Topic:Organizing Library Events

Facilitator: Alycia Sellie

Topic Overview:

• Marketing
• Outreach
• Getting people to attend events

Things that have worked well:

• Thinking about community you serve
• How do you package services?
• How do you deliver it so as to ensure that patrons come back?

Types of events:

• Orientations—targeting groups
• Why can’t we have public library type author night?

Using multicolored cards to prompt participation:

• Hand out at start
• Practical pedagogy for library instructors

Allowing students to “own” the library space:

• Using the library as an event venue
• Student liaisons—student influence on content
• Input on policies—plugged into campus life
• Successful marketing—friends of the library
• Organized an event around musical theater

Workshops targeting faculty and staff:

• Free social networking
• Timing and scheduling can be an issue
• Marketing

Partner networking events with other departments:

• Writing Center
• Academic Support Center
• Finding people on campus who are looking for workshops to be done
• Keeping in touch with various groups on campus
• Making sure lines of communication are open
• Getting credits to students
• Exploiting “snob appeal”: RSVP—invitation only—creating cachet for event

Try everything—collaborate with everyone.