MARKETING DIGITAL
REFERENCE SERVICES
Mary-Carol Lindbloom
Monday, June 23, 2003
OUR VIRTUAL REFERENCE PROJECT
MyWebLibrarian: I’m online to help!
The project grew from two existing Illinois
virtual reference programs:
Answers Unlimited
Ask a Librarian Live Online
http://www.answersunlimited.org
READY FOR REFERENCE:
ACADEMIC LIBRARIES OFFER LIVE WEB-BASED
REFERENCE
Online! Anytime!@ your library ™
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.
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 State’s population.
LSTA GRANT FUNDING
• The Illinois State Library was interested
in facilitating cooperation among library
systems, and provided LSTA funding for
the project.
ANSWERS UNLIMTED +
READY FOR REFERENCE
=
???
The Marketing Plan
First Step: Hire a Marketing/PR Firm
Simantel (Peoria, IL) helped to develop:
•
•
•
•
Strategy
Brand (including marketing research)
Icon/Web design
Marketing materials
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.
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)
The Brand
How would we name our service?
What would we name our service?
Icon/Web design
Simantel and Infobahn Outfitters, the web
designers (Macomb, IL), worked together
to integrate the brand and icon into the
web design.
Icon Choices
(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. It’s fast, easy, and a
credible source for information.
Visit www.MyWebLibrarian.com. You have questions. Our online librarians have
answers 24/7.
Sample PowerPoint Template

Other Marketing Items Developed
• Talking Points (for consistent message)
• Banners
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
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
Which approaches?
Go “broad spectrum” using and expanding upon the
techniques described.
Which approaches?
• Icons--need to be prominently featured around
one’s website:
• Academic: distance learning pages; professor’s webpages.
• Public: library website; Chamber of Commerce pages.
• Hospital: consumer health section; physicians, nurses, and
other staff.
• School: homework help section, sports, etc.
Which approaches?
• Print marketing:
•
•
•
•
Newspaper articles
Library orientation
Bookmarks—hand out at various desks
Flyers, posters, door hangers in student
residences, doctor’s lounges, offices
Which approaches?
• Your Voice!
• Talk up the service with Boards, committees, user
groups, etc.
• Discuss program on local TV programs.
How often do we need to advertise?
• Constantly!
• Beginning & middle of academic year.
How do we pay?
• Collaboration reduces costs.
• Use free advertisement whenever
possible.
For more information, contact:
Mary-Carol Lindbloom
mclindbloom@alliancelibrarysystem.com
217-223-2560
309-353-4110 ext. 2401 (voicemail)
QUESTIONS??