Outreach is hard. How to contact nursing staff, registrars, consultants, doctors in training etc at the hospital over the road? How to build productive relationships with them? I've been in this outreach job, or a version thereof, for nearly 4.5 years now (wow), and I still don't have any answers.
I'm in need of marketing our services to the hospital-over-the-road, but don't want to fall into the two traps outlined by David Shumaker in his blog post: http://embeddedlibrarian.com/2013/04/11/how-not-to-reach-out/
"One suggestion was to send periodic email inquiries, or drop by
someone’s office, to ask if there’s anything you can help with. Another
was to send unsolicited information items, saying that you know the
person is working in a particular field, and believe they might be
interested.
"The first approach is empty, and perhaps a bit lazy. It’s a shortcut
for the work of relationship-building. The job of the faculty/researcher
isn’t to figure out how to use the librarian, and the answer is likely
to be “no, thanks.” Rather, it’s the librarian’s job to figure out how
to be useful. This approach violates the marketing principle that the
service provider needs to understand the customer, and not start by
pushing what you think they need.
"The second is all the above, plus potentially annoying. It may come across as spam.
"Wouldn’t it be better to have a 15-minute conversation with the
person, learn a little bit about their interests, and ask for permission
to feed them updates from time to time? That way, you get the beginning
of a relationship.
"Even better is to become so valuable to other faculty/researchers
that you get word of mouth working for you, and the non-users seek you
out."
I think that emailing people can work, especially if I include info relevant to the person, such as a link to the Transplant, Renal and Urology info blog. It's better to attend a team meeting and meet people face-to-face, give a good impression about what we (the library service) and I (personally, as Outreach Librarian) can do and why and how etc.. That's something I'm working on this year.
No simple answers on How To Outreach, Reach Out, build relationships and work with "library users" effectively.
In other CPD-related news, Elsevier has bought Mendeley. Reactions from the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2013/apr/10/elsevier-buys-mendeley-academic-reaction
AND PLoS blogs: http://blogs.plos.org/mfenner/2013/04/11/mendeley-and-elsevier/ - with the useful/interesting line, "For me this trend signals that publishers have realized that we are
moving into an Open Access publishing model, which in contrast to
subscription publishing is not about owning the content, but about
providing valuable services around content that is free to read and
reuse." These are new times, people, new and interesting times we live in.
This is a blog written by a medical librarian used to discuss library issues, 23 Things projects, and cats.
Thursday, 11 April 2013
Thursday, 4 April 2013
Titbits from Google news
These are from my Google news alerts for "libraries and marketing" and "new technology and libraries".
From: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/03/opinion/not-dead-yet/its-about-time-marketing-your-librarys-electronic-resources-not-dead-yet/
"Now...you and I are faced with omnipresent competitors (Google, Wikipedia, social media, et al) that our users turn to—as a first resort, at least. Combined with that competition we’re faced with decreasing funds and an increasing expectation of accountability and resource justification. We know our value to researchers, but what can we do to come up with the data and beautiful stories we need to have and to make available to the governments/schools/library boards/universities/research institutes that fund and administer us?
"We can market ourselves much more effectively and efficiently than in the past; we can also assess those efforts and adjust them accordingly on an ongoing, routine basis. And since the electronic resources to which we subscribe are some of the library’s biggest budget line items, marketing them aggressively can only be a good thing." - i.e. use online tools to market yourself AND your services.
From: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/04/marketing/perceptions-have-improved-so-wheres-the-money/
This article - about the world's coolest libraries- made me wish I'd visited the Vancouver library when I was there: http://all-that-is-interesting.com/the-worlds-coolest-libraries
From: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/03/opinion/not-dead-yet/its-about-time-marketing-your-librarys-electronic-resources-not-dead-yet/
"Now...you and I are faced with omnipresent competitors (Google, Wikipedia, social media, et al) that our users turn to—as a first resort, at least. Combined with that competition we’re faced with decreasing funds and an increasing expectation of accountability and resource justification. We know our value to researchers, but what can we do to come up with the data and beautiful stories we need to have and to make available to the governments/schools/library boards/universities/research institutes that fund and administer us?
"We can market ourselves much more effectively and efficiently than in the past; we can also assess those efforts and adjust them accordingly on an ongoing, routine basis. And since the electronic resources to which we subscribe are some of the library’s biggest budget line items, marketing them aggressively can only be a good thing." - i.e. use online tools to market yourself AND your services.
From: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/04/marketing/perceptions-have-improved-so-wheres-the-money/
- Re: definition from Ken Haycock, Research Professor of Management and Organization, University of Southern California: “Advocacy is a planned, deliberate, and sustained effort to develop understanding and support incrementally over time.”
- Advocacy "...is about making connections with stakeholders, understanding what they value, and mapping out the ways you can build relationships to influence them in your favor."
This article - about the world's coolest libraries- made me wish I'd visited the Vancouver library when I was there: http://all-that-is-interesting.com/the-worlds-coolest-libraries
Watch this video - 3 mins on Search and the future thereof
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/video/2013/apr/04/future-search-made-simple-animated-guide
This is the most brilliant way to spend 3 minutes. We go from simple search, how Google became big and made money (making ads relevant to what we are individually interested in), semantic search, to the dangers of Google glasses (privacy concerns etc).
Watch!
This is the most brilliant way to spend 3 minutes. We go from simple search, how Google became big and made money (making ads relevant to what we are individually interested in), semantic search, to the dangers of Google glasses (privacy concerns etc).
Watch!
Monday, 11 March 2013
One-to-one training session with NHS staff
I haven't blogged since September, because I haven't had anything that I wanted to write about on this forum, using this media. I've been shy of using this blog while my life has been in flux and there's been a lot of change. One change is that I am now a Chartered Librarian, using examples of posts from this blog for my portfolio, to demonstrate my dedication to my continued/continuing professional development.
And I'm now Harriss again.
I feel like I've made a lot of mistakes at work over the last week, and I want now to use this public forum to explore why and how to prevent making the same mistakes again.
I've just had a 1-1 training session with a member of NHS staff. I haven't had as many 1-1s with NHS people lately, as I've focussed more on our university readers, which has meant that I have not done as much promotion or outreach to NHS staff, and therefore I haven't been asked for as many training sessions or to help with as many literature searches as in the past. (A delicate balancing act is needed in my job between the management side, the outreach side, the NHS side, and the university side).
This morning, I thought someone was coming here to see me at 10am. That's what her email implied. On a third read, though, she didn't specify where we were going to meet, and I made the mistake (?) of offering to meet her at her ward/department, or here in the library. She called at 10.30, when I was still at my desk wondering if I'd been stood up again, asking where I was?! I agreed to come to her, with a laptop and my info about PICO, good places to search, a leaflet about the library for her to pin up on a staff noticeboard.
We met at 10.40am. Ish. Found a room. I opened the laptop and found that I could, eventually, access the university wifi but I'd forgotten my password. Changed my password. Password wouldn't activate til 11.30am, too late. So we talked. I told her about where the library is, we talked about what kinds of info she needs and why she needs it, we went through a PICO scenario to set the stage for actually searching on a computer. I mentioned the evidence pyramid. She looked blank. That kind of thing.
We found an empty consulting room, after a 20 minute period to sit and talk (and I got incredibly frustrated with myself, the wifi etc, which was uncool) and were finally online. I checked her NHS Athens password, then had to go back to check her username. We did a very simple search in CINAHL, I tried the links and found that 50% of the links to the full text articles didn't work. I got frustrated again. She got frustrated. She doesn't want to come to a library after work, when she's tired, to download papers that might or might not be relevant. I was hoping that I could show her how the NHS interface works: you search, you get results, you get some links to the full text, you are happy(ish).
What if the links don't frigging work though? OK, you email me and let me know the problem and I investigate/ try to find you the article through another route and find a solution.
I left her office at 11.35am. I demonstrated a simple search on NHS Evidence and compared it with TRIP Database, she was happy, I was still incredibly frustrated. She knows she can get in touch with me again, that's fine, I just want to make sure that in the future...
1) Check library membership myself
2) Check NHS Athens username and expiration date
3) Check that I know my password for the university wifi
4) KEEP CALM, COOL, MAKE A JOKE, save the situation by relaxing and going to Plan B. Can always make another appointment/ find a solution if I keep my head.
This all says a lot about me, today, and my head. I'm feeling a bit agitated and worried about other work, so can't focus on one thing at a time to do anything properly, systematically, sensibly.
I need to be mindful. In the moment. Kind to myself. Focus on my breathing, the fact that I'm alive... and then think about what I'll do next. Hopefully I won't get into a frustrated state again, which isn't fair on the reader or on myself, and can deal with the usual NHS problems (slow internet, links that don't work etc) with good humour and a fffffff-it attitude. Otherwise I can't balance my work tasks and duties and I feel overwhelmed!
And I'm now Harriss again.
I feel like I've made a lot of mistakes at work over the last week, and I want now to use this public forum to explore why and how to prevent making the same mistakes again.
I've just had a 1-1 training session with a member of NHS staff. I haven't had as many 1-1s with NHS people lately, as I've focussed more on our university readers, which has meant that I have not done as much promotion or outreach to NHS staff, and therefore I haven't been asked for as many training sessions or to help with as many literature searches as in the past. (A delicate balancing act is needed in my job between the management side, the outreach side, the NHS side, and the university side).
This morning, I thought someone was coming here to see me at 10am. That's what her email implied. On a third read, though, she didn't specify where we were going to meet, and I made the mistake (?) of offering to meet her at her ward/department, or here in the library. She called at 10.30, when I was still at my desk wondering if I'd been stood up again, asking where I was?! I agreed to come to her, with a laptop and my info about PICO, good places to search, a leaflet about the library for her to pin up on a staff noticeboard.
We met at 10.40am. Ish. Found a room. I opened the laptop and found that I could, eventually, access the university wifi but I'd forgotten my password. Changed my password. Password wouldn't activate til 11.30am, too late. So we talked. I told her about where the library is, we talked about what kinds of info she needs and why she needs it, we went through a PICO scenario to set the stage for actually searching on a computer. I mentioned the evidence pyramid. She looked blank. That kind of thing.
We found an empty consulting room, after a 20 minute period to sit and talk (and I got incredibly frustrated with myself, the wifi etc, which was uncool) and were finally online. I checked her NHS Athens password, then had to go back to check her username. We did a very simple search in CINAHL, I tried the links and found that 50% of the links to the full text articles didn't work. I got frustrated again. She got frustrated. She doesn't want to come to a library after work, when she's tired, to download papers that might or might not be relevant. I was hoping that I could show her how the NHS interface works: you search, you get results, you get some links to the full text, you are happy(ish).
What if the links don't frigging work though? OK, you email me and let me know the problem and I investigate/ try to find you the article through another route and find a solution.
I left her office at 11.35am. I demonstrated a simple search on NHS Evidence and compared it with TRIP Database, she was happy, I was still incredibly frustrated. She knows she can get in touch with me again, that's fine, I just want to make sure that in the future...
1) Check library membership myself
2) Check NHS Athens username and expiration date
3) Check that I know my password for the university wifi
4) KEEP CALM, COOL, MAKE A JOKE, save the situation by relaxing and going to Plan B. Can always make another appointment/ find a solution if I keep my head.
This all says a lot about me, today, and my head. I'm feeling a bit agitated and worried about other work, so can't focus on one thing at a time to do anything properly, systematically, sensibly.
I need to be mindful. In the moment. Kind to myself. Focus on my breathing, the fact that I'm alive... and then think about what I'll do next. Hopefully I won't get into a frustrated state again, which isn't fair on the reader or on myself, and can deal with the usual NHS problems (slow internet, links that don't work etc) with good humour and a fffffff-it attitude. Otherwise I can't balance my work tasks and duties and I feel overwhelmed!
Friday, 28 September 2012
CPD23 Things 2012: Thing 21 - Promoting yourself in job applications and at interview
Lisa in the Health Library called her blog post on this topic simply, "Promoting yourself" [http://lisainthehealthlibrary.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/thing-21-promoting-yourself/].
I have written two posts on this theme in the last two weeks -
I've thought about my strengths and interests as I've written these posts. I'm not interested in applying for another job just at the moment, although you never know (!argh!), but I will bear the CPD23 Things 2012 points in mind. Making the most of my strengths, while forcing myself out of my comfort zone and into situations where I'm usually deeply uncomfortable, pushing my own boundaries, is good in a job. It's a good idea in life. Then you get more out of life and learn about yourself at the same time!
Working towards Chartership has been a great exercise in thinking about my strengths and weaknesses, and I can hopefully sell myself in future on the grounds that I have Chartered and am passionate about CPD. Oh, and it meant that I've recently updated my CV!
I have written two posts on this theme in the last two weeks -
- 13/09/12 Let's focus on the good stuff http://fredonboard.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/lets-focus-on-good-stuff.html
- 18/09/12 More on CPD http://fredonboard.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/more-on-cpd.html
I've thought about my strengths and interests as I've written these posts. I'm not interested in applying for another job just at the moment, although you never know (!argh!), but I will bear the CPD23 Things 2012 points in mind. Making the most of my strengths, while forcing myself out of my comfort zone and into situations where I'm usually deeply uncomfortable, pushing my own boundaries, is good in a job. It's a good idea in life. Then you get more out of life and learn about yourself at the same time!
Working towards Chartership has been a great exercise in thinking about my strengths and weaknesses, and I can hopefully sell myself in future on the grounds that I have Chartered and am passionate about CPD. Oh, and it meant that I've recently updated my CV!
CPD23 Things 2012: Thing 20 - The Library Routes Project
CPD23 Things 2012 post: http://cpd23.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/thing-20-library-routes-project.html
Lisa in the Health Library on Thing 20: http://lisainthehealthlibrary.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/thing-20-library-routesroots/
I wrote this last year about my Library Routes: http://fredonboard.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/thing-10-routes-into-librarianship.html
My library route has been smooth-ish. I'm just not sure what's coming next. Keep going where I am for now, and keep eyes open to opportunities. My roots are in the libraries of Oxford, both public libraries and at school, then those at Cambridge and Oxford Universities, oh and Northumbria Uni. I'm waiting to hear back from the Chartership people to find out if I can be MCLIP... that is the latest waiting game (one of a few, actually, funny that).
I think I'll return to this theme in a few months, when the waiting might be over!
Lisa in the Health Library on Thing 20: http://lisainthehealthlibrary.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/thing-20-library-routesroots/
I wrote this last year about my Library Routes: http://fredonboard.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/thing-10-routes-into-librarianship.html
My library route has been smooth-ish. I'm just not sure what's coming next. Keep going where I am for now, and keep eyes open to opportunities. My roots are in the libraries of Oxford, both public libraries and at school, then those at Cambridge and Oxford Universities, oh and Northumbria Uni. I'm waiting to hear back from the Chartership people to find out if I can be MCLIP... that is the latest waiting game (one of a few, actually, funny that).
I think I'll return to this theme in a few months, when the waiting might be over!
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Librarians staffing the help desk - best use of resources?
Hurrah! An American colleague has written a blog post about whether librarians should staff help desks (or reference desks or whatever you call them), if all we do is sit there and answer questions about where the toilets are. Yes, "library assistants" are employed to answer those kinds of questions, and reserve our librarian resources for the other questions about reference management, literature searching, resources etc. BUT it is only when sitting at the help desk that I can promote the literature searching and 1-1 service that I can offer users, and it is only when sitting at the help desk that I can see who is using the library (or not), what they are doing, how best we can help. Tra-da!
See The Krafty Librarian:
Single Service Desk: Thoughts After #Medlibs Tweet Chat
Apart from this, I'm still far far too excited about the new Muse album to care all that much about Thames Water being rubbish, the cold weather etc. Tra-da!
See The Krafty Librarian:
Single Service Desk: Thoughts After #Medlibs Tweet Chat
Apart from this, I'm still far far too excited about the new Muse album to care all that much about Thames Water being rubbish, the cold weather etc. Tra-da!
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