
Are the library's products based around your user's needs or what YOU think they need? E.g. There is no point in producing a table of contents circular if half your users don't even look at it.

Make sure that all items and correspondence which leave the library promote it. Does your library have a logo incorporated into its letterhead which defines your service? Letterheads and logos will give your documentation a professional look. It doesn't have to be over the top. A picture with your contact details is enough. Place it on your letters, coversheets and memos. While at the Australian Consumers Association, I had the Desktop publisher create a logo - it featured a hand with a file. It had been amended from a picture of a hand with a passbook. But it embodied the nature of the service - to serve and provide our users with information which they need to complete their work.

4. Promotional activities
There is no limit to what you can use to promote the library. I have included a few ideas but don't restrict yourself. Whatever comes to mind, consider it. It may work for you. Promotional activities generally involve:

Formal promotions

• Brochures, newsletters, flyers are a popular method way of informing staff about your service and products. In a large organisation with remote sites, posters will advertise your service to people who can't physically visit but may require your help. None of these items need to take up much of your time. A brochure can be created using Microsoft word. The simplest design and information can carry the message just as well as a glossy, multicoloured production.
• Mission statement - a must in any organisation. It should reflect the library's purpose and link it to your parent organisation's mission statement. A mission statement is useful in any communication with management. It adds a professional feel to your service.
• Newsletters - Whether unique to the library or to the organisation as a whole, a newsletter is a common tool to use in keeping users abreast of the new and standard services. If your organisation produces an internal newsletter, lobby to have a regular column.
• Tours - ensure you are included in all orientation tours for new staff, if not, contact the new member, introduce yourself and invite them for a tour. Be proactive.
• Presentations - make appointments to give a talk about your role and the library at departmental meetings. It's a perfect opportunity to reach current and potential users. Outline the advantages to using the library for their work.
• Displays/bulletin boards - keep them current and relevant - if you can include jokes, cartoons when appropriate. I have often found that users have a preconceived idea of what a librarian should be. It probably started in primary school, I know it did for me. Use the boards to present your information in a lighthearted manner.
• User training - offer training to staff of the library system and other products your have in the library e.g. CD ROMs. Another common perception is that librarians love hogging the electronic media. I don't. User training and support are a good way to study a user and their information seeking behaviour.
• Special events - you can always celebrate library or organisational special occasions with informal gathering with food and drinks.
• Professional activities - attend seminars held by professional associations, submit papers to be published in journals, or like me give talks at conferences. What organisation doesn't like its name up in lights.
• Momentos - give library visitors something as a momento. I use to give away Australian Library Week bookmarks for each staff member who order a book from me.
• Intranet/Internet - as with newsletters, web pages are a great way of providing user information and access to electronic services in large or multiple site organisations. Whether the site is entirely yours or part of an organisational site, ensure that it is current and relevant to your users needs.

Informal promotions

• Personal contacts - the most vital of all. Be mobile, don't sit at your desk, go to your users. Don't wait for them to come to you. Even the most informal encounter is a promotional opportunity.
• Social functions - attend morning coffee breaks and lunches or after work gatherings that attract a cross section of staff. Circulate, be a party animal.
• Non work activities - offer a paperback swap service for staff, it's not part of the service but it does pull people in and recruit new users. For a while, my library hosted the candy bar - that brought in the crowd. Help staff with out of work activities. I have occasionally helped a parent or a staff member studying to find good sources of information. It need not take up much of your time.
• Personal networks - establish a network of internal supporters, they can spread the good word about the service and you. Alternately, it keeps you up to date with the goings on of the place.

The list can and does go on. The bottom line is choose activities which you can continue on a long term basis. There's no point in having a bulletin board if you can't update it because of time.

Three rules of promotion

Once you have an idea of the shape your promotions are to take, there are three rules:

• Promote consistently - be consistent in what you are promoting. Have all the facts and be prepared for subsequent inquiries. There is nothing more annoying when a question cannot be answered. It doesn't bode well for your image if the user leaves dissatisfied with your inability to give a good answer. Be vigilant and prepare your support staff as well. Inconsistency will defeat all your efforts.
• Promote honestly - don't make exaggerated claims. Be aware that what you promise will be asked for. Make sure your users are notified of the negative and positive aspects of the service e.g. When promoting the research service - state the advantages of searching bibliographic online databases but include the possible delays in obtaining some of the information. Such a step, maybe unattractive to us as service providers but our users appreciate the honesty.
• Promote simply - avoid a long spiel that looks like a report. It won't be read. Design your material to be eye catching and state the facts. A complex promotion lessens your message's impact. To test this rule - show your material to a difficult client and colleague outside the organisation. If they understand your message, it works.

Conclusion

Promoting your one-person library doesn't need to take up all your time and resources if you've thought it through. Work within your means - don't overextend yourself. Start simple and work your way up. Because promoting your service is a long term proposition and you can't afford to run out of steam. Look to your organisation, it's people and culture, this will guide you on the best strategy to adopt. You can always change your approach if it doesn't work. Keep an open mind and be aware that without promotion your one-person library will be a luxury not a necessity. Remember - PROMOTE or PERISH.

Bibliography

"Marketing and Promotion in Today's Special library", Guy St. Clair. ASLIB Proceedings, vol.42, no.7/8, July-August, 1990: 213-217

"Promoting the In-House Library", Grace McCarthy. ASLIB Proceedings, vol.44, no.7/8, July-August, 1992: 289-293.

"Raising the Profile: Promoting Information Services." Graham Coult. Managing Information, 6(2) March 1999:29-35

"Library Promotion: Self-Serving or Just Good Sense? Judith Siess. The One-Person Library, 15(10) February 1999: 1-3

"Remind Them You're There". Frances Clancy. The Australasian One-Person Library, 2(7) April 1998: 11-12

"The OPL Marketing Plan". Guy St Clair. The Australasian One-Person Library, 2(6) March 1998: 2-3

"Kissing in the Dark: Promoting and Communicating in a Public Library Setting". Kelly Krieg-Sigman. Winter 1995: 418-429

"The Value of Pro-Active Marketing", Sharon LaRosa. MLS: Marketing Library Services, 6(1) January-February, 1992: 1-3

Author