ACRL New England Chapter News Online

ISSN 1527-0106

Winter 2003, Number 98

In This Issue (Home):

President's Letter

ACRL/NEC Spring Conference

Board Minutes Synopsis,
January 10, 2003

ACRL Chapters Council 2003
Midwinter Meeting Report

Academic and Research Library
@ Your Library Campaign

Announcements:
Mary Baker Eddy Library Archive
Inauguration

New England Technical Services
Librarians Spring 2003 Meeting

Serials Interest Group Spring Program

Women's Studies Interest Group
Spring Program

@ your library, The Campaign for America's Libraries, will launch the academic and research library component of its national initiative during the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) National Conference in Charlotte, N.C., April 10-13, 2003.

Developed in collaboration with ACRL, the campaign has several key external goals. These include promoting an understanding of the value of academic and research libraries and librarians in the 21st century; promoting awareness of the unique role of academic libraries and their contributions to society; increasing visibility and support for academic and research libraries and librarians; helping librarians better market their services on-site and online; positioning academic and research librarianship as a desirable career opportunity; and fostering a greater connection with other types of libraries. The campaign also will position academic and research libraries and librarians more prominently in the American Library Association (ALA) national public awareness efforts.

The campaign will target undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, administrators and staff as primary audiences. Secondary audiences to be addressed include alumni, individual donors, institutional funders, trustees, policymakers, parents, the general community and media.

"This campaign is a terrific opportunity to generate a better understanding of the role of academic and research libraries and the contributions they make. I also hope it will foster a sense of pride among out members and the greater academic and research library community for the important work we do every day," says ACRL President Helen Spalding, Associate Director of University Libraries at University of Kansas City-Missouri. "Academic and research librarians will gain tools through the campaign that will help give voice to their stories. The national public relations effort can have a major impact on their key constituencies."

As a part of the planning process, approximately 40 academic and research librarians were invited to participate in a strategic planning and marketing retreat hosted by 3M Library Systems this fall. Participants discussed key issues concerning library marketing and publicity efforts on campus, including how to identify key users or "customers," how to develop appropriate messages, what vehicles of communication should be used to promote academic and research libraries, and how to prepare long-term marketing plans. 3M is a founding partner of The Campaign for America's Libraries.

Attendees also had the opportunity to critique a marketing manual developed by 3M that will be used during a full-day preconference on Thursday, April 10, during ACRL's National Conference. The preconference is entitled "Strategic Marketing for Academic and Research Libraries: Train the Trainer." Academic and research librarians interested in attending that preconference can register on the ACRL Web site. Attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis.

"One of our goals with this campaign is to provide academic and research libraries with the tools and resources they need to promote their programs, services and staff both on and off campus," says Ken Marks, chair of the ACRL @ your library taskforce and Dean of Libraries at University of Nevada-Las Vegas. "This preconference is specifically designed to help academic and research librarians train their colleagues in how to develop effective marketing plans for their library."

During the ACRL National Conference, new Web pages dedicated to the academic and research library campaign also will be unveiled. That site will be part of The Campaign for America's Libraries Web site. The site will include a free downloadable version of the 3M Marketing Manual, as well as a new toolkit of materials including programming and publicity ideas, artwork, customizable ads, sample press materials, librarian profiles, case studies of successful academic marketing efforts, tips on story collection, how to conduct media relations and more.

In addition, there will be a half-day workshop in June during the ALA Annual Conference in Toronto called "Survival in Academe: Marketing @ your library," which will be open to all academic and research librarians. That session will include an overview of the academic and research library campaign, how academic and research librarians can become advocates and what tools and resources are available through ALA and ACRL to help promote academic and research libraries and librarians on their campuses.

For more information on The Campaign for America's Libraries, please see http://www.ala.org/@yourlibrary.

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