Tag Archives: communication

The 10-Minute International Librarian #30: Think about how you can make meetings more engaging and inclusive

Meetings should be a great opportunity to share and learn from colleagues.

The shift to digital tools has made it easier than ever to connect with a wider range of people, brining huge potential.

However, of course, potential is not always reality, and Zoom-fatigue can easily set in.

While this is understandable, it shouldn’t turn us off communicating with each other, but rather encourage us to think about how to make the most of the opportunities we have to work together!

This can offer us richer opportunities to connect, including across borders and library types.

The pandemic period, for all the difficulty it has brought, should be a chance to get closer together as a field, without anyone being excluded by distance.

So for our 30th 10-Minute International Librarian, think about how you can make meetings more engaging and inclusive.

Think about the most effective ones in which you have participated, and what made them special. Can you replicate this?

What can you learn from meetings which were less effective, and what can you do about this? In particular, how can you make sure that everyone is properly engaged?

Share your ideas in the comments below!

Good luck!

 

This idea relates to the IFLA Strategy! 3.2 Support virtual networking and connections.

You can view all of our ideas using the #10MinuteInternationalLibrarian tag on this blog, and of course on IFLA’s Ideas Store! Do also share your ideas in the comments box.

The 10-Minute International Librarian #24: Think of an advocate for libraries

A big focus of IFLA’s Strategy is building the ability of libraries to advocate.

Wherever decisions are being made about library budgets, or the laws that affect them, there is space for advocacy.

By building understanding of, support for, and commitment to libraries, you can shape these decisions.

Yet sometimes, your message can be even more powerful when it doesn’t come from you.

It can be expected that librarians will support libraries, but you may get more attention when someone else does it.

So for our 24th 10-Minute International Librarian exercise, think of an advocate for libraries.

Ideally, it should be someone who is well known, or who has great advocacy skills, or ideally both. This can help at all levels, from the local to the global.

Finding an advocate can also help bring others to support libraries, prove that people outside of the profession care, and strengthen partnerships.

Let us know who the most effective advocate for libraries from outside of the library field is, in the chat below.

Good luck!

 

This idea relates to the IFLA Strategy! 1.1 Show the power of libraries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals .

You can view all of our ideas using the #10MinuteInternationalLibrarian tag on this blog, and of course on IFLA’s Ideas Store! Do also share your ideas in the comments box.

The 10-Minute International Librarian #21: Identify a non-user and think how to engage them

Libraries have a mission to serve their entire communities.

Yet it is rare – if not impossible – to be able to reach everyone. What is important is to try and reach further.

This is because when people are not connected to their library, there is a risk of missed opportunities to improve lives, or to win over supporters for your work.

In both cases – in order to increase impact and strengthen advocacy – it is worth thinking about who these people are, and what can be done to work with them.

So for our 21st 10-Minute International Librarian exercise, identify a non-user and think how to engage them.

A first target will of course be users who could benefit from library services, but are not yet doing so.

Imagine someone in this situation – you can even create a persona – and think about what you could do in order to build awareness. What are the barriers, and what can you do about them?

In other cases, you could think about people who may not come to the library, but could be important supporters.

What can you do to help them understand the importance of the services you are offering?

Let us know in the comments below about your experiences here!

Good luck!

 

This idea relates to the IFLA Strategy! 1.1 Show the power of libraries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

You can view all of our ideas using the #10MinuteInternationalLibrarian tag on this blog, and of course on IFLA’s Ideas Store! Do also share your ideas in the comments box.