February 17, 2022
The Resource Sharing SIG was held on Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 2 pm via Zoom. The meeting was facilitated by Lori Mullooly from Dominican College.
This SIG started with a presentation from Lori -- "Marketing Your Inter-library Loan services"
Notes
If posting on social media about ILL services, what would be the best thing to link to?
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Rather than linking to a system homepage, it would probably be best to link to an FAQ or an about page on the ILL service. That way they can learn a bit more about the service before utilizing it.
What are some specific pain points or barriers for entry into inter-library loan?
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One example is having multiple systems available for inter-library loan, such as ConnectNY in addition to a system catalog. (Or SEAL plus a shared library catalog.) Some patrons might not know which resource to use for specific materials.
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If you are getting the same questions over and over, that can be a sign that you need to address a specific issue.
Some tips for messaging:
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User testimonials can be a great way to advertise. This provides an elevator pitch on why ILL is a useful tool.
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You can get different testimonials from different users (such as students vs. faculty). This will highlight different perspectives on ILL.
What is the most powerful tool for inter-library loan marketing? What really gets people to remember and use the service?
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General marketing is great, but that hands-on help at the point of need can be really memorable.
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You can demonstrate how ILL works and walk them through it.
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This is why it’s so important for multiple people at a single library to be aware of ILL. The more they know, the more they can start incorporating it into their own workflows.
Are there any marketing campaigns at other libraries that have stuck out to you?
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Albany Public Library: recently posted pictures of their branches compared to Tilda Swinton outfits.
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One local library has puns on a billboard! This encourages people to drive by the building to see what new pun they have.
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One library newsletter has incredible graphics with a great visual appeal. The newsletter is read all the way through.
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A few suggestions for newsletter: vista create for graphics (used to be Crello).
Some suggestions for an ILL elevator speech:
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Emphasize the ease of use. Do you want that? I can get that.
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Are you looking for a resource that we don’t have here? We can get it for you!
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Sometimes it’s confusing for folks who are using system holds and inter-library loan outside of the system (like SEAL). Maybe find ways to simplify the terminology or make it seem more accessible.
Any other resources for marketing?
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One surprising avenue…buttons! Students at one academic library love to make buttons to distribute. Can be a fun way to draw attention to services.
How are ILL numbers looking at the moment:
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A lot of doctors / hospital folks are seeing increases in their numbers.
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The sense is that materials are being used more.
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More people are coming into libraries.
People were interested in seeing the SIG center around a specific ILL / Access services topic. The next meeting is scheduled for May 19th at 2 p.m.