This document discusses marketing skills in the workplace, specifically for library and information professionals. It begins with an introduction by Emma Illingworth, an Assistant Information Adviser at the University of Brighton. She then identifies and prioritizes key skills like customer service, teaching, and project management. Next, she defines the different user groups at the university that library services could be marketed to, such as students, staff, and researchers. The document ends by outlining strategies for marketing skills and services, including having an effective marketing strategy, being visible outside the library, and participating in promotional events.
2. What we’ll look at today Who am I? Where do I work? Identifying and prioritising skills and attitudes Identifying and defining user groups Marketing our skills and our services
3. Who am I? Emma Illingworth, Assistant Information AdviserUniversity of Brighton :www.brighton.ac.uk/is:http://twitter.com/UniBrightonIS Blog and twitter:http://librariansontheloose.wordpress.com/:http://twitter.com/wigglesweets
4. Where do I work? University of Brighton St Peter’s House Falmer Aldrich Queenwood UCH
5. Identifying and prioritising skills and attitudes Ability to question and evaluate library services Develop and maintain an awareness of the profession Project Management skills Commitment to customer service Enthusiasm for learning new technologies Ability to sell ideas and library services Diplomacy skills Creativity and Innovation Patience Ability to evaluate the needs of all stakeholders Ability to sell ideas and library services Enthusiasm for teaching and learning
6. Identifying and defining user groups Defining our users at the University of Brighton – who do we want to market our skills (and services) to? Professionals/public Studentsft, pt, distance, ug, pg, home, EU, international Researchers Staffft, pt, visiting, academic, support,
7. Identifying the needs of our users School board meetings Comments/feedback by comment form and email Verbal comments at the enquiry desk Information services student survey Information services staff survey Aldrich library feedback wiki
8. Marketing our skills and our services The library should have: an effective marketing strategy in place So that: our users know what they can expect from us, what services we deliver what sorts of skills we have and can pass on through instruction and user education sessions.
9. Marketing our skills and our services Be visible outside the library Consistent online presence Share good practice with colleagues Brush up on presentation skills Send a welcome pack to new members of staff Participate in library promotion events Your very own 30 second commercial
10. Re-cap! Who am I? Where do I work? Identifying and prioritising skills and attitudes Identifying and defining user groups Marketing our skills and our services
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12. Recommended reading - books Siess, J. (2003) The visible librarian : asserting your value with marketing and advocacy. Chicago : American Library Association Pantry, S & Griffiths, P. (1998) Becoming a successful intrapreneur : a practical guide to creating an innovative information service. London : Library Association Publishing Corrall, S & Brewerton, A. (1999) The new professional's handbook : your guide to information services management. London : Library Association Byke, S. (2009) A leadership primer for new librarians : tools for helping today's early-career librarians to become tomorrow's library leaders. Oxford : Chandos Publishing Pantry, S & Griffiths, P. (2003) Your essential guide to career success. London : Facet Myburgh, S. (2005) The new information professional : how to thrive in the information age doing what you love. Oxford : Chandos Ptolomey, J. (2009) Taking charge of your career : a guide for library and information professionals. Oxford : Chandos
13. Recommended reading – blogs and other electronic resources Phil Bradley’s weblog http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/ JoeyanneLibraryanne http://www.joeyanne.co.uk/
Hinweis der Redaktion
I qualified in June 2008Worked as an information officer in Student Services Got this job – first professional job in January 2009Lots of opportunity since then both in and out of the workplace. Highlights: New Professionals Conference, Umbrella, Manifesto group5-7 minutes
Aldrich library: the largest of the 5 university libraries
Exercise 1:Let’s think about the skills and attitudes that we think are important to have as LIS professionals.Groups – flip chart or as a whole group contributing – depends on numbersFarkas and Haye (2006)Can these skills and attitudes be applied across LIS sectors? Yes, I think so...Consider these 9 skills/attitudes. Apply them to the scenarios.
Within each of these groups there’s ever such a lot of diversity. This is important to bear in mind. Also, that we can never reach everyone with the same techniques. Diversity = many different views/mind sets/learning styles etc.Exercise 2: defining user groupsScenario 1: Health/NHSScenario 2: PublicScenario 3: LegalScenario 4: PrisonScenario 5: School
Identifying needs and then ways to meet them. Examples for us at UoBRealistic goals. We can do so much stuff for everyone, but what can we realistically deliver?Discussion
Based on the needs established. How can we market our skills and services to meet those needs? Who do we need to market to?What are our unique selling points? Show how we can benefit whoever we’re marketing to, make it in their interest.Lots of working across departments – collaboration: UoB example: other sections of IS, academics, other central departments eg Student Services.
Enhance your profile and demonstrate to your colleagues and customers just how much you can do (in our case that’s assisting teaching and learning at the University of Brighton)Be visible outside the library – where possible attend events that your customers may attend. This may present opportunities for networkingConsistent online presence both in and out of work, backs up the visible outside the library thingParticipate in library promotion eventsIf we host an event or session – follow it up, get feedback, see what works and what doesn’tShare good practice with colleagues – share the wealthBrush up on presentation skills – if group work is required. Confidence.Send a welcome pack to new members of staff – meet relevant staff, tour, intro to resources – follow up. Word of mouth to other colleagues.Participate in library promotion events – take part, get involved, good way to meet others and let people know how you can be beneficial to them.30 second commercial – Judith SiessClear 30 second summary in your mind which you can use to promote your skills and values. What makes you valuable to your organisation.Go back to the diversity of the users – different learning styles, different ways of accessing information, an awareness of this is important when thinking about the best way to engage with the user group you’re trying to target.