Welcome/Bienvenidos Community Connections: Outreach Services Presented by Yolanda J. Cuesta New Jersey Library Trustee Institute September 2006

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Objectives Objectives Increase awareness of effective techniques for identifying needs of non-users and underserved communities Increase awareness of effective techniques for identifying needs of non-users and underserved communities Better understanding of effective outreach techniques Better understanding of effective outreach techniques Increase understanding of how to market to underserved communities Increase understanding of how to market to underserved communities

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting What is Outreach? Process of connecting the library to your target community by finding out Process of connecting the library to your target community by finding out Who they are Who they are What is important to them/of interest to them/what their needs are What is important to them/of interest to them/what their needs are Reaching them where they are/where they gather/where they feel comfortable Reaching them where they are/where they gather/where they feel comfortable

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Effective Outreach Involves Involves Identifying and addressing the needs of the community Identifying and addressing the needs of the community Making the community aware of how the library can help improve their lives Making the community aware of how the library can help improve their lives Letting the community know they are welcome in the library and that they have access to all library resources Letting the community know they are welcome in the library and that they have access to all library resources Delivering services in a culturally responsive way Delivering services in a culturally responsive way Building relationships and trust Building relationships and trust

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Who Are Your Underserved Customers? Diversity of diversity Diversity of diversity Go beyond the demographics Go beyond the demographics For multicultural customers it’s important to know: For multicultural customers it’s important to know: what countries they come from what countries they come from how long they have been in the US how long they have been in the US how well they speak English how well they speak English what is their education and economic level what is their education and economic level what is their level of acculturation what is their level of acculturation

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Do Not Assume an Understanding of the Public Library Varying experiences with public libraries Varying experiences with public libraries Common misconceptions Common misconceptions Public libraries are only for the educated or for those attending school Public libraries are only for the educated or for those attending school Library materials are for sale Library materials are for sale Access to the library and library services requires a fee Access to the library and library services requires a fee Libraries will divulge the personal information used in obtaining a library card to government agencies Libraries will divulge the personal information used in obtaining a library card to government agencies Libraries only provide materials in English Libraries only provide materials in English

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting What Are the Needs of Your Underserved Community? Assessing community needs is the most effective Assessing community needs is the most effective Planning technique Planning technique Outreach technique Outreach technique Marketing technique Marketing technique Evaluation technique Evaluation technique Collection development technique Collection development technique

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Benefits of Needs Assessments Informs your target community about the library Informs your target community about the library Develops knowledgeable customers Develops knowledgeable customers Incorporates their perspective Incorporates their perspective Stimulates creativity in designing services Stimulates creativity in designing services Enables you to be more responsive to community Enables you to be more responsive to community Connects the library to community issues Connects the library to community issues Begins word-of-mouth marketing Begins word-of-mouth marketing Validates the underserved customer Validates the underserved customer

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Needs Assessment Techniques Community leader interviews Community leader interviews Community forums Community forums Focus groups Focus groups

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Assessing Community Needs Have you assessed the needs of your target/ underserved community? Have you assessed the needs of your target/ underserved community? When? When? How? How? What did you learn? What did you learn? How did you use the results? How did you use the results? What other techniques do you use to identify community needs? What other techniques do you use to identify community needs?

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Benefits of Using Community Leaders Easiest to do — low resource requirements Easiest to do — low resource requirements Dealing with people who know government Dealing with people who know government Leaders have community trust Leaders have community trust

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting How to Use Community Leader Process To introduce yourself and learn about the community To introduce yourself and learn about the community To identify the needs of the community To identify the needs of the community To get feedback on a specific service or program To get feedback on a specific service or program To publicize or market a specific service or program To publicize or market a specific service or program To find out how well you are doing in reaching and serving the community To find out how well you are doing in reaching and serving the community

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Community Leader Interview Process See Community Leader Interview Guide See Community Leader Interview Guide Identify community leaders Identify community leaders Set up interviews Set up interviews Conduct interviews Conduct interviews Analyze/summarize information Analyze/summarize information Develop preliminary response Develop preliminary response Set up follow-up interviews Set up follow-up interviews

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Asking People What the Library Can Do For Them… Is good public relations Is good public relations It is NOT needs assessment It is NOT needs assessment

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Interview Questions Focus on the community and the customer, not the library Focus on the community and the customer, not the library Ask questions about community problems, needs, barriers, events, opportunities Ask questions about community problems, needs, barriers, events, opportunities Acknowledge community leader expertise Acknowledge community leader expertise Show interest in the community Show interest in the community Demonstrate that you want to help solve community problems Demonstrate that you want to help solve community problems Avoid asking library-centric questions Avoid asking library-centric questions

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Issues in Interviewing Community Leaders 1 st interview begins relationship 1 st interview begins relationship 2 nd interview shares findings and ideas 2 nd interview shares findings and ideas 3 rd interview asks for marketing support 3 rd interview asks for marketing support

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Marketing Services Started with needs assessment process Started with needs assessment process

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Word-of-Mouth Marketing Tightly related to social networks Tightly related to social networks You must know who is in the social network You must know who is in the social network Penetrate through community leaders Penetrate through community leaders

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Best Techniques for Word-of Mouth Marketing Promote among local community leaders Promote among local community leaders Hold special event within community tailored to their needs and interests Hold special event within community tailored to their needs and interests Work with ethnic/target community media Work with ethnic/target community media

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Reach of Ethnic Media Ethnic media reaches 51 million adults (24% of the adult population) in the U.S. Ethnic media reaches 51 million adults (24% of the adult population) in the U.S. This includes 29 million “primary consumers” that prefer ethnic media to mainstream media This includes 29 million “primary consumers” that prefer ethnic media to mainstream media Another 22 million are “secondary consumers” that prefer mainstream media but access ethnic media on a regular basis Another 22 million are “secondary consumers” that prefer mainstream media but access ethnic media on a regular basis “The Ethnic Media in America: The Giant Hidden in Plain Sight” by Bendixen & Associates for New California Media, May 2005

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Reach of Ethnic Media Reaches Reaches 89% of Latino community 89% of Latino community 87% of African American community 87% of African American community 74% of Arab American community 74% of Arab American community 70% of Asian American community 70% of Asian American community 64% of Native American community 64% of Native American community

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Characteristics of Ethnic Media More likely to cover community stories overlooked by general media More likely to cover community stories overlooked by general media Communicate culture, tradition, attitudes, and reflect communities they serve Communicate culture, tradition, attitudes, and reflect communities they serve Foster close ties within their community Foster close ties within their community Serve as valuable orientation guides for their community Serve as valuable orientation guides for their community Have great passion and enthusiasm Have great passion and enthusiasm Information they cover reflects the nature of the community they serve Information they cover reflects the nature of the community they serve

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Working With Ethnic Media Build personal relationships Build personal relationships Include them in community leader interviews Include them in community leader interviews Get to know the personalities and the publication/media Get to know the personalities and the publication/media Listen to/watch/read ethnic media Listen to/watch/read ethnic media Purchase ads Purchase ads Maintain contact Maintain contact

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Culturally Relevant Marketing Promote how you can help the community with their needs and issues Promote how you can help the community with their needs and issues Promote the library as a place that helps. Focus attention on how the library responds to community needs and interests. De-emphasize books, information, etc. Promote the library as a place that helps. Focus attention on how the library responds to community needs and interests. De-emphasize books, information, etc. Promote in places where the community shops, eats, plays, gathers Promote in places where the community shops, eats, plays, gathers

New Jersey Trustee Institute September Cuesta Multicultural Consulting Principles of Success Establish mutual awareness and trust Establish mutual awareness and trust Partner with the community Partner with the community Expect positive attitudes towards target community Expect positive attitudes towards target community Make outreach everyone’s responsibility Make outreach everyone’s responsibility Integrate library into heart and soul of community Integrate library into heart and soul of community

¡Muchas Gracias!