MARKETING DIGITAL REFERENCE SERVICES Mary-Carol Lindbloom Monday, June 23, 2003

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MARKETING DIGITAL REFERENCE
SERVICESMary-Carol LindbloomMonday, June 23,
2003

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OUR VIRTUAL REFERENCE PROJECT

• MyWebLibrarian Im online to help!
• The project grew from two existing Illinois
  virtual reference programs

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Answers UnlimitedAsk a Librarian Live Online
http//www.answersunlimited.org
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• READY FOR REFERENCE
• ACADEMIC LIBRARIES OFFER LIVE WEB-BASED REFERENCE
• Online! Anytime!_at_ your library

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WHY COLLABORATE?

• Share staff. Take a few desk shifts instead of
  all of them.
• Less need to share duty at the physical reference
  desk with
• online desk.
• Operate service more hours.
• Share software expenses.
• Share a website/web design.
• Develop uniform guidelines/quality assurance/CQI.
• Increase collective bargaining/buying power.
• Meet users at their point of need.
• Share marketing and public relations
  items/strategies.

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MULTI-SYSTEM MULTI-TYPE COLLATORATION

• Extends and enhances the benefits of
  collaboration.
• Provides broader pool of human resources and
  materials.
• Illinois libraries increase their relevancy to a
  greater of our States population.

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LSTA GRANT FUNDING

• The Illinois State Library was interested in
  facilitating cooperation among library systems,
  and provided LSTA funding for the project.

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ANSWERS UNLIMTED READY FOR REFERENCE

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• The Marketing Plan

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First Step Hire a Marketing/PR Firm

• Simantel (Peoria, IL) helped to develop
• Strategy
• Brand (including marketing research)
• Icon/Web design
• Marketing materials

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Marketing Strategies Librarian-targeted

• FAQ (available electronically from ALS and NSLS
  web sites)
• PowerPoint template (available electronically
  from ALS and NSLS web sites)
• 2 E-mail teasers (available electronically from
  ALS and NSLS web sites)
• Participating libraries distribute the materials
  and promote the project in their newsletters and
  with their local press contacts. This has
  resulted in new participants and potential
  participants.

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Marketing Strategies User-targeted

• Tri-fold brochure (printing of 100,000 brochures)
  
• Bookmark (printing of 20,000 bookmarks)
• Magnet (printing of 2,500 magnets)
• Flyer template (available electronically from ALS
  and NSLS web sites)
• College newspaper ad (available electronically
  from ALS and NSLS web sites)
• 1 press release (available electronically from
  ALS and NSLS web sites)
• 1 thirty second PSA (available electronically
  from ALS and NSLS web sites)

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The Brand

• How would we name our service?
• What would we name our service?

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Icon/Web design

• Simantel and Infobahn Outfitters, the web
  designers (Macomb, IL), worked together to
  integrate the brand and icon into the web design.

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Icon Choices
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(PSA Script)   30 Public Service
Announcement       Have you ever found yourself
in need of quick access to information? Illinois
librarians are now just a click away!
MyWebLibrarian.com a free service lets you
interact online and in real time with a
professional librarian, 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. Its fast, easy, and a credible
source for information. Visit www.MyWebLibrarian.c
om. You have questions. Our online librarians
have   answers 24/7.
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Sample PowerPoint Template

• ?

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Other Marketing Items Developed

• Talking Points (for consistent message)
• Banners

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PARTICIPATING LIBRARIES

• Going into project, there were 21 libraries.
• Now 37 libraries, 220 librarians
• 21 Publics
• 9 Academics
• 6 Hospitals
• 1 School
• ..representing 4 Illinois library systems

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How Have the Participants Used the Marketing?

• During press conferences/press releases
• For newspaper articles (community campus)
• In dorms and around building (posters/flyers)
• Hang banners at special events
• New orientation sessions
• In ads at bottom of email reference responses
• To co-brand
• Parents/students events
• Door hangers

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Which approaches?

• Go broad spectrum using and expanding upon the
  techniques described.

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Which approaches?

• Icons--need to be prominently featured around
  ones website
• Academic distance learning pages professors
  webpages.
• Public library website Chamber of Commerce
  pages.
• Hospital consumer health section physicians,
  nurses, and other staff.
• School homework help section, sports, etc.

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Which approaches?

• Print marketing
• Newspaper articles
• Library orientation
• Bookmarkshand out at various desks
• Flyers, posters, door hangers in student
  residences, doctors lounges, offices

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Which approaches?

• Your Voice!
• Talk up the service with Boards, committees, user
  groups, etc.
• Discuss program on local TV programs.

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How often do we need to advertise?

• Constantly!
• Beginning middle of academic year.

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How do we pay?

• Collaboration reduces costs.
• Use free advertisement whenever possible.

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For more information, contactMary-Carol
Lindbloommclindbloom_at_alliancelibrarysystem.com21
7-223-2560309-353-4110 ext. 2401 (voicemail)
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QUESTIONS??