Core Library Leaders and Managers Interest Group

How do you share information about your library program to others in your institution?  If an academic library, what tools are at your disposal to communicate with non-library employees across campus?  If a public library, how do you communicate to your governing board or municipal funding agents?  As a school librarian, how do you communicate programming to teachers and school administrators?

Use the reply function to share your tips and tricks to others!

------------------------------
Erik Nordberg
Dean of the Paul Meek Library
University of Tennessee at Martin
He/Him/His
------------------------------

At my university, there are several communications channels we can use to reach faculty and staff.  We've developed a checklist process to guide our messaging to these outlets.  These include:

 - A campus-wide e-mail distribution list. It is a moderated list, but there usually isn't too much lag time.
- A weekly campus e-newsletter.
- Our campus events platform (Runway).
- Television monitors and other screens with rotating graphical images.
- Posters and flyers.
- Social media.

------------------------------
Erik Nordberg
Dean of the Paul Meek Library
University of Tennessee at Martin
He/Him/His
------------------------------

Word of mouth is a powerful tool, but sometimes we need other entities to help amplify our message.

I have often asked another department or one of my peers to re-post or forward a message within their department or circle of contacts on campus. 

While many people find my communications valuable (and why wouldn't they? 😐), receiving the same message from a trusted source can increase its impact.

------------------------------
Erik Nordberg
Dean of the Paul Meek Library
University of Tennessee at Martin
He/Him/His
------------------------------

On the topic of getting messages out to campus constituencies from an academic library, it seems to be helpful to build relationships with the right people. Make connections with communications staff, with departmental administrators, with leaders of student groups -- anyone who is likely to hold the keys to the listserv.

Relationships can also get library people invited to speak to the meetings of academic departments, which can be great opportunities to share information (both from and to the library).

-Miranda

------------------------------
Miranda Bennett
Director of Shared Collections
California Digital Library
------------------------------