ATLA TLM Strategic Checklist

 

Goals

Key Audiences

Outreach Strategy

 

Introduction

This “Strategic Checklist” includes questions that will help you determine your goals, key audiences and outreach strategy so you can continue to advocate for your library. It also contains examples of what some of your colleagues are doing to build relationships and advocate on behalf of their libraries.

GOALS
Think of your goals as all the stops you would make on a business trip. Setting goals will help you measure the success of your Theological Libraries Month activities and determine what steps may be needed next to continue advocating on behalf of your library. Here are several questions that will help guide you through the process of identifying your goals.

• What do people say/think about the library that you want to change?
• What is the most important aspect of the library you want your audiences to know?
• What is unique about your library?
• Do you want to spotlight the library’s role in the larger campus community?
• Do you want to have a more personal relationship with faculty? Administrators?
• How will you continue your advocacy after TLM?
• Are you looking to use TLM to increase the visibility of the library on campus?
• Do you want to highlight a particular aspect of the library during TLM?
• Is TLM an opportunity to raise awareness of the library’s online tools?
• At the end of October, what would success look like for TLM on your campus?
• Are you consulted before the budget is drawn up, or are you given a number after the budget is determined?
• Do you want to have a larger role in the budget process?

Example – Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary

In 2003, the director of library services set a goal of making the library a more active part of the campus community. The director looked at each of the parts of the community – faculty, students and administrators. First, connections were made with faculty on a personal level. Then the director brought in a well-known theologian for a lecture during TLM that was of interest to faculty and students. For students, the director set up a lab where reference librarians meet with students, review their papers and suggest resources that could make the papers better. All of these activities established a greater role for the library in the campus community and the academic process.

KEY AUDIENCES
If your goals are stops on a business trip, then your audiences are the people who will help you get there. Knowing your key audiences will help you focus your advocacy strategy. Below, we identify three audiences and provide questions that will help you prioritize them and find out what you need to know about them before creating your outreach strategy.

1. Faculty

Several ATLA members have mentioned that faculty members are the biggest advocates for their libraries. One member even said that a professor stood up for the library during budget negotiations. It is important to figure out who your key supporters are among the faculty, and start building or strengthen a relationship with them. These questions can help.

• Can you identify the faculty members who use the library most often? How well do you know them and their interests?
• Do you know if any faculty members have influence in the budget process?
• Do professors – current and new – know how the library can help them and what is new at the library?
• Do you know on what projects or research faculty members are working?
• Do faculty members get involved in TLM activities? If not, what can you do to get them more interested and willing to participate?

Example – Iliff School of Theology

At Iliff, librarians meet with new faculty regularly. It is an ideal time for the library staff to introduce the faculty to the resources at the library. It also is an opportunity for the librarians to get to know the faculty better – what interests them, new projects on which they’re working and curriculum they are using. The Iliff library staff also developed a worship service during Theological Libraries Month to show faculty that the library actively supports student ministry.

2. Administrators

Administrators’ interest in, and knowledge of, the library varies, as you know. Some know exactly what the needs are of the library and others don’t know much about the library at all. These questions will help you understand where your administrator is on this spectrum.

• Does the president know you? How often do you meet with him or her?
• Does the dean know the value the library brings to the campus community?
• Which administrator do you work with on library budget issues? Do you know this person on a purely professional or personal level?
• Does the president or dean know what the library needs to be successful?
• Do you know what challenges the president may be facing?
• Do you know what research areas may be of interest to the dean?
• Have you thought about ways you can help the president or dean?
• Do administrators get involved in TLM activities? If not, what can you do to get them more interested and willing to participate?

Example – Duke University Divinity School

At Duke, relationships with administrators have been built over time. A concerted effort to advocate on behalf of the library began about 20 years ago. There are several ways the library director continues to cultivate these relationships. Sometimes it is as simple as getting out of the library and walking around on campus or deliberately taking time to stroll down the administrative hallway to check in and say hello. At other times it is more targeted. For instance, he might talk with the dean about his research and inquire about how the library might be able to help, or he might send an e-mail to the dean about the needs of the library. A helpful suggestion: if you write an e-mail, compose the message and then edit it in half before actually sending it because most administrators prefer an executive summary over a thorough dissertation.

3. Alumni and Students

Students and alumni also can be influential in spreading the word about the value of the library. An alumna could tell other alumni about ATLAS for ALUMS. A student worker could tell others in his class about a program at the library. Asking the following questions will help you learn more about this audience.

• Do alumni contact the library?
• How are students using the library? Is this the best use of library resources?
• What are donors, alumni and students saying about the library?
• What do you know about this audience? Do you know more about one group than another?
• Are there TLM activities you could plan that would be of interest to donors or alumni?
• What TLM activities have you or your colleagues planned in the past that have been most successful in involving students?

 

Example – Westminster Theological Seminary

Westminster uses Theological Libraries Month as an opportunity to increase visibility of the library among students. They plan such activities as a history challenge, a treasure hunt and an open house. Library staff members meet with students to assist them with research and often send follow-up e-mails if they find something else that might be of interest to the students. The staff at Westminster also worked closely with the development office to make ATLAS for ALUMS available to alumni because they felt it had value for alumni. The database access showed others at the school the value of the library as a way to further cultivate relationships with alumni.

OUTREACH STRATEGY
Now that you know the stops you need to make on your business trip, and you know who will help you get there, you need to plan an itinerary – your outreach strategy. Your outreach strategy will guide you through the process of advocating for your library. It should include tactics such as meeting with your dean, organizing a breakfast at the library for new faculty or auditing a class. Here are the questions that will help you develop the outreach strategy that works best for you.

• What are you already doing to advocate for your library? How can you take that a step further?
• Are there people on campus you need to know better?
• Which key audiences and important decision-makers do you need to target?
• What are your greatest strengths or skills as a librarian? How can you use them in advocating for your library?
• What level of detail about the library does your audience need?
• What are your audiences saying about the library? Is it true? Does it need to change?
• In the end, what is it you want your audiences to do? Is it to use the library more? Increase funding?

You have goals. You’ve defined your key audiences. And, you have developed your outreach strategy for TLM and beyond. What’s next? Implement your outreach strategy. ATLA has created “Networking and Advocacy: A Guide” that will help you apply your strategy. It will provide you with best practices and success stories from your colleagues. And, it will suggest tactics you can use to influence key decision-makers and potential champions.

Theological Libraries Month is a great opportunity to enhance your advocacy program. However, building relationships on campus and advocating for your library is something you can – and should – do throughout the year.