rebranding the librarian profession
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November 10, 2007 HLA Annual Conference 1
Rebranding the LibrarianProfession: A Project of the ALA Emerging Leaders Program
Annis Lee AdamsUniversity of Hawaii at ManoaJenny EmanuelUniversity of Central Missouri
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
ALA Emerging Leaders Program
Leadership Training Project Selection Virtual Work Groups Poster Session
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
What is the ALA Emerging Leaders Program? Emerging Leaders began in 2007 as one of ALA
Immediate Past President Leslie Burger’s six initiatives.
The program enables newer librarians (< 5 years post-MLS) from across the country to: work on a small group project network with peers gain an inside look into ALA structure have an opportunity to serve the profession in a
leadership capacity
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
How we became ELs
Lee was sponsored by the Hawaii Library Association
Jenny was sponsored by the Missouri Library Association
Application included: Writing a personal statement Demonstrating employer support for us to attend ALA
Midwinter and Annual Conferences Providing a letter of recommendation Agreeing to commit to serving on an ALA committee
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Prior to the 2007 ALA Midwinter Meeting We were emailed a long list of potential projects We ranked our top choices We were assigned to a project with a team of six
people: 3 academic librarians 1 young adult librarian 1 government agency librarian 1 systems librarian for a public library consortium
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
At the Midwinter Meeting
We had a day long leadership training with handful of different speakers
A working lunch where we made a workplan with our team about our project
Evening reception for networking with ELs and ALA folks
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
At ALA Annual Conference
Half day of leadership training Working lunch to set up posters Poster session with the findings of our
survey
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Our Project
What are the options for rebranding the librarian profession in the digital age?
We decided to conduct a survey of library folk using Survey Monkey
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Survey Objectives
Analyze current stereotypes of librarians Research options for rebranding the librarian
profession Question library professionals on the
perceptions of librarians and what a better image may be
Propose solutions for rebranding the librarian profession
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Examples of Past Efforts at Rebranding
Ms. Dewey (search engine) Lipstick Librarian (blog) You Don’t Look Like a Librarian (blog) ALA Read Posters @ Your Library
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Obstacles to Rebranding
Diversity of types of libraries and librarians makes it difficult to come up with a single brand
Librarians generally do not have marketing background
Lack of funding for marketing campaigns
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Survey Methodology Survey had 13 questions distributed via
listservs, blogs, and AL Direct (ALA e-newsletter)
4 demographic questions: age, librarian?, education, employer
3 on library use 2 on perceptions of librarians 1 Likert scale with 10 general statements about
librarians 3 open-ended questions: describe the librarian
of the digital age, how to communicate about the profession, “only a librarian can deliver __ to__”
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Results
Over 3400 responses
88.3% of respondents were librarians
Mostly academic (39.9%) and public (29.1%) librarians
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Respondent Demographics
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Respondents’ perceptions of librarians
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
How respondents ranked others’ perceptions of librarians
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Librarians:
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Librarians:
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
What 3 words describe the librarian in the digital age? Tech Savvy (687) Information/Informed (376) Knowledgeable (368) Flexible (317) Savvy (277) Innovative (262) Helpful (208)
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Summary & Recommendations
The librarian community believes the current
public perception of librarians is “Book Expert,”
while we think of ourselves as “Research Experts.”
So, 3 suggestions of how to reposition ourselves in the public eye as the "ultimate human search engine" and escape the single-focused stereotype of "book worm“. . .
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Recommendation 1
Design a media marketing campaign for television, radio, online outlets, and print that shows realistic, modern librarians doing the diversity of work within the profession.
Show librarians that are adaptable, cutting edge, helpful, hip, innovative, professional, and tech-savvy.
Promote the person, instead of the building. This will demystify the profession and entice
others to consider such a career. The librarian as an "Info-naut."
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Recommendation 2
Rethink the library as a physical location. Bring the services librarians provide "out of the
stacks" and into the community. Create a "third space" that showcases library
services that are integrated into the physical and virtual community.
Librarians "taking to the streets" of both communities and cyberspace.
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Recommendation 3
Network beyond the librarian profession and "infiltrate" other professional associations and publications.
Demonstrate the powerful skill set of librarians and the valuable contributions they can make to the success of all professions.
Librarians as keystone professionals in society like doctors and lawyers.
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Our Project Team
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Emerging Leaders: Our Experiences Pluses
Networking Working with young librarians wanting to move
librarianship forward Minuses
Did not learn much about ALA Lack of mentorship Little guidance in joining an ALA committee despite it
being a requirement of the program
HLA Annual ConferenceNovember 10, 2007
Any Questions??
Thank you for attending our session!
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