CCLS Telling The Library Story

CCLS Telling The Library Story Rev. 2018 EMA http://www.ccls.org

Notes about this Learning Module • Please review the links to documents and websites in this module. Information in these references could be part of the final quiz! • The Quiz button will take you to the module quiz. • The Fill Out CE Form button will take you to the CE form. • Directions for navigating the module plus printing and saving your quiz results: User Guide Any other questions? Please email the Staff Development Coordinator 2

What you will Learn … • Understand the need for telling the ‘library story’ • Understand the elements of a compelling story • Know how to tell your library stories to all the right people 3

QUIZ • There is a 10 point quiz at the end of this learning module. • You need to get 100% on the quiz to get credit for completing the learning module. 4

Challenges for Libraries • Funding dollars becoming more scarce • Competition from others- both in person and on- line - providing services and programs that are similar to what the library offers

Stories are how people learn best. We absorb numbers and facts and details, but we keep them all glued into our brains with stories. The human species is a narrative species. We used to sit around the campfire and tell the story of the day. It is an important part of our nature. 6

We start learning to tell and listen to stories at a very early age and spend the rest of our lives telling them. It is so pervasive that we are unconscious of it just as we are of the air we breathe. It is something we already know how to do. 7

Libraries in general, and public libraries in particular, serve a uniquely central role in the universe of stories. Our services and resources are only the beginning; stories are central. We need to tell our story. Whether we call it storytelling, marketing, advocacy, promotion, or community outreach, we need to make the library's story heard in our communities. 8

Why Tell the Library Story? 9

Getting people to talk often and favorably to the right people in the right way about our libraries is far and away the best way to promote the services and value of your library. There is no more powerful communication technique than the simple act of one person talking to another. Who is more likely to persuade you to visit a new store? A TV or radio commercial or a good friend? 10

Our customers are more likely to act when they hear the library story from their friendly, trusted library staff like you! 11

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Telling the library story brings together elements that weave a compelling tale of the library’s value. Storytelling includes the following components: • Audience – to whom are we telling the story and why are we telling it to them? • Plot – what is the library story? • Characters – who are the important people in the story and what makes us care about them. • Props – what can you use to help effectively tell the story? What makes the story believable? • Script – what are the words that fit together to make the story 13

The Audience Even if you think you know exactly what to say, understanding what story your customer, friend or neighbor needs to hear, not just what you really want to say, is a vital part of telling a good story. Place yourself in the shoes of the listener. Your story must resonate with your listener and connect to what motivates them. 14

Pay attention to your audience. •Who is your listener? •What do you want the individual to do as a result of your story? •What does the individual already know about the library? •What are their interests? •What’s important to them? •What story will be the most effective? 15

Let’s say a customer comments on the wonderful storytimes your library offers … You could say, “Did you know that to be successful in school, children should have a vocabulary of between 5,000 to 6,000 words when they start kindergarten? Our storytimes build a child’s vocabulary, develop necessary social skills and help them become school-ready. Last year over 160,000 children attended our programs for children. Children are the window to our future. We hope you will tell your friends what an essential resource the Chester County Library System is.” ( Of course you would substitute your library’s name and statistics from your library!) 16

The Plot You need different stories that emphasize different aspects of the library depending on who you are trying to reach. For instance if you are talking with a person who owns a business, you would want your story to include how the library supports workforce development through its online tools, its classes and collection. 17

Educational Resources Community Activities Workforce Development These are plot starters! 18

Using any of these plot starters connects the person to what the community already values and puts the library in the context of meeting community’s needs. Enrichment for Everyone Early Literacy Small Business Resources 19

The Characters We have an almost endless list of The customer who found the information characters from about the latest research on breast cancer treatment and can now make an which to choose! informed decision about her treatment. ….. Or the business owner who located critical information about regulations for incorporating his new business. ….. Or the father who says his son returned to school reading with greater ease and enjoyment after participating in the library’s summer reading program. 20

Keep a notebook with you to record stories. However, remember library confidentiality. Do not use a customer’s name without permission. You can tell stories without using a person’s name or identifying characteristics. If the story is so unique that it might be a “once in a lifetime” story, be careful using it as that customer might overhear it at some point and see him or herself in it and feel uncomfortable. 21

The Props While our printed brochures, flyers and press releases are important, they serve to reinforce the word-of-mouth strategy. Word-of-mouth is best because it is trusted, timely and tailored. Word-of-mouth is • Affordable • Connecting • Engaging 22

Every voice counts. Every voice matters. Find your library story and tell it! 23

The Script Before you can convince anyone of the value of the library you have to “Know Yourself.” Ask yourself the following questions: • Why do I care about the library? • What is needed in my community that I believe the library can provide? • What are the most powerful examples of my library’s impact that I can think of? 24

•Who we are •What we do Your opening sentence has to draw them in. Starting out by simply stating \"I work at the library.” is great for people taking a census 25

Instead, to captivate your listener try: “I get children ready to learn…” or “I help jobseekers locate employment resources.” 26

Next you want to tell •Who we are them what we do. •What we do Not a laundry list – just highlights. 27

• Why does it matter Then you want to tell them the benefits. “Last week one of our patrons let us know because of the Excel classes he took at the library he was able to pass the employment test. He was hired and will start his new job next week.” 28

• Call to action End with: “more and more people are turning to our library for computer training and online resources for employment. Without sufficient funding we will be unable to meet this community need. Please help spread the word of how the library is an essential resource for workforce and economic development.” 29

Harness the power of words “We get children ready to learn.” “I help people find the information they need to make informed decisions.” “We help meet our community needs.” Keep it short and powerful 30

Representing the Library There are many situations in our daily lives that lend themselves to telling the library story. Be prepared! 31

If you still don’t believe in the power of story, think of how many times you have been fascinated by a good story… Stayed up late reading a good book… Pushed yourself harder after hearing an inspirational story… 32

Stories can capture our imaginations and make things real in a way that cold hard statistics can not. While data are obviously important and must be incorporated into our story, we have to touch the heart before we can influence the mind. 33

Telling the library story is not about you – it’s about meeting community Your voice is crucial in needs. making the case for your Since it is not about you there is no library. need to feel uncomfortable about Every contribution shamelessly promoting the library. . counts. Every voice counts. Every voice matters. Support is built and sustained over a considerable period of time and requires the efforts of many people. If every staff member told two friends/customers and they told two friends and so on… 34

You are now ready to test your knowledge! QUIZ Please Fill out your Continuing Education Form! Fill Out CE Form Thanks for taking this Learning for Success Module! 35

This publication is produced by the Chester County Library. © 2017 LMA The Chester County Library System is committed to equal access to programs, facilities and employment for all persons. 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton PA 19341 Phone: 610-280-2600 ~ Fax 610-280-2688 ~Home Page: http://www.ccls.org0471. 36