Virtual Publicity Kits for Libraries
It's all about them: Successful Virtual Reference Marketing
Tuesday July 24th, 2007, 10:30am—4:30pm
Pyle Center, Madison Wisconsin
Buff Hirko, former statewide virtual reference project coordinator with the Washington State Library and co-author of "Virtual Reference Training: The Complete Guide to Providing Anytime, Anywhere Answers" will spend a day with AskAway participants working with us on Virtual Reference Marketing. Good marketing builds on a foundation of great customer service. But it's a big process—planning, defining goals, identifying audiences, branding, testing web site usability, getting staff buy-in, refining the program—and it never ends. This interactive workshop will offer practical strategies and techniques for both small and large organizations, good and bad examples from Libraryland and the outside world, and resources for ideas and methodologies. Participants are encouraged to bring local marketing samples for evaluation. We'll hear brief examples from Mark Ibach and Bill Pardue two local experts on their endeavors to increase the visibility of AskAway in Wisconsin and Illinois.
You can register online, simply go to:
Limited to 80 participants, preference will be given to participating AskAway libraries.note: to assure equal representative numbers of participants from both WI and IL, please select the correct corresponding state when you register.
Cost $25
UW-Madison Virtual Reference Marketing Report and Plan
finalreport.pdf from the UW-Madison VR Marketing committee
The Marketing Working Group recently submitted the report above to the Reference Management Team (RMT) that details their past year's work publicizing campus-wide reference services.
For the first time a conscious effort was made to celebrate National Library Week in all campus libraries, with toolkits that emphasized the "Ask a Librarian" general reference service. The group also instituted a pilot project for public computers screensavers, interviewed IM/Chat patrons on their satisfaction and awareness of the service, and presented a poster session on their marketing plan at the WAAL conference. Future directions include partnering with campus groups to plan an "Ask a Librarian Day" and working with the new Campus Libraries Marketing Committee.
Nancy McClements for the Reference Management TeamMemorial Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Quotes
Nothing beats a good quote or story when you're promoting a service. That is what this area is for so everyone add your quotes on how great AskAway is here. The assumption has to be that all rights to use these quotes in any AskAway materials is completely OK.
"This is a really great resource for people asking reference questions in which they can be anonymous, whether it's about a health issue or whether it's about something they're embarrassed about or any other type of information they're not prepared to go up to the reference desk in the middle of the library and ask." - Megan Lott
"Sometimes I'm feeling a little lazy or it's 10:30 at night and I've got a pressing reference question that I can't figure out on my own and I don't feel like leaving my apartment and I just want to have this great easy access from home, and it's just so easy to pop on sitting in front of my television chatting with the reference librarian." - Megan Lott
"Thank you for answering my question! Wow! That was fast! What a wonderful service!! I am very impressed with your promptness and reliablility."
"I have contacted many people and organizations in my search for my ancestors. There are a lot of good folk in the genealogy business -- good people, good genealogists. My experience with you has been as good as it gets."
"To my brief inquiry I received unbelievable response. I cannot thank all of you enough for the time and research you put into answering my query. GREAT SERVICE!!!"
"Your librarians are awesome - they did a great job with my questions and helped me find the answers I needed!! Thanks again for all your hard work!"
"YOU HAVE MADE MY DAY AND MADE ME VERY HAPPY !!!! I just appreciate both of you for doing this for me, and I will follow through. Thanks for the information to further my quest. You just can't imagain how thrilled I am to have this photo !! You did good !!"
"Being able to submit a question which I don't have time to research and then receive a thorough response is an invaluable service. Sometimes, the response needed is more than just a quick answer. It might include several good websites for the patron to explore. No matter the question, simple or complex, I think the idea of getting professional help from a qualified, experienced librarian is an ingenious idea. I sure hope this form of communication continues!"
"This was great! - precisely the information I was looking for. With Google and Internet I think people put less value on libraries these days - but this really demonstrated to me that NOT everything is on the internet and libraries continue to provide a valuable and much needed service. I really appreciate you taking the time to find the information I was looking for."
"Oh my goodness!! Oh my goodness!! I love you!! I have searched so long for any crumb of information on this woman. You have no idea how much this means. I'm actually getting teary-eyed. Of course, that could be the pregnancy hormones. ;-) Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
Librarian: "Where have you looked for information so far?"
Patron: "this is my first place as a friend of mine told me about this and said that everyone on here is friendly and will help you to the best of their ability"
"well thank you so much! This should be enough information to get figure it out! Ive never used this interactive feature, but i will definitely use it agin!"
"This is an efficient and extremely convenient service!"
"The speed of the reply was remarkable. It would have been difficult for me to travel to ... obtain the information. I can't thank you enough."
AskAway Week, May 7-11, 2007, PR materials:
AskAwayAwareWeek2007PR.doc Post AskAway week Press Release wrapping up the winners activities, appeared in Channel Weekly, Vol. 9, No. 44 -- August 9, 2007
PowerPoint Grab n' Go presentation. Use for presentations to patron groups, or set up on a kiosk: AskAway.ppt
AskAway desktop wallpaper and screen savers with installation instructions: http://www.winnefox.org/ask/wallpaper.html
AskAway article in Jan-Feb Channel by Martha Farley. Ask?Away delivers for Wisconsin
AskAway posters, download and print yourself or order and purchase printed versions:
Here's the Illinois versions of the AskAway posters, download and print yourself or order and purchase printed versions:
AskAway Awareness Week graphic (from Winnefox Library System) to put on your web site:
To see an example of an AskAway Viewport that has been enhanced with local branding, check out the Indianhead Federated Library System viewport at:
http://www.questionpoint.org/crs/servlet/org.oclc.home.TFSRedirect?VIRTCATEGORY=11964
PR materials available for order, contact Mark Beatty at WiLS for details:
Bookmark (.pdf): (created by Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College)
The Winnefox Library System has generously agreed to print bookmarks for $8.00 per 100. If you would like to order bookmarks, please email Renee Miller
AskAway promotional items are available from Janway at 5% off of list price. See their AskAway promotional page for more information. This includes magnets, pencils, buttons, etc.
AskAway Refrigerator Magnet artwork
AskAway Posters, or any other posters you want printed here is the place that will print them:
It's the Library Matters website from the Alliance library system in East Peoria, IL. The prices are quite reasonable and the web site extremely easy to use. If a larger order is desired contact Mark Beatty and we will put together a group order. There will be a separate section on their web site specifically for AskAway posters in the near future.
Publicity materials prepared by the Publicity committee:
Press release (.doc)
Factsheet (.pdf)
Librarian Q&A (.pdf)
Information for teachers (.pdf)
Bookmark (.pdf): (created by Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College)
Presentation: Chat with a librarian 24/7! (.ppt) (created by Appleton Public Library)Governor's Proclamation of AskAway Day: Image of proclamation | Text of proclamation (.doc)
ASKAWAY AWARENESS WEEK 2008
Poster ideas
Table top ideas
Draft of letter to libraries
Bookmark ideas
Other items created by AskAway participants:
AskAway Illinois Marketing and Promotional Materials page
Bookmark (from Northern Waters Library System -- .doc)
Press release: "Doyle proclaims April 24 as "AskAway Day" (from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College)
"Advice Column" Advertisement: MS Publisher | PDF (from Edgewood College)
News release: "24/7 Information Service Now Available @ Your Library" (from Arrowhead Library System -- .doc)
Video created by South Central Library System in 2006; originally only available in Flash format at askaway.info, but now available at YouTube so you can embed it anywhere on your library's web site!
Door signage during holidays and regular closings example, put in your own wording and URLs:
The building will be closed July 4/Thanksgiving/New Years/etc.,
But we're still open online!
For librarian assistance 24/7/365, click on the "Ask A Librarian Live Online" link at:
MySpace and Facebook:
MySpace page and Facebook page for AskAway, created & maintained by Mark Beatty & Joy Schwarz (Winnefox Library System). If you or your library has a MySpace or Facebookbpage, send us a friend request!
AskAway Logos & Buttons:
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(From Indianhead Fed. Lib.Sys)
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Additional Links:
Ask?Away State Wide Virtual Reference Publicity Group
The very best source for marketing materials and PR information specifically for Ask?Away
Ask?Away Virtual Publicity Kit for Libraries
Here's a copy of our recent Ask?Away Day PR programs that appeared on the Madison area Chanel 3, WISC-TV evenings news. You'll need QuickTime to view the small 30 second movie.
Stand along, or patron presentation PowerPoint:
askaway.ppt
AskAway in the News:
Answers, a click away. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: February 23, 2006. (from ProQuest)
Get Answers at Ask?Away. Polk Library News: March 2006.
AskAway Coming to ALS Libraries and Area Residents. Monday Memo: April 3, 2006
Librarians on call 24 hours a day with AskAway. greenbaypressgazette.com: April 23, 2006
Demonstration of new AskAway live chat service Monday....Sheboygan Press: April 23, 2006
Wisconsin Librarians are now online 24/7: Channel3000: April 25, 2006
Images from the South Central AskAway Day event (PPT)
Library site has all the answers: onWEAC Educator's Bulletin Board, August 2006
24/7 Information Service Now Available @ Your Library (PDF): Browsing @ Eager Free Public Library: Fall 2006.
Questions or comments about AskAway? Contact Mark Beatty at WiLS .
New Information Service (PDF): Library Links: Friends at Beloit LIbrary: Fall 2006
Grants
Use this document as a starter for grant ideas. List here your ideas for grants, other granting authorities we could use, the grant scope and other possiblies, the grants you've applied for and your success.
Grant opportunities.doc
Statewide Virtual Reference Publicity Group
The next VR PR group web conference meeting will be: May 14th, 2008 2:00pm
Our goals for 2008
AskAway Awareness week
You tube contest
Newsletter
The Agenda:
2:00-2:05- Review, corrections and approval of meeting minutes
- Additions to agenda
2:05-2:40
Action items:
- Newsletter update – (MB)
- You Tube contest update – (all)
- Ideas for AskAway awareness week update - (all)
- New ideas for promoting this week
2:40-2:50
New Items:
2:50-3:00
For next meeting:
Next meeting: (2nd Wed of the month) June 11, 2008 2:00pm
Log on Instructions for the meeting:
- go to: www.livemeeting.com/cc/wislineweb/join
- Your name: (enter your name)
- Meeting ID: SSX6B6
- Meeting Key: (leave blank)
- Toll free: +1 (888) 677-9189
- Toll: +1 (608) 316-0022
- Passcode: 0945#
Meeting notes:prminutes091207.do | prminutes081507.doc | 7/20/06 | 6/1/06 | 3/14/06 | 2/22/06 | 2/07/06 | 1/11/2006 | 12/21/2005 | 12/7/2005 (Word documents)
Minutes of the Ask.away meeting 1.17.2007.doc
Minutes of AskAway Publicity Meeting 2.21.07.doc
AskAway Committee Meeting minutes 3.14.07.doc
AskAway Committee Meeting minutes 4.9.2007.doc
AskAway Committee Meeting minutes 5.9.2007.doc
AskAway Committee Meeting minutes JUNE 13, 2007.doc
AskAway Committee Meeting minutes12.12.2007.doc
AskAway Committee Meeting Minutes 1.9.08.doc
AskAway Committee Meeting minutes 02.14.08.doc
AskAway Committee Meeting Minutes March 12, 2008.doc
AskAway Committee Meeting minutes, April 9 2008.doc
Statewide Virtual Reference Publicity Group Members
Appleton Public Library (Meg Shriver)
Illinois State Library (Natalie Tagge)
L. E. Phillips Memorial Public Library (Renee Ponzio)
Reference and Loan Library (Martha F. Berninger )
South Central Library System (Mark Ibach)
WiLS (Mark Beatty)
Winnefox Library System (Joy Schwarz )
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (Judy Lyons)
E-mail addresses to mail publicity information to:
Wispublib: wispublib@lists.wi.gov.
Publib: publib@webjunction.org
Channels Weekly: roslyn.wise@dpi.state.wi.us
LibRef -L: LIBREF-L@LISTSERV.KENT.EDU
Virt-Ref: virt-ref@titan.wils.wisc.edu
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