ERIC Number: ED443442
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2000-Jun-29
Pages: 29
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Getting the Word Out: Publicizing and Teaching a New Online Library System.
Gedeon, Randle
When a new library system, WestCat, was installed in the Western Michigan University Libraries (August 1998), an initiative was undertaken to announce its arrival, establish its identity, and train the university community in its use. To promote this initiative, two committees were broadly charged with the responsibilities of publicity and instruction. This paper first describes the materials and approaches used in publicity that included: campus publications; promotional giveaways; World Wide Web-based announcements; traditional advertising; handbills; table tents; bookmarks; letters from the Dean; Frequently Asked Questions posted on the library homepage; the keyboard calendar distributed at campus events; and an insert in the campus newspaper. The second part of this paper focuses on the instructional initiative, for which a three-prong approach was proposed: (1) infuse WestCat into traditional library instruction forums; (2) liaison with academic departments, emphasizing the new system and its greater functionality; and (3) deliver a series of drop-in sessions taught by the library faculty and administration. The nine sections of the instructor's script that was developed to accompany the sessions are outlined, followed by discussion of attendance, specific impressions of the library faculty teaching the sessions, and future suggestions. Sample publicity materials are appended. (AEF)
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A