Solving Life's Problems Manual

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THE CAMPAIGN

Help us tell our story by telling us yourswww.solvinglifesproblems.org

Sponsored by the New Jersey State Library and the New Jersey Library Association


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Bring your library to life with a story.

Descriptive narratives of real-life humanexperiences bring your library to life andgive it meaning by helping people connectto you both rationally and emotionally.


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Campaign Overview Page 4

How to Join Page 5

Contest Prizes Page 6

Free Training Page 7

Two Year Campaign Page 8

Why Tell a Story? Page 9

Good for Your Library Page 10

A Good Story Page 11

What is a Story Bank Page 12

Creating a Story Bank Page 13

Story Bank Template Page 15

Collecting Your Stories Page 16

Choosing Your Story Page 17

Suggested Topics Page 18

Advocacy Section Page 23

Next Steps Page 24

The Campaign


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The New Jersey State Library is partnering with the New Jersey LibraryAssociation to launch a statewide storytelling campaign. The object if thecampaign is for libraries to collect stories and create multimedia piecesthat will portray libraries as transformative and librarians as people whoare passionate and involved in the community and making a difference.

Libraries will engage communities, customers, businesses and studentsin telling authentic stories about their library experiences. Theselibraries will then translate the words into moving multimediastories of inspiration.

We will share these stories through traditional and new media outlets tocreate a powerful word of mouth initiative.

The first segment of the campaign will be a statewide contest to encour-age libraries to gather stories from their users and create a compellingdigital story about the library experience. It will begin October, 2008 andend June 1, 2009.

Overview of the Campaign

We will share these storiesthrough traditional and new media outletsto create a powerful word of mouth initiative.


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How to JoinTo register go to:solvinglifesproblems.org.

You will receive posters, rackcards and shelf talkersfor your library and have the opportunity to register

for workshops, participate in peer review sessions, andget individual help in all phases of your process.


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The library with thebest story will receivea day with StoryCorps.The library submitting the best story will

win a door-to-door session from StoryCorps.A team of professional sound technicianswill create recordings of interviews ofcommunity members selected by the library.In addition, one of the stories recordedthat day will be selected and professionallyedited into a two to three minute audiosoundtrack such as those heard on NPR radio.

Second Prize:Sony High Definition HandyCam

Third Prize: The Flip MinoTo learn more about the contest and to register your library go to:www. solvinglifesproblems.org


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All participating libraries will receive free training.The State Library and NJLA will providelibraries with training sessions, peer reviewsessions and motivational talks by storytellersand filmmakers, including a presentation byNetherlands filmmakers from DOK, theLibrary Concept Center.

Sign Up

The NJLA IT Section is working with the RLCs toschedule classes and workshops in your area.You will learn the skills needed to create yourstory, record a voice-over and develop a digital

story.To sign up or host a workshop

email Amy Kearns at: [email protected]


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Your stories will be partof a statewide campaign.In the second year, the State Library willuse the stories as part of their statewidepublic awareness campaign, Solving LifesProblems. The campaign will belaunched with a media blitz centered onthe contest. The promotional materialswill include print media distributed to li-braries and video ads to be used on theirWeb sites and in-house digital screens.The State Library will promote the storiesthrough social networks, YouTube, onlineads, public access stations, commercialTV and movie theater venues.

Libraries will be encouraged to take their

newly acquired skills and offer classes,workshops and programs to encouragecommunity members and organizationsto create stories that reflect theircommunities. These stories can beposted on the library's Web site and atsolvinglifesproblems.org.


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Why tell a story?Storytelling is a powerful form ofcommunication and learning. Compelling

stories can effectively influence theattitudes, perceptions and behaviorsof your local area voters. They do thisthrough the depiction of transformativelibraries and passionate

librarians who are involved in thecommunity and making a difference.

According to the study, From Awarenessto Fundin g, released in 2008 by OCLC,Voters attitudes, perceptions andbehaviors, not their demographic profile,are the most important determinants ofwillingness to support increases inlibrary funding.

Compelling stories inspire, engage, andchange the way people think about things.They help people understand and makesense of what they do and why they do it.Stories can help people to learn, absorb,remember and share information and


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What makes a good story?A good story touches people. It finds thecommon human denominator and paints avivid description so that anyone who hears it

can relate it to his or her personal experience.It has conflict and resolution. And mostimportantly, it is authentic and told withsincerity. A good story is also fairly short.

Are testimonies andstories the same thing?Testimonies are written comments bysatisfied customers that praise yourorganization and staff. Chances are yourlibrary has collected these comments for quitea while. You may have posted themon the Web or even used them asexamples of how well your library isperforming. Testimonies are nice. They focuson what the library did well or how a staffmember was helpful.

Stories take testimonies to the next level andshow how that positive experience impactedthat persons life.


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What is a story bank?It is collection of fact-checked stories that anorganization can use in their advocacy, promo-tion and media efforts. Your library can becomethe first stop for legislators who need stories tosupport the legislation that they are proposing.

On a local level, this concept can be applied tolocal municipalities, community groups,schools, organizations and news agencieslooking for anecdotal stories.

We will be compiling multimedia stories on astatewide level and storing them on the web.Local libraries can also collect stories for theirown story bank.


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How do youcreate a story bank?This campaign will help you get started.As your customers begin submittingstories, youll need to set up astandardized process for enteringthem into the computer, fact-checking

and updating.

Chances are youll be short-staffed andnot able to fully process every story that issubmitted. If that is the case, you maywant to set up a priority list of topics thatwould be most beneficial to your libraryand fully process those first. The other

stories can be entered in the computerand can be used if needed but only after astaff member has called the person toconfirm facts before the information isshared with any contacts.


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Steps to creating your own story bank 1. Display and distribute the Tell Us Your Story cards we have created for yourlibrary. The cards ask for basic contact information and a brief description of theexperience the person wants to share.

2. Have a staff member enter the information to a Wiki, Microsoft table, Excelspreadsheet or some other format that you can use to keep a record of your storysubmissions. Be sure to create an area on the list where you can write down commentsthat the contributor has shared with you or that you observed, that may impact thestory. For example, you may want to comment on whether the person would be greatfor a live interview or better for a print interview. These comments should only be usedby your staff.

3. Have a staff member call the submitter to review the background about why youare collecting the stories and what you will do with them. Confirm the contact informa-tion and go over the story. Depending on the story, you may need to confirm the facts.A short cut in this process could be to have a staff member go over the story in personwhen it is submitted. You would then only need to call those people who haventalready been spoken to in person.

4. Stories should be updated about every six months to make sure they still have thesame contact information.

Note: We are also providing an online form at www.solvinglifesproblems.org for peopleto submit their stories. We will forward the stories to your contact person when they are submitted.

Notes


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Name Street Town Zip Story Theme Story Additional Comments

Sample Story Bank Record


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Collecting Your Stories

Inform your staff about this campaign.While well provide the Tell Us Your Story card, the best stories will most likelycome from non-scripted conversations that library patrons have with your staff. It is

important to let your staff know you are looking for stories and toencourage them to ask people to fill out the Tell Us Your Story card if they hearsomething that could make a good story.

Post a link on your Web site.Well provide you with a nice graphic. Add it to your pages with a link to a form peoplecan fill out and email, fax, mail or hand deliver to your library.

Reach out to the community.Having a library story bank is a great cross-promotional tool for other organizations inyour community. Let your community know you are collecting stories. Provide themwith posters, story cards and Web tools to add to their Web site.

Notes


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Choosing Your Story This is the most important step in this process. For the purpose of this campaign, wehave used the findings from the 2008 OCLC report, From Awareness to Funding: A Study of Library Support in America , to create a list of suggested themes and story ideas.

They are based on the key motivational issues of people who will vote to support li-braries.

Any of these topics will serve your library well. If you decide to choose another topic,be sure to determine what you hope to gain from the stories and build a list of topicsaccordingly.

In the pages that follow well detail each of the themes listed below. As you look over

the list, try to envision the people in your library who might have a story to contribute.

The Library is a Transformational Force in Peoples Lives. The Library is a Vital Part of the Communitys Infrastructure. Supporting the Library is a Tough but Essential Tax Choice. The Library Maintains its Relevance to People Through all Stages of Life. Passionate Librarians are Making a Difference in the Community. The Library is a Place of Unlimited Resources and Inspiration. The New Library is Your Library. Making the Library Relevant for the 21st Century. Life Without the Library.


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The library isa transformational force in peoples lives.According to the OCLC report, Supporters who have the strongest belief that thelibrary is a source of transformation are those most passionate about the need toprotect, support and fund the library. (OCLA 4-12)

Your library could create incredible stories around the transformative theme. Considercreating an emotional storyline that says, This is where I come to be the person Ialways wanted to be.

To depict your library as a transformational force consider a story that answers one of

these questions about how your library helps people:

Become who they are Feel good about themselves Allow them to appreciate the beauty of life Come away feeling like they really learned something Fill them with hope and optimism Achieve something of meaning

Seek the truth Fulfill a serious purpose

Possible Ideas


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The library is a vital partof the communitys infrastructure.According to the OCLC report, There was a fear, even among the strongest librarysupporters, that the librarys place in the community is becoming more nostalgic than

essential.

In order to combat this perception, consider creating a story to reflect the vital posi-tion libraries have in our communities. Tell a story about how the library is an impor-tant part of the communitys infrastructure and plays a key role in providing equalaccess to resources vital for thriving in todays digital world.

The library is relevant in the 21st century.The library maintains its relevance to people through all stages of life. Tell a storyabout a persons experience illustrating the library as a transformative place by creat-ing a life story of a patron from baby to senior citizen. Include the name of the personwho first took the baby or child to the library, the name of the librarian and the roleshe or he played. You may want to include how the first time the child was able tochoose a book; take it home, with the theme of independence. Are there specific sen-sory experiences about the library that stayed with the person? Be sure to move thestory forward to the present day. You could even create a story that contrasts theexperience of a person from the early 1900s to that of today.

Possible Ideas


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Supporting the library isa tough but essential tax choice.Create a story about citizens willing to support local funding for essential servicessuch as police, fire, library and schools because they care about their community.

Or demonstrate the urgency for library funding along with funding the police, parksand fire departments to keep communities healthy and competitive.

Passionate librarians aremaking a difference in the community.

The OCLC report revealed that people are more likely to support the library when theyperceive the librarians as passionate and making a difference in the community. If thisdescribes your library, consider a story about how your librarians advocate for lifelonglearning and are passionate about making libraries relevant. In your portrayal, includehow the librarians are well-educated and knowledgeable about every aspect of libraryservice and the community.

*** Caution, this piece MUST be made from your customers point of view. Be sure to getinput from your community members as to what they think is valuable to ensure thestory resonates with them. Remember, what you consider to be of the most value maynot be the same as what your community thinks.

Possible Ideas


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The library is a place of unlimited resources and inspiration.The OCLC study revealed that even though the people who vote for libraries were notaware of all the services libraries offered, that lack of knowledge wasnt a deterrent

for people supporting library funding. They did find, however, that peoples perceptionsabout a library played a crucial role in their support. Thats a great place to start witha story idea. Instead of creating a story to educate people about your services, create avideo/digital story about how your library:

Provides unlimited resources and inspiration for the community. Provides a tranquil place to escape from daily concerns or activities. Broadens personal perspectives about the world.

The new library is your library.OCLC listed five repositioning statements that will help shift the perception of thelibrary from irrelevant to a vital part of the community. Consider creating a storythat juxtaposes the old with the new using the new terminology. See the full reportfor details. [http://www.oclc.org/reports/funding/default.htm] Heres a quick list ofthe new terms:

OLD NEWInformation TransformationInstitution InfrastructureNice to Have NecessityPast FutureAltruism for others ROI (Return on Investment) for me

Possible Ideas


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Life without the library.

In order to transfer support of voters at the polls, stories about the future of librarieswill need to be connected to funding. The OCLC report indicated a mood change atthe polls even in those who have indicated strong support for their public libraries, if itrequired voting to increase taxes. According to the study, if you choose to create astory about what life would be like without libraries, youll need to keep a connectionbetween that scenario and the need of residents to make the sacrifice that supportsthat vision.

Create a story about:

What life would be like without the library. You might want to concentrate on the

consequences to the community including the importance of technology readiness.Or you could take the national perspective and highlight how the nation could techno-logically fall behind in the world.

What the library of the future will be like. Maybe use examples of futuristiclibraries that exist now and play off of those concepts to envision tomorrows library.Be sure to connect to funding.

What is possible for the library with proper funding. Use visuals of best practicesthat will connect to what your community could offer their residents.

The future of the library with a shrinking middle class. Create a futuristic view ofthe middle class falling behind because they cant keep up with the continual growthof technology.

Possible Ideas


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How Will the Campaign Enhance Advocacy?This campaign will help with both local and statewide advocacy for libraries. To havepeople all over New Jersey participate in this campaign with their local library willcreate a powerful statewide advocacy base. During Year Two, the State Library will

utilize the stories as part of the statewide public awareness campaign, Solving LifesProblems. Your library could utilize these stories to advocate for your library on a locallevel as well. Use the stories in as many creative ways as you can to tell your fundershow much your residents value the library. Stories can be:

Posted on your Web site and the towns home page Shared with your funders during budget presentations to illustrate the success ofyour services and how your library helps to transform lives

Useful in one-on-one budget discussions or with budget committees reviewingyour budget submission Included in an informal conversation anytime you talk with a funder, to illustratehow your library affects people in your community Interesting to your audience when you speak at Rotary, Chamber of Commerce orcommunity meetings Used in visual displays at the library so that all members can read/watch them Used in interviews with the press and in press releases sent out by your library Used as a source for sound bytes about your library and shared aloud in podcasts,public events, or other opportunities to speak about the library Shared with cable TV stations as part of public programming or asmarketing opportunities Great to use in white papers on the need for library funding or as part ofgrant applications Used to provide interest in annual reports, newsletters and statistical documents Shared with your Friends group to motivate and inspire them


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Next Steps1. If you havent registered yet, go to www.solvinglifesproblems.org and click on thesection for librarians. Fill out the online registration form and well get your promo-tional materials shipped to your library.

2. Once youve registered you can begin collecting stories. When you get an idea thatyou think would make a great story about the transformative force of your library, itstime to sign up for a workshop.Although the contest only calls for one story, you are en-couraged to create as many as youd like. Consider choosing a story idea early on anduse it as a learning process. You can always make another story.

Weve identified four stages of creating a digital story where training would be mosthelpful:

1. Creating the story2. Making a voice-over3. Developing the digital story4. Peer review and final editing

Well be offering half day workshops for each stage during the year. To reserve a spot ata workshop contact Amy Kearns at [email protected]. If there isnt a scheduled workshopin your area we can work with you to schedule one at your library.

If you have any questions about the campaignplease contact Nancy Dowd at [email protected].


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Documents

Solving Life's Problems Manual