Ask a Librarian Online Patron Demo – new!

Please take a peek at the new Ask a Librarian demo for patrons at http://info.askalibrarian.org/demo.asp!  The brief demo – similar to those currently in development for staff - shows your patrons how to use Ask a Librarian and gives them an idea of what to expect during a virtual reference chat.  It includes both audio and text, and patrons can rewind, pause, or fast-forward at their convenience.  You can link to the demo from your library’s web pages, or use it during your own demonstrations of the Ask a Librarian service.

The Director’s Chair video contest – ready to see who won?

Thanks to your votes, we have determined the winners of Ask a Librarian’s The Director’s Chair video contest!

Drum roll please…
GRAND PRIZE: Julie, a student at Seminole Ridge High School in Palm Beach County

SECOND PLACE: Karman, a homeschooled student from Lake County

THIRD PLACE: Jake, a student at Fernandina Beach High School in Nassau County

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS & THANK YOU TO ALL THE LIBRARIES THAT PROMOTED THE CONTEST!

To view & comment on the winning videos scroll down on this blog or visit, the contest page.

If you have any questions, please contact me

Customized Marketing Now Available

Did you like the back to school marketing this year but wanted to promote your own library’s URL?  Ask a Librarian now has templates of this year’s marketing (bookmarks and poster) available to participating libraries.

You will be able to customize the materials with your library’s URL and print them out locally.   They are in the Ask a Librarian Toolbox under Promotional Materials > Customizable Bookmark Templates.   

Please notify us if you have any questions about the templates.  We will be more than happy to help in any way possible. 

Director’s Chair Entries Now Viewable

Friday night was the deadline for entries for Ask a Librarian’s Director’s Chair Contest.  The contest as you might recall, was for Florida high school students to create the next commercial for Ask a Librarian.  We received 15 videos from across the state.  Watch them here!

Tomorrow,  the Director’s Chair judges will be gathering to evaluate the videos and create a list of the top 5.   The winners will then will be voted on by you, your students, your friends, and anyone else….details on voting to be announced shortly….

OCLC Webinar

Not to self promote but I am really excited and wanted to share.  On November 15th(Thursday), I will be presenting on promoting virtual reference for an OCLC webinar.  My presentation will focus on The Director’s Chair YouTube competition and our presence in social networking sites.  Beth Cackowski from New Jersey’s Q&A who is always great to hear will also present – they do lots of very cool promotions….

Here is the official OCLC blurb with registration information: 

Promoting Virtual Reference Services: Beyond Bookmarks

Looking for ways to increase usage and capture the attention of your current and potential users? Register today for a free, live Web information session and find out.

DATE / TIME
Thursday, November 15, 2007, 12:00 – 1:00 pm EST

This webinar highlights two innovative promotions, one on MTV (by New Jersey’s QandANJ), and the other on YouTube (by Florida’s Ask a Librarian service). Our speakers, Beth Cackowski, project coordinator of QandANJ, and Diana Sachs-Silveira (of Florida’s Ask a Librarian service) will discuss these and other promotional activities, as well as answer your questions on what works, what doesn’t work and what they are doing to entice new users to library reference services.

Registration online at:  http://www.oclc.org/info/reference/

New Logos Available for your homepage

Both the Tampa Hillsborough Public Library and Lee County have been hard at work and you get to benefit from it!   Both library systems created really great custom Ask a Librarian logos for their homepage and have given us permission to offer them to you!

They are now available on our information page along with Director’s Chair Logos and several versions of our traditional logo at:  http://info.askalibrarian.org/logos.asp 

New Marketing Materials Available!

Ask a Librarian has just received new marketing materials including two versions of our newest posters: 

 

           

And, the matching bookmarks (notice they now state hours are in eastern time)

           

Order these and other materials online today at:   info.askalibrarian.org/promotional.asp  

In a few days, we should have both the bookmarks and posters available as templates for those of you interested in customized printing.  I will post a message when we have this live.

Calling all Florida high school students!

Calling all Florida high school students!

Make your directorial debut with
The Director’s Chair YouTube contest

What is The Director’s Chair?
The Director’s Chair is a video contest for Florida high school students. Create a 30-second video promoting Ask a Librarian for the chance to win a hard-drive video camera, a Nintendo Wii or a digital audio player jukebox.

That’s right, we need YOU to help us promote Ask a Librarian!

So…what exactly IS Ask a Librarian?
It’s a free online service that allows you to chat with a Florida librarian for instant help with homework, papers and general questions. (Want to learn more? Click here.)

Now that you know what Ask a Librarian is, go out and make a creative and entertaining 30-second video that tells the world just how wonderful Ask a Librarian is.  Just load it to The Director’s Chair group on YouTube by January 18, 2008, and the grand prize could be yours.

Be funny! Be serious! Do a spoof! Do a dramedy! Do whatever you want! Just be creative and have fun.

Click here for more information about the contest, including YouTube submission instructions, prizes, official contest rules, release forms and more.

Marketing Materials

We apologize!  We had a slight hiccup in the ordering form for Marketing Materials.  It was now been corrected.    We are sending out a large number of orders we recovered this week, so you will be receiving your orders next week.

If your order does not arrive, or you had not placed your order yet.   Please visit:

http://info.askalibrarian.org/promotional.asp

New Bookmarks Available: Order yours today!

Ask a Librarian has two new bookmarks available for participating libraries.  Don’t hesitiate -order yours today by using our online order form at:
http://info.askalibrarian.org/promotional.asp

While your at our site, please take a second to additional marketing materials for your library today.

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