Reach Out! Motivating and Involving All Staff in Community Outreach - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

reach out motivating and involving all staff in community
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Reach Out! Motivating and Involving All Staff in Community Outreach - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Reach Out! Motivating and Involving All Staff in Community Outreach Meet the OPACs - Online People Access Crew Natalie Couch, Chattahoochee Valley Libraries Angela Glowcheski, Sequoyah Regional Library System Stephanie Irvin, Georgia


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Reach Out! Motivating and Involving All Staff in Community Outreach

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Meet the OPACs - Online People Access Crew

  • Natalie Couch, Chattahoochee Valley Libraries
  • Angela Glowcheski, Sequoyah Regional Library System
  • Stephanie Irvin, Georgia Libraries for Accessible Statewide Services
  • James O’Neal, Middle Georgia Regional Library
  • Tracy Walker, Chestatee Regional Library System
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The Problem

How do we guide staff to go outside library walls and connect with community members who do not venture into the library?

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What are the obstacles that library staff members must tackle before they are ready to serve? Librarians are wedded to the building

  • Maintain operation hours
  • Staff to workload ratio
  • Building maintenance
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What are obstacles that library staff members must tackle before they are ready to serve? Overextended agendas

  • Libraries are for

everyone … everyone?

  • Not aligning work

with strategic goals

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What are the obstacles that library staff members must tackle before they are ready to serve? Outreach can be intimidating

  • Librarian as expert or

educator

  • Fear of change and public

speaking

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Survey Results

In early 2017, we surveyed Georgia Public Library directors about library outreach behaviors and perceived barriers to outreach . 33 directors (out of 63 library systems) responded to the survey of 10 questions.

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Directors’ Comments

  • 100% of respondents conduct outreach in their

systems

  • On average, respondents stated that about 28% of

total staff conduct outreach

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Directors’ Comments

What do you think are barriers to staff working within the community outside of the library?

  • Time and money/resources
  • Community groups’ lack of perceived value from library outreach services
  • Staff lack knowledge about community needs
  • Staff are not comfortable, willing participants in efforts with outside

individuals/groups and leaving library premises

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Solution: Make Outreach a Method

  • Staff Training
  • Evaluation Tools
  • Assessment of Staff
  • Purposeful Outreach
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Solution: Make Outreach a Method

  • Integrate outreach into all departments
  • Build skills by staff training
  • View librarian as an outreach participant - not an expert
  • Focus on active engagement
  • Perceive it as a time to form connections
  • Establish relationships
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Staff-Focused Outreach & Participation

❏ Staff Training Model for Outreach ❏ Outreach Survey Tools ❏ Assessment for Administrative Staff ❏ Staff Questionnaire ❏ Outreach Checklist ❏ Post Outreach Assessment Tool

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Staff Focused Outreach

❏ Step One: Surveys ❏ Step Two: Scripts ❏ Step Three: Training

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Staff Focused Outreach

Outreach Survey Tools

  • Administrative Staff Questionnaire

○ Guide toward organizations and services

  • Staff Questionnaire

○ Highlight staff skills, interest and current civic involvement

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Staff Focused Outreach

❏ Step One: Surveys ❏ Step Two: Scripts ❏ Step Three: Training

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Staff Focused Outreach

❏ Step One: Surveys ❏ Step Two: Scripts ❏ Step Three: Training

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Staff Focused Outreach

Outreach Checklist - Help Organize Staff for Event

  • Create clear understanding of audience
  • Prepare key talking points
  • Materials to take
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Staff Focused Outreach

Post Outreach Assessment Tool

  • Allows staff member to organize thoughts
  • Outlines what worked and what didn’t
  • Opportunity to share what would have been better
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How Our Tool Addresses Concerns

Obstacles Faced

  • Librarians are wedded to the building
  • Overextended agendas
  • Outreach is intimidating
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How Our Tool Addresses Concerns

  • Planned, organized outreach efforts
  • Use checklist to focus outreach and plan goals
  • Ease staff worry with practice
  • Chance to build a relationship

How Our Tool Addresses Concerns

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Questions?

Find our toolkit at www.bit.ly/toolkitoutreach