Top Ten Tips for Library Outreach

Library outreach is important for reaching potential users who generally do not come to the library.  It brings the library and its services to them.  We typically view these groups as:

• Those who are non-users
• Those who have special needs (e.g., visually, hearing and mobility impaired)
• Those who are typically underserved

If you are responsible for outreach in your community here are some tips to help your planning:

1. Identify those who do not have access to the library.  Conduct a cursory demographic search of the community.  The Census Bureau’s American Factfinder and new  programs like the American Community Survey can provide the latest statistical data.
2. Do not approach outreach services as a one-time event or program.  Your goal is to foster an on-going working relationship with the targeted group.
3. Are you busy but need a low impact idea to reach the underserved?  Why not arrange to go to a facility or institution regularly to read the newspaper or discuss current events?  It will allow you to promote materials from your library.  Technorati has a great page with up-to-the-minute blogs on all things current.
4. Go outside your system.  Marketing your library will help make contacts that can help facilitate your objective.  This should include using the web (RSS, wikis, blogs) and local media for promotion.
5. Need a reason to approach a group or institution for outreach?  Find special days or months to celebrate and prepare accordingly.  To identify what’s being celebrated, use Google to search special holidays (Chase’s Calendar of Events can be viewed online at Google Books).
6. Approach a senior citizens center, nursing home or assisted living facility.  They’ll be happy to have you.  Can you do a simple book talk during lunch at an adult day care center?
7. Be informal.  Is there a large business, school or government agency in the area where you can present while holding a brownbag lunch.  You bring the soft drinks and cookies, attendees relax and listen while you handle your topic.
8. Is it possible to conduct outreach invisibly?  Eye catching displays promoting your services can be effective.  Don’t forget to leave ample bookmarks or fliers so they know how to contact you.  And always include your library’s URL on the promotional material-that’s the first place they’ll look.
9. Use your technology skills.  Demonstrate social networking to one of the many groups you can educate about communicating in today’s world.  Can you teach adults to use Flickr or Delicious?  Can you produce podcasts for the visually impaired or streaming video for the hearing impaired?
10. If you do not have the training, or can’t find the expertise at your local or regional library, consider partnering with SLRC staff to satisfy your outreach responsibilities.  SLRC specialists have the requisite experience to help and will be happy to work with