Before the talk: Please use the notecard on your chair to write down what you consider to be the biggest barrier(s) to using electronic resources in your library. THINKING IN ERROR: MAKING ELECTRONIC RESOURCES COOL AGAIN

ANCESTRY LIBRARY EDITION(Jennifer Caldwell) MEDLINE PLUS(Jenn Berry) MANGO LANGUAGES(Cat Strong) FREEGAL(James Walter)

THINKING IN ERROR: MAKING ELECTRONIC RESOURCES COOL AGAIN You can lead the change… …start with “why”

Spectrum worksheet slide

Jumping spiders Barriers… …as chosen by you!

Diagnostics… …or, knowing what you need to know so you can know if you know it

71 Respondents: Librarians 52.10% Library Associates 14.10% Clerks 12.70% Homework Help tutors and computer instructors 9.90% Pages 5.60% Administration and support staff 5.60% Counting opinions…

Some of the comments we received included: This is hard to answer, since I'm not aware of what databases are available. Frankly, I see very little use of what we have. They are often cumbersome and most customers want to get info and leave rather than us trying to teach them. I dislike the EBSCO databases. Search results seem very erratic. I preferred Gale/Cengage databases when we had them. Too many of the interfaces (EBSCO in particular) are barren and intimidating to patrons who are unfamiliar. I think that if low usage is a problem, it's a marketing/usability problem rather than a scope problem. Patrons are surprised and delighted to learn about what we have. Maybe too surprised. Word about eBooks, etc. is getting out, but databases are still hidden treasures. Why are we spending money on databases when we have this jumping spider problem?!?

Pirate Scene Lexie Palmore

Why market online resources? “Doing business without advertising is like winking in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does.” —Steuart Henderson Britt

Yearly promotion timeline Promotion monthFeatured resource JanuaryNoveList FebruaryAncestry Library Edition MarchMedline Plus April–MayMango Languages June–July Zinio August–September OneClickdigital October–NovemberLearningExpressLibrary December–JanuaryFreegal

Marketing plan template IntroductionGoalObjectivesKey AudiencesMessageStrategiesToolsBudgetImpactLessons Learned

Targeted audiences Library staff County employees Educators Teachers and students Specific Library Users Parents Community partners Other organizations

Where we marketed Service desks In the stacks Library displays Digital signs and bulletin boards Shelf talkers Programs and special events Meetings Staff intranet Public website Social media Online marketing Outreach visits Special events Meetings Businesses and community groups Other places! Outside library walls Inside library walls

Internal customer marketing strategies Creating a buzz and investing in staff training makes a difference Everyone’s a promoter! Pre- and post-promo staff surveys blasts Intranet postings Library news ERROR team webpage Promotions webpage Talking points Vendor swag Staff trainings Self-guided and one-on-one Demos Scavenger hunts Jedi Master trainings 5th Fridays Marketing materials

External customer marketing strategies Word-of-mouth marketing is powerful! Surveys Press Releases Media Stories Website Postings Buttons and links Digital media webpage News items postings Social media Facebook and Twitter Pathfinders Shelf markers Public demos and classes Marketing materials Vendor swag

Marketing materials… Press releases and media stories blasts Social media posts – Facebook and Twitter Banners, posters, and digital sign slides Flyers, handouts, and brochures Pathfinders Shelf talkers Bookmarks Class curriculae and teaching tools Video tutorials and presentations Plethora of vendor goodies …we created, adapted, or acquired

MUSIC, MOVIES, AND TELEVISION PROGRAMS The Pirate Bay Program idea: offer a workshop on how to successfully find and download the latest torrents (Game of Thrones is big)! Website:

THINKING IN “FREE”: VETTED, AUTHORITATIVE ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

THINKING IN ERROR: MAKING ELECTRONIC RESOURCES COOL AGAIN Start with “why”… …lead the change

THINKING IN ERROR: MAKING ELECTRONIC RESOURCES COOL AGAIN JENNIFER CALDWELL Electronic Resources Librarian (Ancestry Library Edition) JENN BERRY Library Associate (Medline Plus) CAT STRONG Library Branch Manager (Mango Languages) JAMES WALTER Youth Services Librarian (Freegal)