Building Leadership Building Leadership Skills: Skills: Community Community

EngagementEngagement

Instructor:Instructor:

Valerie J. GrossValerie J. Grossgrossv@HCLibrary.orggrossv@HCLibrary.org

An Infopeople WorkshopAn Infopeople Workshop

Spring 2007Spring 2007

Workshop OverviewWorkshop Overview

1.1. Aligning library services with Aligning library services with community priorities and valuescommunity priorities and values

2.2. Making yourself and your library Making yourself and your library visiblevisible

3.3. Identifying and communicating with Identifying and communicating with communities and stakeholderscommunities and stakeholders

4.4. Pragmatic PartneringPragmatic Partnering

WhoWho is our community? is our community?All culturesAll culturesAll meansAll meansAll backgroundsAll backgroundsAll passionsAll passionsAll lifestylesAll lifestylesBabiesBabiesPre-KPre-KK-12K-12SchoolsSchoolsAdultsAdultsOlder AdultsOlder AdultsParentsParentsHomeschoolsHomeschools

Businesses/Non-profitsBusinesses/Non-profitsWork ForceWork ForceOrganizations (e.g., Organizations (e.g., Chamber of Commerce)Chamber of Commerce)Government departments Government departments (e.g., Economic (e.g., Economic Development Authority, Development Authority, Housing, Office on Aging)Housing, Office on Aging)Elected OfficialsElected OfficialsCommunity LeadersCommunity LeadersDonorsDonorsVolunteersVolunteersFriendsFriendsMediaMedia

What is Engagement?What is Engagement?

When we are relevant to When we are relevant to everyoneeveryone and to and to everythingeverything

When each segment of our communityWhen each segment of our community

views us asviews us as:: vital, criticalvital, critical vital = indispensablevital = indispensable

and indispensable = fundingand indispensable = funding

How Does How Does Customer ServiceCustomer Service Relate Relate to to Community Engagement?Community Engagement?

The The stepping stonestepping stone to engaging the to engaging the communitycommunity

EveryoneEveryone on staff involved – everyone a on staff involved – everyone a leaderleader

First impressions First impressions

““I’d walk over nails to get to your library…”I’d walk over nails to get to your library…”

Priorities and ValuesPriorities and ValuesA Collective ListA Collective List

HealthHealthEnvironment (Green)Environment (Green)Science/MathScience/MathCivilityCivilityGenealogyGenealogySafety (online, gangs)Safety (online, gangs)TechnologyTechnologyLiteracyLiteracyComputer LiteracyComputer LiteracyFinancial LiteracyFinancial Literacy

TravelTravelIntellectual FreedomIntellectual FreedomCultural DiversityCultural DiversityIntergenerationalIntergenerationalCultural CenterCultural CenterCommunity CenterCommunity CenterEducationEducationEconomic Economic AdvancementAdvancementQuality of Life ***Quality of Life ***

EducationEducation

The activities of educating or instructing or teaching

Information about a subject matter

Knowledge acquired by learning

Activities that impart knowledge

The process of acquiring knowledge

An enlightening experience

Our UMBRELLA: Education

Under the Education UmbrellaUnder the Education Umbrella

You! (ALL staff, plus You! (ALL staff, plus volunteers, Board, volunteers, Board, Friends)Friends)Collection (print, Collection (print, electronic)electronic)Children’s classes Children’s classes and eventsand events

Teen classes and Teen classes and eventseventsAdult classes, Adult classes, seminars and eventsseminars and eventsCultural CenterCultural CenterCommunity CenterCommunity CenterSignature initiativesSignature initiatives

You might prefer You might prefer threethree umbrellas umbrellas

EducationEducation

Economic Advancement Economic Advancement

Quality of LifeQuality of Life

What Can We What Can We Crow Crow About?About?

InnovationInnovation Thinking Outside the BoxThinking Outside the Box Signature ProgramsSignature Programs PartnershipsPartnerships

Let’s share some examples!Let’s share some examples!

Be a Be a ShamelessShamelessSelf-promoter!Self-promoter!

Suggested PhrasesSuggested Phrases

We are a pillar of education. We are a cornerstone in the education process. We are partners in education.

What are other words that What are other words that “work”?“work”?

Which do you Which do you valuevalue more? more?

Which do you Which do you supportsupport more? more? a used cara used car a a certified pre-owned vehiclecertified pre-owned vehicle drilling for oil drilling for oil exploring for energyexploring for energy

What Does “Storytime” Mean?What Does “Storytime” Mean?

To someone who works in a library?To someone who works in a library?

To someone who does not use the To someone who does not use the library?library?

It’s a Self-fulfilling ProphecyIt’s a Self-fulfilling Prophecy

We We becomebecome what we say we what we say we areare..

Let’s speak BIG!Let’s speak BIG! ““We are a We are a world-classworld-class library.” library.” ““We are a We are a pillar of educationpillar of education.”.” ““Our staff is Our staff is second to nonesecond to none.”.” ““We are We are relentlessrelentless about providing about providing

exceptionalexceptional customer service.” customer service.”

The Elevator SpeechThe Elevator Speech

Who are we?Who are we?

What do we do?What do we do?

Why does it matter?Why does it matter?

The Ten Rules of Effective LanguageThe Ten Rules of Effective Language

SimplicitySimplicity: use small words: use small words BrevityBrevity: use short sentences: use short sentences Credibility Credibility is as important asis as important as Philosophy Philosophy Consistency Consistency matters matters Offer Offer Something NewSomething New Sound Sound and and TextureTexture matter matter SpeakSpeak AspirationallyAspirationally VisualizeVisualize Ask aAsk a QuestionQuestion

Provide Provide Context Context and explainand explain RelevanceRelevance

Getting Involved: Broader BenefitsGetting Involved: Broader Benefits

Heightened Heightened visibility visibility for the libraryfor the library

Building the library’s reputation for Building the library’s reputation for excellenceexcellence

Helping to create the Helping to create the indispensable indispensable librarylibrary

Part of the community Part of the community engagementengagement processprocess

Representing the LibraryRepresenting the Library

Be Be informedinformedBe ready with Be ready with modified elevator modified elevator speechesspeeches for questions such as for questions such as Tell me what you do?Tell me what you do? Is the Internet replacing the library?Is the Internet replacing the library? Is the book on its way to extinction?Is the book on its way to extinction? Aren’t you in direct competition with Aren’t you in direct competition with

bookstores?bookstores?

Libraries Mean BusinessLibraries Mean Business

We save you We save you moneymoney..

We save you We save you timetime..

We serve you We serve you directlydirectly..

We serve you We serve you indirectlyindirectly..

We serve you through We serve you through giving and giving and visibility visibility opportunities!opportunities!

Why Partner?Why Partner?

Capitalize on Capitalize on strengthsstrengths and and expertiseexpertise

Gain Gain visibilityvisibility

Leverage fundingLeverage funding (enhances credibility (enhances credibility with government and with government and taxpayers)taxpayers)

Establish Establish newnew or or expand existing expand existing programsprograms

AttractAttract more outside more outside fundingfunding

Get Get new customersnew customers

Double the Double the marketingmarketing

Attract other partnersAttract other partners

First Two QuestionsFirst Two Questions

What’s in it forWhat’s in it for us? us?

What’s in it forWhat’s in it for them? them?

The Five FactorsThe Five Factors

1.1. Supplement—as opposed to replace—Supplement—as opposed to replace—the programs of other organizationsthe programs of other organizations

2.2. Advance Advance visionvision and and missionmission

3.3. Outline administrative authority (funding Outline administrative authority (funding sources, obligations and expectations)sources, obligations and expectations)

4.4. Benefit the organizations Benefit the organizations equitablyequitably

5.5. EvaluationEvaluation

Short-term PartnershipsShort-term Partnerships

Handshake agreementsHandshake agreements

Less commitmentLess commitment

Recommend at least e-mail confirmation Recommend at least e-mail confirmation of detailsof details

Typically one-shot collaborationsTypically one-shot collaborations

Long-term PartnershipsLong-term Partnerships

Formal agreements work bestFormal agreements work best

Incorporate the five factorsIncorporate the five factors

High degree of commitmentHigh degree of commitment

Long-term Partnerships Long-term Partnerships Take Time Take Time

Seed idea – initial visionSeed idea – initial visionConnect with key players – assess interestConnect with key players – assess interestDiscuss with key library staff (who will lead?)Discuss with key library staff (who will lead?)Inform BoardInform BoardInvolve staff (more ideas/gain support)Involve staff (more ideas/gain support)Determine costs / needsDetermine costs / needsSeed idea begins to growSeed idea begins to growSet forth a plan / determine launch dateSet forth a plan / determine launch date

Engage the CommunityEngage the Community

Celebration to launchCelebration to launch

Signing ceremony/press conferenceSigning ceremony/press conference

Invite elected officials and community Invite elected officials and community leadersleaders

Remarks: Library board president, Remarks: Library board president, partnership representatives, mayor/county partnership representatives, mayor/county executive, governor (request executive, governor (request proclamations!)proclamations!)

Why might we Why might we declinedecline a a partnership opportunity?partnership opportunity?

Draw an audience?Draw an audience? Accomplish what we expect?Accomplish what we expect? Funded?Funded? Commitment?Commitment? Imbalance? Imbalance? the “What’s in it for us?” andthe “What’s in it for us?” and ““What’s in it for them?” factorsWhat’s in it for them?” factors

Recommended ReadingRecommended Reading

The Thriving Library: Successful The Thriving Library: Successful Strategies for Challenging Times, Strategies for Challenging Times, by by Marylaine Block (2007).Marylaine Block (2007).

Words that Work: It’s Not What You Words that Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear, Say, It’s What People Hear, by Dr. by Dr. Frank Luntz (2007).Frank Luntz (2007).

I love e-mailI love e-mail

Valerie J. GrossValerie J. Gross

grossv@HCLibrary.orggrossv@HCLibrary.org

410.313.7750410.313.7750