Virtual Promotional Ideas from DIG-REF
Susan is monitoring the DIG-REF listserv since and a recent conversation on the DIG_REF listserv turned up these promotional ideas:
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At UNC-CH's Undergraduate Library, we distribute business card-sized stickers at the Reference Desk and in instruction sessions with our buddy name on it (we use AOL's IM). These stickers are a huge hit with students because they can stick them right to their laptops or onto notebooks. We also use the same graphic to advertise the service on our homepage.
Suchi Mohanty, Reference and Instruction Librarian
R. B. House Undergraduate Library, CB# 3942
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890
Phone: (919) 962-1355 : Fax: (919) 962-2697
Email: smohanty@email.unc.edu
-------------------------------------------
We had posters and mouse pads made using our bright green logos. They've been placed at public service pcs throughout our Library building and in computer labs throughout the campus and at the 2 remote site campuses. The design was created by a former student assistant who was an graphic arts major, and it seems to be eye catching and appealing to students.
Beth Stahr, Reference/Distance Learning Librarian
Distance Learning Library Services
Sims Memorial Library, SLU 10896, Hammond, LA 70402
dllib@selu.edu
985-549-5056 : 877-746-5463 (877-SIM-LINE) : 985-549-3995 (fax)
-------------------------------------------
We have table toppers in the library--those three-sided plastic things--so we made quarter sheet ads to put in them. Several times a semester we also put the same thing in the table toppers in the dining halls and student center dining area. We have printed posters and put them in all the major buildings on campus and in the dorms. We've also promoted it on our Ask a Librarian page on the Web page. We haven't done ads in the student paper, but they came and interviewed me when the service started. We just got a big LCD screen that will be mounted in the lobby of the library to promote library services, events, etc. and I'm working on something to put on that. We link the service from within our online classes--we use Blackboard here--and the call button appears on the screen in every open access computer lab in the library and across campus. I also shamelessly stole the ending line of my signature from another librarian on [the DIG_REF] list.
Allyson Washburn, Distributed Learning Services Librarian
Brigham Young University, 3329 HBLL, Provo, UT 84602
Phone: (801) 422-2675 : Fax: (801) 422-0466
email: allyson_washburn@byu.edu
Have a question? Ask a Librarian! http://www.lib.byu.edu/ask.html
-------------------------------------------
We've promoted our live chat reference service by methods similar to those you've mentioned (bookmarks, library instruction sessions, link in SFX interface). Here are some other steps we've taken:
- month-long exhibits in library display cases (during Feb. and Nov. 2004);
- ads in the online student newsletter (4-6 ads per term);
- collaborating with LIS faculty, who direct students to the service;
- prominent placement of links on home page and contact page;
- addition of the phrase "live chat" to links;
- redesign of email and live chat web pages; and
- extended live chat hours from the reference desk (over 40 hrs/week),
The redesign of our home page during the past year may have also increased the accessibility of this service.
Tim Bryant, Reference Librarian & Bibliographer
Rod Library
University of Northern Iowa, 1227 West 27th Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Email: tim.bryant@uni.edu
Tel.: 319/273-3703 : Fax: 319/273-2913
-------------------------------------------
They read simply:
Morris County Library
http://www.mclib.info
(973) 285-6930
mocolib1@gti.net
They're at every service station/counter [colleague pointed out that an audio cassette plastic case flipped open and over is a great card display unit]..and I sprinkle them on reading tables, carrels, prop them in keyboards, leave a few on public phone shelves. When school groups were in this past week, gave one to each child.."when your parents ask you what you did today, give them this" (The boys loved them..made them feel very grown up.) Clipped them to top of handout for yesterday's "Everything EBSCO" class. This morning walked the building refreshing the supply for higher week-end traffic. ..oh, and we discovered you can print them in black and white, from a fresh printer cartridge..or go find a weary cartridge if you want a grey and white look! I also hand one to each person who comes up to desk and pays for copies. Also finally changed over text link to our e-ref service to a graphic http://www.mclib.info/askdot.gif Deploying that all over the site, moving it up from bottom of pages where it languished.
Sara Weissman
weissman@APOLLO.GTI.NET
-------------------------------------------
We've done a variety of things this semester to promote our VR service. We've been making a particular effort to do so because this was the first semester we offered 24/7 service.
1. Placed "Ask a Librarian" info on promotional highlighters and post-it notes distributed during the first week of classes (see http://www.istl.org/04-fall/article3.html)
2. Created color postcards featuring our "mascot", a large inflatable yellow chicken/duck (very eye catching). We made several versions as semester progressed
3. Had personal appearances by chicken/duck mascot outside libraries - staff talked about service to students stopping to look at chicken
4. Worked with Distance Ed to get links to 24/7 service from their student support pages
5. Placed signs by library workstation with slogan "Get help without getting up"
6. Added short text message to bottom of all circulation receipts
7. Promoted heavily by individual reference librarians at the desk and in instruction classes. Some classes were given postcards with other class handouts.
(You can see pictures of the chicken featured in our VRD presentation titled, "Taking the plunge to 24/7": http://www.asu.edu/lib/library/eref/presentation/vrd2004.ppt)
Jennie Duvernay, Science Reference Librarian
Noble Science and Engineering Library
Arizona State University
480-727-7636
jennie.duvernay@asu.edu
-------------------------------------------
I used some LSTA money to have our delivery vans painted with library advertising that highlights our 24/7 service. I'm sorry I don't have a picture, I'll email one if you'd like, but there is a nice write up in our local paper today. A bit of bragging, I know, but I can't help it! http://tinyurl.com/69429
Holly Sammons, Librarian
Onondaga County Public Library, 447 So Salina St, Syracuse, NY 13202
315-435-1900
-------------------------------------------
At UNC-CH's Undergraduate Library, we distribute business card-sized stickers at the Reference Desk and in instruction sessions with our buddy name on it (we use AOL's IM). These stickers are a huge hit with students because they can stick them right to their laptops or onto notebooks. We also use the same graphic to advertise the service on our homepage.
Suchi Mohanty, Reference and Instruction Librarian
R. B. House Undergraduate Library, CB# 3942
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890
Phone: (919) 962-1355 : Fax: (919) 962-2697
Email: smohanty@email.unc.edu
-------------------------------------------
We had posters and mouse pads made using our bright green logos. They've been placed at public service pcs throughout our Library building and in computer labs throughout the campus and at the 2 remote site campuses. The design was created by a former student assistant who was an graphic arts major, and it seems to be eye catching and appealing to students.
Beth Stahr, Reference/Distance Learning Librarian
Distance Learning Library Services
Sims Memorial Library, SLU 10896, Hammond, LA 70402
dllib@selu.edu
985-549-5056 : 877-746-5463 (877-SIM-LINE) : 985-549-3995 (fax)
-------------------------------------------
We have table toppers in the library--those three-sided plastic things--so we made quarter sheet ads to put in them. Several times a semester we also put the same thing in the table toppers in the dining halls and student center dining area. We have printed posters and put them in all the major buildings on campus and in the dorms. We've also promoted it on our Ask a Librarian page on the Web page. We haven't done ads in the student paper, but they came and interviewed me when the service started. We just got a big LCD screen that will be mounted in the lobby of the library to promote library services, events, etc. and I'm working on something to put on that. We link the service from within our online classes--we use Blackboard here--and the call button appears on the screen in every open access computer lab in the library and across campus. I also shamelessly stole the ending line of my signature from another librarian on [the DIG_REF] list.
Allyson Washburn, Distributed Learning Services Librarian
Brigham Young University, 3329 HBLL, Provo, UT 84602
Phone: (801) 422-2675 : Fax: (801) 422-0466
email: allyson_washburn@byu.edu
Have a question? Ask a Librarian! http://www.lib.byu.edu/ask.html
-------------------------------------------
We've promoted our live chat reference service by methods similar to those you've mentioned (bookmarks, library instruction sessions, link in SFX interface). Here are some other steps we've taken:
- month-long exhibits in library display cases (during Feb. and Nov. 2004);
- ads in the online student newsletter (4-6 ads per term);
- collaborating with LIS faculty, who direct students to the service;
- prominent placement of links on home page and contact page;
- addition of the phrase "live chat" to links;
- redesign of email and live chat web pages; and
- extended live chat hours from the reference desk (over 40 hrs/week),
The redesign of our home page during the past year may have also increased the accessibility of this service.
Tim Bryant, Reference Librarian & Bibliographer
Rod Library
University of Northern Iowa, 1227 West 27th Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Email: tim.bryant@uni.edu
Tel.: 319/273-3703 : Fax: 319/273-2913
-------------------------------------------
They read simply:
Morris County Library
http://www.mclib.info
(973) 285-6930
mocolib1@gti.net
They're at every service station/counter [colleague pointed out that an audio cassette plastic case flipped open and over is a great card display unit]..and I sprinkle them on reading tables, carrels, prop them in keyboards, leave a few on public phone shelves. When school groups were in this past week, gave one to each child.."when your parents ask you what you did today, give them this" (The boys loved them..made them feel very grown up.) Clipped them to top of handout for yesterday's "Everything EBSCO" class. This morning walked the building refreshing the supply for higher week-end traffic. ..oh, and we discovered you can print them in black and white, from a fresh printer cartridge..or go find a weary cartridge if you want a grey and white look! I also hand one to each person who comes up to desk and pays for copies. Also finally changed over text link to our e-ref service to a graphic http://www.mclib.info/askdot.gif Deploying that all over the site, moving it up from bottom of pages where it languished.
Sara Weissman
weissman@APOLLO.GTI.NET
-------------------------------------------
We've done a variety of things this semester to promote our VR service. We've been making a particular effort to do so because this was the first semester we offered 24/7 service.
1. Placed "Ask a Librarian" info on promotional highlighters and post-it notes distributed during the first week of classes (see http://www.istl.org/04-fall/article3.html)
2. Created color postcards featuring our "mascot", a large inflatable yellow chicken/duck (very eye catching). We made several versions as semester progressed
3. Had personal appearances by chicken/duck mascot outside libraries - staff talked about service to students stopping to look at chicken
4. Worked with Distance Ed to get links to 24/7 service from their student support pages
5. Placed signs by library workstation with slogan "Get help without getting up"
6. Added short text message to bottom of all circulation receipts
7. Promoted heavily by individual reference librarians at the desk and in instruction classes. Some classes were given postcards with other class handouts.
(You can see pictures of the chicken featured in our VRD presentation titled, "Taking the plunge to 24/7": http://www.asu.edu/lib/library/eref/presentation/vrd2004.ppt)
Jennie Duvernay, Science Reference Librarian
Noble Science and Engineering Library
Arizona State University
480-727-7636
jennie.duvernay@asu.edu
-------------------------------------------
I used some LSTA money to have our delivery vans painted with library advertising that highlights our 24/7 service. I'm sorry I don't have a picture, I'll email one if you'd like, but there is a nice write up in our local paper today. A bit of bragging, I know, but I can't help it! http://tinyurl.com/69429
Holly Sammons, Librarian
Onondaga County Public Library, 447 So Salina St, Syracuse, NY 13202
315-435-1900
posted by MCLD at 11:21 AM
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