I decided to attend a session (which had people standing all the way out in the hall to listen–125 was the number I overheard on the way out) at ALA on Improving the Librarian Image because I am always interested in hearing about how the rest of the public perceives us and how to facilitate change. Donna Cardillo is a Registered Nurse and so that was also interesting.
A big take home for me was the use of credentials. I know it may be a bigger issue in nursing to show you have the full credentials to be a nurse but I can see a reason in libraries as well. Cardillo noted that, like in hospitals, patrons often do not know who is a librarian and who is a secretary or student assistant in libraries. She recommended having business cards made up with your name, title and credentials. The title also helps to further differentiate you; in this way the public can see that librarians are not all identical. The credentials can also help patrons, students, or faculty realize you have a Master’s degree, possibly adding more respect and buy-in from the communities we serve.
As an introduction she said, “Now some of you may be wondering why an RN is speaking at a library conference. What do nurses have to do with librarians?” My notes (including answers to this question) are below:
- Nurses and Librarians?
- gender
- shortage
- undervalued and underpaid
- image problems
- stereotypes
- genetics?
- how many of you are former nurses or studied nursing? (10%)
- How many of your siblings/family members are nurses? (40% in the room!!)
- why does our image matter?
- budgeting issues
- legislative issues
- morale issues
- recruiting issues
- Personal Image
- appearance
- dress well: conveys confidence; sets them apart
- hair–”serious hair” Working Girl
- body language
- you don’t have to feel confident to act confident
- look in the eye, but not too much
- don’t be the first to look away every time, just sometimes
- stand up straight, head up
- authoritative and assertive
- speech…
- most of us talk too much and have trouble getting to the core message
- say things in different ways hopefully eventually it will come across
- think of your most important message
- think of how few words you can say it in
- say it
- then stay quiet
- we have a bad habit: Oh, I’m sorry, I’ll come back…
- unless you truly have something to be sorry for don’t say it
- eliminate qualifiers: controlling the reaction of the listener before you say anything
- you probably have heard this, but…
- you probably won’t like this, but…
- Problem: it takes to long to get to your point, lose your audience
- You need to realize when you do this–self-awareness is the first step to eliminating the bad habit
- Think before you speak
- workspace/carspace
- learn how to take a compliment
- you did great: don’t mention it
- thank you for your help: it’s my job
- Accept it
- you dishonor the person
- yourself
- your profession
- Say: it was my pleasure; anytime; thank you for telling me that; let me know if I can do anything else for you.
- appearing modest and humble is okay but you don’t have to be self-deprecating
- Have a business card
- have your academic credentials
- carry the cards where ever you go, not just on your desk
- have them made from where you work
- not in the budget?
- it costs next to nothing–people just never bother to ask
- not in the budget?
- peoples’ impression is how they will treat you
- we believe more of what we see than what we hear about or of people
- appearance
- Harnessing the power of the media
- monitor images of librarians in the media–this is people’s perception of you
- movies
- sit-coms
- stories about libraries or librarians
- library budget cuts?
- positive? negative? “Hipper Crowd of Shushers” positive but the stereotype is still there
- let them know why it is detrimental
- write letters to the media
- Six Steps to Free Publicity, Marcia Yudin
- Some people shy away from the media; read about it;
- How can I say no, my whole profession is counting on me
- clear communication is important; you are coached on general questions prior to recording
- break down and eliminate industry jargon and acronyms
- contact local media directly
- I am the librarian at…
- use National Library Week as a spring board
- “You might be interested to know that…”
- write letters to the editor if the information is accurate: offer additional resources and offer yourself as another resource
- Being visible in the community
- people will know you and your abilities
- if you are unknown, it will not be hard to discourage bad local legislation
- monitor images of librarians in the media–this is people’s perception of you
- Promoting the profession
- people don’t know about us; we don’t talk about ourselves enough
- brochures and websites are not going to do the full job of educating peoples
- don’t just say “I am a librarian, staff or MLS student”
- add a sentence about what you did that particular day
- get out to community fairs more
- career fairs
- scouting troops
- school groups
- Rachel Singer Gordon’s “How to become a librarian” article in Library Journal–this can help you describe what you do
- Men/ ethnic minorities: people need to see people like them to go and pursue a career
- Networking, getting visible;
- attend a chamber of commerce meeting
- a work meeting
- women business owners in the community
- promote our services on a regular basis
- handshaking: important social custom; only form of acceptable touching connection
-
- credibility
- colleagues and clients; even children
- sign of respect–levels the playing field
- shake, eye contact, and smile
-
- Marketing, staying visible
- Always wear you’re name badge, title and credentials
- photos of who works in the library with name, credentials and title for your users
- you have to have the delineation: librarians are all different
- sell your value on a daily basis
- you can’t assume
- people know who you are
- know what you do
- know what you have
- you can’t assume
- consider writing a weekly/monthly column with your picture
- tips
- suggestions
- different services
- different materials
- consider writing competitions
- offer to speak at a local meeting on your paid work-time
- propose these to the people you work for:
- why do you want to go?
- they vote
- they donate money
- they don’t appreciate/know our services
- why do you want to go?
- if you don’t ask you don’t get
- even if it is no, it produces awareness
- repackage it and try again
- if we can’t do that, maybe we can do this
- “When the customer says no, the selling begins.”
- propose these to the people you work for:
- other ideas
- Comment: in the public: at the gym or the grocery: what do you do: “I am your librarian”
- Comment: offer comments and questions
- always identify yourself by names and permissions
- Comment: contacted local assembly person; they told her about meetings they are looking for speakers
- if you don’t know your local assembly person is you can find out easily;
- Comment: a lot of libraries have public meeting space: always make myself known and who I am
- Comment: we have a speakers bureau and offer speakers in their interests
- Comment: passed over for promotion; one of the reasons why I came I felt I might need to change my image…but I am becoming cynical and bitter; how do you turn that around?
- A: changing your image is a good thing; there are a lot of reasons why people are hired; make an appointment to speak with your supervisor; let your goals be known and ask for advice; can you suggest other projects I can get involved in?
- Comment: new hires get a mentor who give candid feedback and help them in promotion
- Comment: enewsletter: would you like to sign up for our monthly newsletter with tips on research?
- Getting involved in national/local associations
- joining isn’t enough, get involved
- dues are too much
- ask for help from your employer
- ask for help to go to conference
- ask for it every year even if they say no every year
- if you don’t ask you won’t get
- nos still create awareness
- why is it important to be a member?
- why is it important to go to a conference
- Comment: when you get back meet with supervisors and tell them why it was beneficial;
- D: write a report, give the boss material
- cost is relative to value
- you can probably deduct this on taxes
- ask for help from your employer
- they won’t listen to me; too much politics;
- even if you put something out there and they don’t follow, you are still feeling empowered and your voice is heard
- you will also need to sell this to other people
- you join associations for what is in it for you
- you are an informed member of the profession–pipeline of information
- garner support
- let off steam
- join a committee
- hones your leadership skills
- your communications skills
- your networking skills
- you join associations for what is in it for you
- run for office in your organization
- this holds a lot of wait in your employment evaluations
- Develop speaking and writing skills
- promotion method
- it is the good communicators who get ahead in this world
- articulate
- anyone can learn how to write and anyone can learn how to speak
- more technique involve than most people realize
- develop it and cultivate it
- start small and start local
- write about something you love
- write about something you know
- write about something innovative
- write in an association newsletter
- it is the doing that grows into ability
- Getting a rejection letter
- when I got my first one and vowed I would never write again
- the editor had actually taken the time to make some suggestions
- I never resubmitted that article, but I went to the public library and got a book on how to write for publication in journals
- today I am doing a column for that magazine now
- I almost let one rejection letter keep me from ever doing it again
- WHEN you get a rejection letter, you celebrate that–it is a rite of passage
- writing and submitting is the part of publication that is important
- Speaking? I looked up books at the library on that as well
Posted by Gerrit 
