A Strategic Storytelling Toolkit For Public Libraries

2y ago
6 Views
2 Downloads
2.99 MB
40 Pages
Last View : 17d ago
Last Download : 2m ago
Upload by : Angela Sonnier
Transcription

TheLibrary StoryA Strategic StorytellingToolkit for Public Libraries

Enliven YourLibrary’s Story!How to Use this ToolkitThe Library Story is designed to help you usestorytelling to more effectively communicate withyour community. Inside, you’ll find a framework tohelp you frame your story and bring it to life. You’llalso find activities, templates and tips that will sparkstorytelling ideas and help you communicate bothinternally and externally. This toolkit is designedfor libraries to enhance their capacity to provide21st century resources, services and programsto their communities.You may want to dive right in and read thistoolkit from cover to cover, using each section asa stepping-stone along the path to your biggerstory. Or you might zero in on an individual sectionthat helps you identify a specific piece of your story.Either way, you will walk away with new strategiesfor sharing your library’s story and engaging thepeople who matter most. See the Storytelling CheatSheet on page 37 for helpful questions in navigatingthis toolkit.This project is made possible by a grant fromthe Institute of Museum and Library Services asadministered by the Pennsylvania Department ofEducation through the Office of CommonwealthLibraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,Tom Corbett, Governor.2

Table of Contents Introduction The Changing Story of LibrariesActivity: Old Story/New Story Strategic Storytelling Inside Stories:Your Personal StoryActivity: Jumpstart Your StoryYour Organizational Story46810 AudienceDiagram: Library AudienceHow to Tailor Your Story to Different AudiencesStorytelling Support13 Story of PlaceActivity: Mapping Your Assets18 Profiling Your CommunityActivity: Your Research Framework Sharing Your Story: Key Trendlines Crafting Your StoryActivity: How to Craft a Story Arc Reframing the Conversation How to Tell the Possibility Story Gathering StoriesTemplate: What’s Your Library Story? Public Speaking Social Media Primer PartnershipsChecklist: Building Healthy Partnerships The Next Chapter of the Story Storytelling Cheat Sheet Terms to Know ResourcesThe BackstoryThis toolkit was created thanks to the vision andleadership of the State Library of Pennsylvania,and Altoona Area Public Library, in partnershipwith Get Storied, a learning company devoted totransformational storytelling. Over the past years,Get Storied has worked with Pennsylvania and severalother states on the “future of libraries” story.Much gratitude to nearly 200 librarians, directors andstakeholders across Pennsylvania who participated in thesurveys, interviews and research that led to this work. Our20222528293032333436373839appreciation goes to Stacey Aldrich, Deputy Secretary ofEducation and Commissioner for Libraries, and JenniferKnisely, Executive Director, Altoona Area Public Libraryfor leading this effort, along with those who partnered inthe interviews: Cathi Alloway, Mary Frances Cooper, BrianDawson, Mary Garm, Lewis Maurer and Cynthia Richey.The Get Storied team who contributed to thedevelopment of this toolkit includes: Michael Margolis,Kristina Drury, Elaine Gast Fawcett, Kim Brittingham,and Erick Meléndez (Designer).3

IntroductionWhy Storytelling MattersWe all know libraries are in the midst of dramaticchange. Technology has transformed how we find anduse books, how we gather information, and how welearn. E-books, Google and Amazon have shifted thelandscape. Libraries the world over are evolving thestories they share and how they share them.Librarians understand the power of storytelling morethan most. Yet, even when in the business of lendingbooks and stories, it’s easy to forget the power of yourown story—why you love working for the library, whatyour library has achieved, and what you’ve learnedalong the way. It’s stories like this that help the publicunderstand and connect with your library. It also helpsstaff connect with one another and their larger purposeat the library.It’s up to you to use storytelling to communicate moreeffectively with your colleagues and your community.You have a powerful story to tell. Yes, you, the librarianwho is offering new programs and services, reimaginingyour library’s physical space, or shifting the way youreach patrons. The key to your library’s success is inhow you tell this story. How can you describe its shiftin clear and inspiring terms?A library outranks any other onething a community can do to benefitits people. It is a never failing springin the desert.– Andrew CarnegieIt all starts with your story.The world is indeed changing, yet the need, role, andvalue of storytelling for libraries remain steadfast andstrong. This toolkit will bolster the storytelling skillsyou already have and, more importantly, build yourconfidence and enthusiasm for sharing the storiesof your library and its impact.Note: Each section of this toolkit is standalone tool—meaning, you can choose to work on building oneskill at a time. You can also work through the toolkitas a whole.Top 10 Ways You Can Use This Storytelling ToolkitPosition yourself as a guide in an overwhelming landscape of informationDevelop and leverage key stories for different groupsDescribe your library’s programs and services in a more compelling wayReinforce your credibility and relationship with patronsDemonstrate to non-library users that the library has something for themCommunicate with your board on how your library is changing and what it needsBuild team energy and cohesion among your staffEducate and interact with community membersFind and sustain appropriate collaborative partnershipsAttract and respond to new opportunitiesLibrary Services in the Digital Age, Pew Research Center, January 2013: http://libraries.pewinternet.org14

Existing OpportunitiesThis toolkit is based on months of research, surveys andinterviews with nearly 200 librarians and directors acrossPennsylvania State Libraries. In part, the research wasused to uncover the challenges, issues and opportunitieslibrarians encounter on a regular basis.Here’s what Pennsylvania Library Leaders said were thebiggest areas of change, challenge and opportunity:Defining the library in the 21st centuryWhen it comes to communicating value in this fast-paceddigital age, libraries everywhere want to get it right. Theopportunity is in reminding people that, yes, our worldgets bigger every day and libraries are here to help youexplore that bigger world.Keeping up with technologyLibraries are struggling to provide enough of the latesttechnology to meet user demands. Some librariansfeel “left behind,” simply because they don’t have thesupport or training they need to stay up-to-date.However, librarians have an opportunity to position theirlibrary as the place where people come to learn and “tryout” new technology.Engaging the right partnersSome librarians feel they take on the bulk of the workwhen it comes to partnerships. The first step? Learn tocommunicate your needs and expectations with potentialpartners from the outset, and build in accountabilitymeasures that keep everyone equally on task.Reaching new audiencesMost libraries are lean operations that sometimes keeplibrarians tethered to circulation desks out of necessity.Yet finding true believers means stepping away from thebuildings you love and sharing programs and services outin the community.More than just books and banks ofcomputers, libraries are still places whereindividuals gather to explore, interact,and imagine.– David Morris, The Public LibraryManifesto, Yes! Magazine, May 6, 2011Learning the needs of the communityIs your library serving the needs of a changingcommunity? The only way to know for sure is to takethe pulse of the population. By collecting data andstories, librarians are better able to touch and elevateall segments of their community.Maximizing the library’s websiteDoes your library’s website have untapped potential? Is itconfusing to navigate? It’s tough to organize informationon your websites neatly and succinctly. Identifying yourlibrary’s key storylines can guide you in refining yourwebsite’s user experience and maximize social media.There’s hope for libraries, and plenty of it. In order toclose the gap between libraries and all that’s possible,you must leverage your existing stories and communicatethem throughout the community. There’s no better timeto tell your story—and the clearer you are about yourlibrary story, the more others will understand and want toengage with you.5

The ChangingStory of LibrariesLibraries are at a turning point when it comes totheir programs and services. Every library is livinga New Story as it adapts to changing technology,new content, an evolving culture, and programs andservices that respond to community needs. Part ofthe challenge is communicating that New Story tothe community, not to mention your staff. How do you get others to see what you see? How have you changed, evolved or innovated? How do you want to be perceived by others?Crystallizing all that change in just a few words canbe daunting. On the following page, you’ll find a wayto capture, in clear terms, the Old Story and NewStory of libraries. This exercise will help you moveyour thinking forward to your New Story, while alsobuilding a bridge between old and new.6In a world that’s overloaded withinformation, libraries help people findtheir way through the wilderness.You can do this exercise on your own or with a group.If you’re facilitating this exercise in a group setting,give everyone two stacks of sticky notes, each adifferent color. You’ll use one color for “Old Story”and the other color for “New Story.”Ask participants to write one word or phrase on eachnote, keeping in mind your Old/New color scheme.When complete, post the notes on a wall, groupingsimilar storylines and noting the differences.This exercise—and this entire toolkit, really—is anopportunity for you to reimagine your story. Be opento jumping in and playing along, and you’ll find it willinspire new ways to express your storytelling future.

Old Story /New StoryPurpose Look at the story of libraries in the past, and your library’s story today Bridge the differences between the Old Story and the New Story Move your thinking forward on the New Story you want to tell1ReflectThink about the words or concepts that symbolizethe Old Story of libraries. Take a few minutes tolist as many as possible. Don’t limit yourself to thespace on this page; use additional paper as needed.Next, list words or concepts that are part of the NewStory—again, as many as you can think of.2CompareLooking at your list, reflect or discussthe following: What has stayed the same between the Old Storyand New Story? What’s different? What about the New Storycontradicts the Old Story? What excites you about the New Story? What doyou want to focus on?3Go DeeperTake it a step further by reflecting or discussingthese questions: Where are our stories of growth? Where are our stereotypes, assumptions orblind spots? What of the Old Story do we want to keep?What are we ready to let go? What part of the New Story is positive?Challenging? Innovative?4Next StepsComplete the following statements(in your own words): Where we have come from still matters because The parts of our Old Story that we want to carryforward include We see great potential in moving toward Old StoryNew StoryQuietLoudBooksE-BooksRepositoryCreator7

Strategic StorytellingNow that you’ve thought about your vision for the NewStory, consider what’s most important to your library atthis time: Getting more people in the door? Describing a new event or program? Helping library staff build a common story? Engaging more partners and collaborators? Developing new offerings in response tocommunity needs? All of the above?Strategic storytelling involves first getting clear on whyyou want to tell your story, and then deciding how to doit to achieve the best results. It means taking a look atyour internal and local assets, examining your communityand its needs, and then making choices about how youwill use storytelling to facilitate and enable the changeyou want to see.Does the story you’re telling match the future you wantto create?Always know why you’retelling the story.Ask yourself:Take a few moments to answer the questions below. Use additional paper if needed. Get specific.1. Why do you need to share your library’s story atthis moment in time?3. Because you interact daily with patrons from allstages and walks of life, what do you notice are thechanging needs of your community? How do youimagine your library can best support these needs? (Ifyou aren’t sure of your community’s needs, see ProfilingYour Community on page 20.)2. What are you trying to achieve, and by when?4. Given your goals and the community’s needs, whatis the most important story you need to share, andwhy? (Note: This is a starting place. You can revisityour story as you work through this toolkit.)8

Your StoryFrameworkYour Strategic Library StoryThis toolkit will help you consider thefollowing elements of your story:MMotivations: Share your personal story, yourorganizational story - see page 10 and 12Being on the receiving end of so much messagingcan make people a pretty cynical bunch. Get clearon your motivations, and you’ll gain more trust andcredibility with others.AAudience: Tailor your story - see page 14Your audience is more than your patrons—it’s alsothe staff and community members who influenceand affect your future. Show them you understandtheir world.SStakes: Show what matters now and why - seepage 18Why now? Reflect the local community story,history, and assets. Describe what’s changing. Beclear about what’s at stake if people don’t respondto the changes.TTruth: Choose and elevate a trendline see page 22This toolkit contains six strategic trendlines tochoose from. Decide which you want to elevateand work with, or come up with your own.Consider how your chosen trendline elevatesyour community.EEmotion: Draw people in with the deeperemotional content - see page 26Emotional content is what brings your story to life.You can’t convince people to think differently butif you make them feel something, you’ll have theirattention. Inspire people to feel good.RRelevance: Make your audience the hero ofthe story - see page 30Your audience wants to be more than just aspectator. Give them a role to play in advancingyour story forward.YYes!: Give people a reason to celebrate withyou - see page 36Do they belong in your story? That’s their question.They’ll say yes more when your library story is oneof possibility and aspiration.9

Inside StoriesYour Personal StoryWhen telling your library’s story, it can be easy to forgetabout your own story.Your personal story is the place to start when talking withanyone about your library. You probably don’t think thestory is about you. Yet, your authenticity and credibilityis always on the line as a storyteller.Share your passion and motivations—where you comefrom, why you do what you do, and what brought youto the world of libraries.Ask yourself:Take a few moments to answer the questions below. Use additional paper if needed.1. What inspired me to work in the world of libraries?4. Who in my life influenced me to care so muchabout these issues?2. What do I care about? What concerns me most?5. What am I still the most curious about? What’s theriddle I’m trying to solve?3. Why is this so personal for me? Allow yourself tobe vulnerable.10

JumpstartYour StoryPurpose Discover the invisible lines of connection between people Learn about choices and consequences in storytelling—whereyou start your story, what you include and don’t include, andhow framing the story can make all the difference Learn how to get to what matters more quickly Experience feeling witnessed and heardAdapted from the works of Seth Kahan, Paul Costello and theGolden Fleece Community of PracticeYour 90-Second StoryHere’s an exercise that will allow you and your staff toexperience yourselves as storytellers. It’s also a way torecognize some of the common storylines in the room.It’s interactive, builds energy, facilitates networking, andgives people an immediate experience of their naturalstorytelling abilities.Total Time: 45 minutes5Ask people to stand up, thank their partner for thestory they just shared, and find a new partner(as time allows). Repeat the same exercise, asking newpartners to tell the same story—this time, in 60 seconds(with a 20-second warning). At the end of 60 seconds,pause, take a breath, and switch partners again. Repeatthe exercise.6Give partners a storytelling prompt—one thatgives them energy and is relevant to the topic at hand.Example: “Tell the story of why you work in the libraryworld” or “What was it like the first time you entereda library?”After one or two rounds, bring the whole group backtogether for debriefing and reflection.Ask questions such as: What was the experience like for you? What did you learn about storytelling throughthis exercise? If you did two rounds, was the second roundeasier or harder? How many of you were surprised by what yourpartner pointed out? Did you share any surprising, unexpectedconnections with your partner?Each partner will have 90 seconds to sharetheir story. While Partner A is talking, Partner B willfocus on silently listening and absorbing the story bytaking notes. (Facilitator’s note: call a 30-second warningwhen time is almost up.)Next Steps:You or your staff can use the above exercise to developor refine your personal story as it relates to the library.Record your personal stories and compare them.Where are the similarities?What You Need: A timer or watchIn a group, break up into pairs. Ask partners to sitfacing each other with attentive, open and receptivebody language.123At the end of a timed 90 seconds, Partner A will stop(even if in mid-sentence) and everyone will pause. Allowfor a few seconds of silence to fill the room, and allow thestories to settle. Partners take a breath, switch roles. Startagain. Partner B will have 90 seconds to share a story.4Give partners one minute to debrief each story andshare what they heard. Listeners will share where theyfelt the most energy, and the moments in the story wherethey wanted to know more. Their job is not to corrector fix their partner’s story. The partner should only givereflection. Complete both debriefs.11

Inside StoriesYour OrganizationalStory Matters TooWhat’s the collective story you are telling about yourlibrary? In order to find a new voice or message,and change how your library is perceived in yourcommunity, you’ve got to make sure everyone insideyour organization is aligned around the same story.Here are some steps toward discovering yourorganizational story.1. What is it about your history that still holds relevance?Get clear on your organizational motivations and intentions.Some libraries are big into being local historians, whileothers are a technology guide for local citizens. Look at yourroots and history. What has really mattered to your libraryover time? How can you stay true to that, but reinterpret itin the context of today?If your staff isn’t clear on a shared common storyof the future—about what excites and inspires youforward—how can anyone else be excited? Get clearabout any competing storylines within your ownlibrary walls, and work to resolve them.A shared organizational story is what inspires yourlibrary’s future into being. It unifies and connects yourstaff to one another. It describes the common desireyou’re all working toward, and the “possibility story”for what’s to come.You don’t have to be a big librarywith lots of money to make adifference in your community.2. What are the stories your staff share in common? Findout the personal stories and motivations of your staff, andwhat connects you all together. If you don’t know, ask them.As you’re listening to the stories, notice any resentmentsin staff stories (“we don’t have enough m

your thinking forward to your New Story, while also building a bridge between old and new. You can do this exercise on your own or with a group. If you’re facilitating this exercise in a group setting, give everyone two stacks of sticky notes, each a different color. You’ll use one color for “Old Story” and the other color for “New .

Related Documents:

Bruksanvisning för bilstereo . Bruksanvisning for bilstereo . Instrukcja obsługi samochodowego odtwarzacza stereo . Operating Instructions for Car Stereo . 610-104 . SV . Bruksanvisning i original

10 tips och tricks för att lyckas med ert sap-projekt 20 SAPSANYTT 2/2015 De flesta projektledare känner säkert till Cobb’s paradox. Martin Cobb verkade som CIO för sekretariatet för Treasury Board of Canada 1995 då han ställde frågan

service i Norge och Finland drivs inom ramen för ett enskilt företag (NRK. 1 och Yleisradio), fin ns det i Sverige tre: Ett för tv (Sveriges Television , SVT ), ett för radio (Sveriges Radio , SR ) och ett för utbildnings program (Sveriges Utbildningsradio, UR, vilket till följd av sin begränsade storlek inte återfinns bland de 25 största

Hotell För hotell anges de tre klasserna A/B, C och D. Det betyder att den "normala" standarden C är acceptabel men att motiven för en högre standard är starka. Ljudklass C motsvarar de tidigare normkraven för hotell, ljudklass A/B motsvarar kraven för moderna hotell med hög standard och ljudklass D kan användas vid

LÄS NOGGRANT FÖLJANDE VILLKOR FÖR APPLE DEVELOPER PROGRAM LICENCE . Apple Developer Program License Agreement Syfte Du vill använda Apple-mjukvara (enligt definitionen nedan) för att utveckla en eller flera Applikationer (enligt definitionen nedan) för Apple-märkta produkter. . Applikationer som utvecklas för iOS-produkter, Apple .

Storytelling: The art of a good yarn Introduction Storytelling is an ancient and valuable art that extends around the globe. In this unit, students develop their own storytelling talents, apply the techniques of storytelling, create storytell

Digital Storytelling in Language Arts Digital Storytelling Cookbook byCenter for Digital Storytelling, Berkeley, CA A Workshop on the Art of Digital Storytelling, Dr. Jennifer C. Richardson & Nikki Kim, Purdue University “Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning: Digital

concerned with a form of storytelling called "Nonlinear Storytelling" and specifically because we believe that a strong link in nonlinear storytelling with gamification can dramatically improve learning in online education. Others have cited that storytelling provides improved recall over simple presentation of hard facts (Gillett, 2014).