Customized Workshops & Services for Libraries
Library Roving Service
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..40 – 60% of your Library patrons/customers will not approach the desk to ask for the help they need. Many, feeling underserved, will not return. These “hidden customers” will only be found and served by Pro-active, Roving* Library Staff.
Pro-active Service and Roving is a powerful, effective workshop and follow-up program which has been successfully implemented in Libraries in Canada, the U.S.A., Australia and New Zealand.Joan Giannone, President of Mentor Group Training Inc. has over 9 years of experience consulting with and training thousands of Library Staff and Managers at dozens of Library Systems internationally. Her experience has shown clearly that many Libraries are grappling with similar issues when attempting to broaden their service model to include roving. Using this insight, Joan created the dynamic and practical workshop, “Pro-active Service and Roving”, which has provided Roving success and service transformation at Libraries in Canada, The U.S.A., Australia and New Zealand.
Designed to:
Enable staff to confront an increasingly complex and changing information services marketplace, especially regarding customer expectations and choices
Heighten awareness around the impact of poor customer service interactions
Introduce a simple, powerful professional standard of skills and techniques to improve the consistency and quality of customer service, system wide.
An effective, customized 1 or 2-day workshop and planning session for all library staff
Analysis of information services trends and the competitive landscape
Featuring…
Effective, non-intrusive methods for approaching people while roving
Review of the importance of body language when roving – yours and theirs
Application of 6 Steps to Proactive Service
Staff feedback on potential barriers to proactive and/or roving customer service, and solutions to remove those barriers
Reinforced By…
A simple and comprehensive 4-week Email follow-up campaign
Mentor Group Training Inc. communication and mentoring services as needed
For more information, contact Joan Giannone at joan.giannone@rogers.com, or 905-425-0362
I recently came across a good application of roving, including pictures of some innovative desks being used to support roving at the Appaloosa and Mustang Libraries in Arizona. Hats off to both of them and to the Arizona Public Library System for forward-thinking and for pro-active approaches to sertvice. The information comes from Ellen Forsyth, consultant, Information, at the State Library, New South Wales, Australia.
There were several of these pods through the library to aid in the proactive delivery of roving reference. While seats are shown, I mostly saw staff standing with the client, after having been walking around looking for people who they could assist. This is a proactive model and it was very exciting to see it in operation. Staff really were walking around and looking for people to help. They were covering the entire library space. It was not intrusive, and it looked like it was effective.I was also delighted to see that in her write up, Ellen Forsyth cited approaches and techniques I taught several years ago at the Pro-active Service and Roving workshops we provided for Arizona Public Libraries through the auspices of the Arizona State Library. Approaches and techniques such as “using positive body language” and “non-invasive questions” including “are you finding what you’re looking for” are some of the hallmarks of Mentor Group Training Inc.’s Library workshops, and we are delighted to see them becoming part of the roving lexicon and to such great effect. Well done!
According to the posts by Ellen Forsyth: “A new term I discovered recently was “shoulder to shoulder” reference service, because the client is next to the staff member. This is the term being used in Appaloosa Library, Arizona. You are taking the client with you and the service points are designed for this.
It was part of the service helping people find what they were looking for, before they were frustrated, or left. The staff used positive body language as well as non-invasive questioning. It really is about asking “are you finding what you are looking for?” or a similarly open type of question, and not expecting the client to come to you – you need to seek them out.”
At the Mustang Library, Ellen describes these innovative dual use desks this way: “Mustang Library, part of the Scottsdale Library system had impressive staff desks for helping with roving reference. The desks were signed info/search with the info part for staff and the search for the public. There were a few of these throughout the library and they were a very effective way of making opac accessible and signaling staff assistance. There were a series of these paired spaces through the library. They were compact and looked great.”
These are only two of the many great pictures viewable on Flickr, using the links above. You can get more information or follow Ellen Forsyth on Twitter.
The Future of Libraries on CBC Radio
The City of Toronto is facing down a serious budget shortfall. And as city council looks for places to cut, councilor Doug Ford, the brother of Mayor Rob Ford, started counting library branches. Listen to the Aug. 2nd debate over balancing the books by closing libraries at this audio archive.
The segment on the future of libraries which was due to air on “The Current” on CBC Radio1 on Monday was postponed and was broadcast on Tuesday. You can listen to the audio file of the segment, Whither the Library.
CLICK HERE: Listen: (Pop-up) or copy and paste this URL http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2011/08/02/whither-the-library/
I’d just like to share with you today an excellent slide presentation available on “Slideshare”. This presentation by Martha Fuerst, Information and Society (LIBR 200) San Jose State University, Fall 2010, provides some great context and facts about ” non-traditional” services, including roving, self-help, use of technology and more. I particularly like her use of old and new quotations, and appreciate the extensive list of reference sources for the presentation. Here’s the link: http://www.slideshare.net/MartiFuerst/traditional-vs-nontraditional-service-points-in-libraries?from=share_email_logout2 Enjoy!
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