Award Post- Fall into the Library - Open House Northport VA Medical Library
We were fortunate to obtain a small projects award for our Open House on October 7, 2008 at the VA Medical Library. Preparation for the event involved advertising in a variety of venues.
- We had small tabletop tent advertisements made that were put in most every staff room in the hospital.
- There was a sign that day on the electronic board in front of the medical center.
- Multiple emails announcing the event where distributed to every staff member on outlook mail.
- The event was advertised on the front page of our library newsletter, distributed bimonthly.
- We made stickers to market the library and placed them on small pumpkins and on individual water bottles.
- We used grant money to purchase stress balls in the shape of apples with the theme and contact information printed on them.
Our goal was to bring staff into the newly redesigned library and, of course, advertise our resources. Empty shelving was taken down and a large couch was donated. We had food purchased with funds from our canteen service. Donations from a local apple orchard included hot mulled apple cider, a certain hit! Decorations were autumn themed with scarecrows and hay blocks, fake mums and pumpkins, all reusable next year. Colorful balloons finished the festive look. Large posters designed by library staff were printed inhouse. Take home items included the pumpkins, apples, and pre-ordered apple shaped stress balls. All the items included the “Fall into the Library” theme and contact information, including the stress balls. A big hit with the staff was our powerpoint display projected on a large screen showing the history of the library from black and white photos of years ago when the library displayed a “smoking section” through the work done during renovation and ending with the currently redesigned library.
Four gift certificates to the VA Canteen Store were used as incentives to visit our event along with the food, of course. Staff was encouraged to sign up for either our remote access service or an NCBI account which enabled them to be eligible for the gift certificate. This was probably the biggest draw along with the balloons and pumpkins outside the building hinting that something good was going on inside. Training for pubmed was accomplished through individual instruction. We felt once the staff were in the library, we would use this opportunity to provide a virtual tour of pubmed using mesh database. We explained the benefits of utilizing NCBI. The medical staff was pleasantly surprised to learn how to utilize pubmed. Training went on through out the event.
Additionally, we did a pubmed search for any staff authoring a recent article. We gave out framed certificates to thank them for researching. NNLM was good enough to provide computer bags and commuter cups as gifts. The staff that received these items wer very grateful.
Fifty two candidates signed up for remote access through Athens and about 20 staff members signed up for NCBI. Approximately, 85 people attended in all. Even the people that were not able to attend stopped by the next day to talk about it and get a stress ball.
Overall, the day and event was a huge success! Staff members were amazed at the look of the library and, as always, surprised by our resources and services. Use of the library has definitely increased and requests for reservations for use of private study and computer areas has developed directly as a result of getting staff into the library that day. We are grateful to NNLM for this small projects award and the opportunity to market and advertise the library.
MaryLou Glazer- Northport VA Medical Library.
