And the Winner Is...Program
We just finished this year-long program. Staff were encouraged to recommend databases to patrons and keep track of the number with hash marks. I contacted our vendors to ask for inexpensive prizes (mugs, bags, pins, paperclip holders, etc.). My database contacts were very accomodating and excited about the program. So...each month we had a drawing from the logs that staff turned in and three winners received prizes. Of course, the real winners were our patrons! This program added a "friendly competiton" aspect to what we do every day - recommend databases to our patrons.
Weekly Database Q & A's
Our webmaster sends out a Question and Answer email (separate emails) to all staff. Questions come from a number of sources. They can be actual patron questions or ones that we make up to promote a database. It's very popular and when we stopped it for awhile, staff complained.
Database of the Month
An individual database is promoted each month on the website and I give a database demo at our monthly staff meetings. We also create displays in the library with posters and bookmarks.
Database Tip Sheets
These tip sheets are posted on our database page. Staff and patrons have access to a tip sheet on all of our subscription databases. They are created and updated by our webmaster and myself.
Vendor Training
These are very helpful. This past year I contacted a number of our vendors and scheduled webinars during some of our Reference Staff Meetings - twenty to twenty-five librarians were trained in one session.
I am always looking for new ways to promote our databases. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome. Carolyn
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