Transcript Slide 1

Perfect
Storm
Library
administrators can
create a public
relations coup by
making "insiders"
of community
leaders.
Showing influential
community members
the complexity and
sophistication of the
library's behind-thescenes operations
can be a good first
step to making them
loyal supporters.
In the process,
board members,
Friends officers,
school and
academic
administrators,
etc. can learn
about the
institution they
hold in trust.
Frequently
community leaders
may have little or no
connection with the
library or even use it
Provide a
"leaders' tour"
through areas of
the library that
are frequently
“off-limits” to
non-employees.
Send out
invitations, six
weeks in advance
of the selected
evening, to 25
community
leaders.
Each invitee and a guest are asked
to join the director, trustees, and
key staff members for a buffet
supper and tour.
Put together a good
mix of guests
Our experience shows that, of the 25
leaders invited to each tour, 10-15 will be
able to attend. About half bring a guest,
resulting in an average of 15-25 attendees.
Leaders of civic organizations, youth
groups, political clubs, the chamber of
commerce, fraternal organizations,
volunteer fire and ambulance
departments, senior citizen organizations,
school and PTA officials, local editors and
reporters, religious leaders –
Every community is unique
To prepare, identify interesting tasks,
processes, and/or equipment as features
of the tour (the features selected vary from
tour to tour). After the choices are made,
the staff members who regularly perform
these tasks or work with the equipment
outline a presentation, receive input from
colleagues.
At this point, if possible, board
members observe the
presentations. Their questions
frequently mirror those of the
invitees, and help the staff prepare
an effective presentation.
Guests arrive in the library's meeting
room at 6:15 p.m. for refreshments. At
6:30, they are formally greeted by the
library director and then seated at
tables, where they sit with a board
member and a staff member. The
buffet dinner lasts until about 7:15
p.m.
during which a slide show featuring
scenes of people using the library
is projected as a background.
After dinner the guests are given an agenda for
the tour and are split into five groups, each led
by a trustee-guide. The tour is broken into 12minute segments, with three minutes allotted
to move to the next station. Keeping to this
schedule ensures that there is only one group at
a station at any time and that our guests have a
clear view of each presentation.
That is why it is important to PRACTICE to get
the time down beforehand.
Save questions to
the end – to keep
to schedule
Although 12 minutes may not seem like a
long time, it is sufficient for carefully
structured and rehearsed presentations.
Community leaders are extremely busy
people; many leave the library immediately
following the tour to attend other
meetings. Providing supper and ending the
program before 9 p.m. are two factors that
have contributed to the tours' success.
Our guests have displayed interest
in a wide variety of activities
RFID
If you can, fit
presentations to
guests’ interests
Following the 75-minute tour,
the trustees and leaders return
to the meeting room for
dessert, the opportunity to ask
questions of the director and
key staff members, and closing
words by the board president
Huge benefits, small costs
Invariably, the reaction of the
leaders is positive. A special bonus
was that community opinionformers saw firsthand how
crowded the staff work areas were.
We believe this was an important
step in winning voter approval for a
bond issue to finance a 24,000-sq.ft. addition
STRESS
In addition, competitive wages for
staff are more palatable when
community leaders see the talent
that is necessary to provide
efficient, high-quality library
service. Throughout the tours, the
library staff's efforts to provide
services in a cost-conscious way
are emphasized.
One gauge of the effectiveness of
the tours is calls from other leaders
who contact us to ask when they
can come for a tour!
What to do for a non-invitee
who has hurt feelings?
The expenses associated with this
program are modest. A $10 to $15per-person cost for supper is the
only direct cost and for some tours
we had a caterer provide the food
at a reduced fee in exchange for
positive publicity; staff time and
printing a program are the only
other direct expenses.
Employee schedules are
rearranged to permit the staff
members who are working at the
stations to be on duty the evening
of the tour.
For obvious reasons, we try to
schedule tours on our busiest
evening—which varies from library
to library.
The benefits of these
tours are significant
#1
Staff, especially those who work
behind the scenes, get a chance to
be recognized by the public
The excitement as the staff
prepares is a morale builder, and
staff get immediate and obvious
positive "vibes" from important
people--community leaders and
library trustees.
The positive impression made on
the leaders and the obvious pride
of board members in the staff's
accomplishments are wonderful
rewards for the staff involved.
#2
Board members also love this program.
They have the opportunity to become
more fully educated regarding their trust,
to renew politically important contacts,
and to partner with library staff members
in a positive undertaking.
These board members, who serve with
no pay, are rewarded in a very real way
when they see and hear the
enthusiastic reactions of the leaders.
#3
The leaders' reward, of course, is
that they now feel like insiders,
having been exposed to the
complexity of the behind-thescenes operation of the library.
They appreciate the efforts of the
trustees and the staff, as well as
the recognition that they are
leaders. Since the leadership of the
organizations changes, there is
always a pool of new leaders to
invite.
#4
The Library’s reward?
Better support from
community leaders who have
greater appreciation for the
library’s staff and services
In some cases, when
leaders see what the
Library offers, they
become regular users