Increasing the use of online products

Increasing the use of online products:

Infotodayblog.com
Newsbank:
Peter Simon
Focused on proven ways to increase use online databases
http://newsbank.com/productuse/index.cfm?content=253

Dedicated resource page and provides links to it.
Organize rather than a-z
Brief description
Rather than using vendor pithy catch phrase
Watch linking
Use language that patrons will understand
“click here to search on …”

leslie williams (get paper)
“making libraries an online destination
problem:
associate libraries w/books not online services

librarians are not generally thought of as an online information source

“database’ not often understood as a way to get journals online

“multiple finding points”
“pathfinders”

Hennepin county library – good at promoting online resources
Subject Guides (an “about.com” type of expert subject specialist)
Portland library in Maine

Bigger challenge:
How do you reach beyond core audiences
Community partners
Chamber of commerce
Hospitals
Schools
City Government
(do they link to your library sources?)

Consortia and systems
State or regional

Indiana state libraries
http://www.Inspire.net
Easier Access

IP address verification

State ID or driver’s license

Login w/personalize pass word

Connecticut’s
http://www.Iconn.org

Iconn market survey
Found not must knowledge of product

Better
Emphasize offerings wth the most widespread appeal
For communications to targeted audiences, identify the offerings that appeal to various subgroups (small business owners etc.)


Usage growing.

Vendors
Have marketing experience, budget
Most are uncomfortable targeting end users;may fear conflict of interest
Vendors need to hear from us.

We need to stop marketing as if we were running for student body president.
Bookmarks and stickers just won’t cut it.

Thompson gale
http://www.Accessmylibrary.com
idea is to become more accessible to google

Tues Aug 29 Wall Street Journal

Power of adverstising
Can library online services become the bottled water of tomorrow?
Is now tapwater
Free but nobody thinks it is very good.


Tacoma Public library

Used Webfeat for “OneSearch@TPL”

Emails to patrons
Branding
All staff training
Homepage spotlight

Prior was a-z list

Catalog results in database results.
Also look at Omaha public library

PA – jeffw@pitt.edu jeff Wisniewski
Univ. of Pit

“frozen” PC - Is there a mac in the house?”

Best way – implement some sort of federated search

Also WebFeat
Branded as Zoom
Not speedy
Look at links through to full records # of searches don’t really help.
Faculty appreciate a-z list more experienced
In their field
Do as much cross ref as possible
Lessons:
Make it obvious
Make it easy
Make it ubiquitous
Our users don’t want to do Boolean searching = maybe we should move on.