Download - MLA Poster Session
Internet Reader’s Advisory:
Outreaching RA
Kathryn BergeronSystems Librarian
Baldwin Public Library
Libraries? Overrated! I can get everything I
need online
Goals
Step 1: Find Your Patrons Online
You know, the library is on Facebook and Twitter.
Whereas many patrons are not aware of library servicesWhereas outreach is an essential part of library servicesWhereas many of our patrons rely heavily on the
internet for their entertainment and their information
Whereas Reader’s Advisory is an essential and under-utilized library service
We commit to out-reaching to patrons through new and innovative methods to bring Reader’s Advisory to them
We commit to expanding knowledge of library services through interaction with online library patrons as well as in person patrons.
Step 2: Once you know where they are:
Go To Them
Popular Places to Find Patrons:
- Facebook- Twitter- Myspace- Foursquare- Slideshare- Blog- Meebo- LinkedIn- Ning- Flickr- YouTube- Second Life- Good Reads
Questions to ask:- Where are your other
local libraries online? - Where are other
organizations in your community?
- What sites are your patrons using when you walk past their computers?
- Have you searched for your library lately? In Google? On Twitter?
- What are people saying about you?
Step 3: Engage Them
Social Networking is not just for announcing events. ENGAGE PATRONS!
- Talk to your patrons- Respond to their posts- Search for them on places like twitter, and respond
to them- Encourage them to share your posts or share your
page with their friends- Post fun articles or videos related to libraries or
books- Post about other library or consortium events, and
tag them in your posts – let them share and respond (MeL.org is great about this!)
Meh. I’ll still
probably just use Amazon.
They post some cool stuff. Plus, they listen to
what we want.
Step 4: Give Them What They Want
- Look at what they’re talking about, and talk about it with them- Ex. NYPL’s “Mad Men” booklist- Ex. New books & DVD lists- Ex. Latest award winners and hot books
- Find patrons who post about specific books, movies, new technologies, etc… and engage them.- Ex. You post about your iPad, we send you the title of a
new book about essential iPad apps- Ex. You post that you loved The Help and we send you
a link to Little Bee by Chris Cleave.- Ex. You respond to our new movies post and we send
you a message offering to put next week’s new movies on hold.
- If you still don’t know what they like, ASK THEM! That’s the beauty of social networking!- Best Books Friday: Ask people to post their favorite
books of the week- Halloween Costume Books: Who is your favorite literary
character to dress-up as?
I tweeted about WoW* and they sent me a list of books with strategies, stats, and quest
data…
*World of Warcraft
I love the library…Plus, it’s an e-Book.
Step 5: Reach out with other services