Library orientation is always difficult: How do you get your patrons to learn about the library, while keeping them engaged? How do you introduce research to students who are more worried about getting their parking pass and financial aid figured out? How do you connect with new associates in a meaningful way so that they feel comfortable approaching you in the future? Arming your librarians with different strategies for engagement is key to a successful orientation and a valued library. From Battledecks-style presentations to balloon towers in the reading room, this presentation will provide in-class and in-library activities you can use to get to know your students and get them to know your library. It will also explore how to reach students through virtual tours, creating videos to personalize the library, and other ways to include orientation activities in your library's online presence. Law firms present their own challenges when it comes to associate, paralegal, and staff orientations. This presentation will also draw from experiences conducting orientations in a large law firm setting and demonstrate how early engagement leads to more valued firm librarians and firm libraries.
Amping Up Library Orientation
NO MORE LIBRARY TOURS!*CHANTING PATRONS*capture library patrons
by amping up your library orientation#AALL12
KATE [email protected]@kisjdmls#AALL12
#AALL12ASHLEY [email protected]
#AALL12SHARI B. [email protected]
LIZ MCCURRY [email protected]@LJatWake#AALL12Boring
Library ToursWhat we did to spice it up
Bring it onHow it challenged us
Moving on upAdvice from the TRENCHES
Goals#AALL12BORING LIBRARY TOURS?#AALL12GOALSdeveloping a common
vocabulary
learning backgrounds
defining research
#AALL12BATTLEDECKS=KNOWLEDGEASSESSMENTdiscussing research
experience#AALL12#AALL12#AALL12
#AALL12Familiarity in the Unknown
#AALL12
Scary?#AALL12TAKING THE LIBRARY TO THE STUDENTS
VIRTUALLY#AALL12WHY?#AALL12SCALE!COMPOUNDING FACTORSNO
APPLICATIONDEADLINEFULL TIMEPART TIMEDAYNIGHTSPRING STARTFALL
START4798515MEMORIES
Small GroupsToursRotating SectionsDog & Pony Shows
16MEMORIES
17MOVING FORWARDIN PERSONPREORIENTATIONcurrent student
faqexposure to all staff & service areastemper orientation
boredompolicies and proceduresstaff introductionsvirtual tour of
the libraryKEEPERSMULTIMEDIA18USING MULTIMEDIAENABLES US TO
REACHALL OF OUR STUDENTS,REGARDLESS OF THEIRTHE DATE THEY FIRST SET
FOOT ON OUR CAMPUSPLACE OF ORIGIN ADMISSION DATE
Q&APreexisting Student footageStaff recorded answersSweet
Navigation Controls!20
Q&APreexisting Student footageStaff recorded answersSweet
Navigation Controls!21WELCOME TOTHE LIBRARYFeaturing the song Addy
Will Know by SNMNMNMsnmnmnm.bandcamp.com
22WELCOME TOTHE LIBRARYFeaturing the song Addy Will Know by
SNMNMNMsnmnmnm.bandcamp.com
23
D2LPREORIENTATIONORIENTATION24
Main Content
25
D2L26Online Tour
27Online Tour
28
D2L29MEET OUR STAFF
30
D2L31Discussion Board
32Links & ProgramsMeet the StaffAdobe Illustrator &
Photoshop, Techsmith Camtasia, MS
Powerpointwww.charlottelaw.edu/downloads/lp/orientation/MeetTheStaff/MeetTheStaff.htmlQ
& AAdobe Audition, Illustrator, & Photoshop, Techsmith
Camtasia & Snagit, Sony
Vegashttp://www.charlottelaw.edu/downloads/lp/orientation/QAX2012/QAX2012.htmlLibrary
TourAdobe Audition, Illustrator, Photoshop, & Presenter, Sony
Vegaswww.charlottelaw.edu/librarytour/index.htmMusic VideoAdobe
Audition, Illustrator, & Photoshop, Sony
Vegaswww.charlottelaw.edu/downloads/lp/orientation/LibraryFunIntro/LibraryFunIntro.html33REEDSMITH
LLP AT A GLANCEINTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM13 U.S. CITIES; 9
INTERNATIONAL CITIES3400+ TOTAL EMPLOYEES 1600+ ATTORNEYS40+
PRACTICE AREAS & INDUSTRIES
DELAWARE VALLEY OFFICES: PHILADELPHIA, PRINCETON,
WILMINGTONALMOST 400 EMPLOYEES including 223 ATTORNEYS (12.5% OF
THE FIRM)#AALL12 Reed Smith LLP. All rights reserved.35READY
SET
PREP!RECEIVE THE BASICSNAME, POSITION, PRACTICE GROUPSTART DATE
AND LOCATION
PREPARE TO TRAINGATHER ORIENTATION MATERIALSLEARN THE WHO HOW
WHAT#AALL12
Reed Smith LLP. All rights reserved.36Thats your cuego get
em!YOU are their personal tour guide
MEET AND GREET with their library team
SHOW OFF your library
COVER THE BASICSOrientation MaterialsGeneral Library
Procedures
#AALL12
Reed Smith LLP. All rights reserved.37SO MANY RESOURCES!AROUND
EVERY CORNERprint materialsthe intranet
VARIETY OF VENDORS/PUBLISHERS AND CLIENT COSTS
LEVELSbillablenon-billablefree websites
YOUR LIBRARY TEAM
#AALL12
Reed Smith LLP. All rights reserved.38TIPS AND TRICKSMAKE IT
PERSONALPractice-oriented examplesMake it interactive
LET YOUR PERSONALITY SHINEHumorPersonal stories
CHANNEL YOUR INNER PSYCHIC!#AALL12
Reed Smith LLP. All rights reserved.39IS ORIENTATION OVER NOW?
OPPORTUNITIES ALWAYS PRESENT THEMSELVESresearch requests practice
group meetingsfirm-wide trainings
LIBRARIANS CAN NEVER STOP TEACHINGNEVER!
Reed Smith LLP. All rights reserved.40
ORIENTATION = USAGE & VALUE#AALL12# of requests Reed Smith
LLP. All rights reserved.41EXPLORING THE LIBRARY &WORKING IN
TEAMSBalloon Tower of Terror Handout available on AALL2Go
#AALL12OBJECTIVESFUN. INTRODUCTION.RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.Balloon
Tower of Terror Handout available on AALL2Go #AALL12
LEARNING #AALL12BUILDING NEW SKILLS
#AALL12bring it onTHERE WERE CHALLENGESRIGHT?#AALL12THE YAWN
FACTORsome staff members are a lot more interesting in person than
on camera
WE WANT EVERYONE TO PLAY!getting extensive participation in the
D2L course was difficult
KEEPING IT CURRENT with staff turnover, we have to update some
of our multimedia every semester
#AALL12E-ORIENTATIONIM JUST A BILL (ABLE HOUR) OR TIME IS OF THE
ESSENCElots of information, little timeemphasis on hitting the
ground runningrememberyou are busy too
COST EFFECTIVE RESEARCH SKILLSexperienced or newly-minted
attorneyprevious training and knowledge of costsknowledge of
available resources
TRAINING REMOTELYdifficult to readpost-orientation
follow-up#AALL12 FIRM ORIENTATIONS
THE CHALLENGES BEFORE US ARE MANY
AND WE ARE UP TO THE TASK (WAS THERE EVER A DOUBT?!)CHANGES ARE
THE ONLY CONSTANTresource availability
OFFICE CULTURES AND INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIESadapting is key
IMPROVEMENT IS ALWAYS POSSIBLErefining materials, examples, and
presentation
FIRM ORIENTATIONS#AALL12 Reed Smith LLP. All rights
reserved.50LOGISTICAL CHALLENGESneeded assistance of colleague to
compile decksrequired volunteers (including me)should have had a
camera operator!
PERFORMANCE CHALLENGEShad to explain what battledecks was a
video demo would have been really helpfulworked best when students
had no idea of the context for the
slides#AALL12BATTLEDECKSLOGISTICAL CHALLENGESprep work & size
does count.noise.
PERFORMANCE CHALLENGESjust saying no.giving up too
soon.#AALL12BALLOON TOWERA lot of prep including ordering balloons
(be careful to get all the same kind and same size) some of the
teams were at an advantage because their balloons would inflate
bigger than others.Noisy in the library while others were trying to
use it (especially with balloon popping)Students wanted to ask
questions and I had to say no and let them figure it outSome of the
groups gave up too soon when they werent going to
win52OVERWHELMED?how about this:#AALL12YOU ONLY GET ONE FIRST
IMPRESSION.
MAKE.IT.COUNT.#AALL12#AALL12WHEN YOURE FACED WITH CHALLENGES OF
SCALE, DONT BE AFRAID TO COMPLETELY
RE-IMAGINE ORIENTATION.
all the way down to changing its basic structure#AALL12RELYING
ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS?
BE FLEXIBLE.
HAVE A BACK UP PLAN!#AALL12YOU GOT THIS!!
Be YourselfRelaxIt's Your Domain
Boring Library ToursNO MORE!
recap#AALL12Bring it on - CHALLENGESDONT LET THEM BRING YOU
DOWN!Moving on upAWESOME LIBRARY ORIENTATION = RESEARCH
NINJA.QUESTIONS?!?#AALL12
