Reaching Your Patrons
Technology has created some great opportunities for librarians to reach out to their patrons. Gone are the days of spending time mimeographing or actually cutting and pasting and then photocopying in order to create a library newsletter. With all the easy to use software available, a professional looking newsletter is within every library’s reach. These newsletters can be used to highlight new acquisitions, upcoming events, and policies. They can also be used as a teaching tool to share useful URL’s, mini-pathfinders and research tips. Finally, they can include humorous clip art, statistics about the library, a director’s column, puzzles and other creative ways to spread the news about what is going on in the library.
Print newsletters aren’t the only way to tell your story. Although print newsletters are handy and can be left at the reference desk, sent around through interoffice mail or even attached to requested books, your message need not be limited to one medium. Newsletters can also be distributed electronically through e-mail or posted on a firm intranet site. Remember, visibility is the key.
For those who really want to embrace all the technological options, you can create a wiki or a blog and really grab the interest of your readers. A wiki is a great forum for frequently asked and answered reference questions. Blogs can be formal or they can be light depending on the style of the library or the culture of your firm. Both of these are also great opportunities to involve lawyers who want to be a guest blogger or author a section for the wiki. Creating ownership of the library by the users is one more way that promotion of your library creates valuable allies.
Below are links which can help you learn about or create these sources:
