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Case Histories

"Advocacy Toolbox: A Practical Guide To Communicating Your Value"

Medical Library Association

Challenge

Medical librarians, a profession founded more than 100 years ago, are found at most major hospitals, medical centers and schools around the nation. Specially trained to evaluate health information, medical librarians are not generally a well-known resource because their services were formerly available only to physicians.

In the past decade, the Internet has made health information widely available and medical librarians now face opposing challenges. On one side are hospital administrators faced with budget constraints and the mistaken notion that electronic resources can replace professional library staff. On the other side are consumers overwhelmed by thousands of online health sites and in need of someone to help sift through it all. Medical librarians have gladly invited the public into their libraries through education and outreach campaigns, but as more consumers use the free-of-charge services of medical librarians, the strain on libraries' financial and staff resources is growing.

As the primary advocate for the more than 1,200 institutions and 3,800 professionals in the health information field, the Medical Library Association (MLA) determined that its members needed to more effectively market themselves to their administrators to increase their chances of receiving a larger budget. MLA asked its agency of record, Public Communications Inc., to develop a resource that would be an inexpensive means to educate as well as motivate its members.

Action

The new resource was created primarily for members to use to promote their services and institutional contributions. MLA and PCI designed a desktop "toolkit" appropriately named "Advocacy Toolbox: A Practical Guide To Communicating Your Value."

To effectively meet the needs of the MLA membership, the toolkit had to:

  • contain up-to-the-minute tactics for real-life situations;
  • be kept in a high visibility area to encourage librarians to reach for it as a resource;
  • be formatted so that the information could be distributed in gradual installations;
  • become a living document that fits the needs of librarians.

The desktop design of the toolbox allowed for it to be a top-of-mind reference for members. Each new edition would be distributed on 8 ½" x 11" heavy card stock that could be easily cut apart into four squares and fit into a container about the size of a recipe box. Members receive new installments of the cards with each issue of the quarterly Journal of the Medical Library Association.

Each card follows this simple format:

  • Describes a common, significant problem to be solved;
  • Lists important tools the member and staff can use to address the problem;
  • Discusses reality-based examples and case histories of how the problem was successfully managed.

The boxes and first set of cards were distributed at the MLA Annual Meeting in May 2003 and were an instant hit. The first set of resource cards for the toolbox focused specifically on how the librarians could better communicate with their administrators and users, addressing major issues such as budget cuts, internal publicity and initiating new services. Since then, four sets of cards covering 14 topics have been distributed to members:

  • Card 1: Explain Contribution of Library Services
  • Card 2: Maintain / Expand Staff, Space, Collections
  • Card 3: Defend Budget Against Proposed Cuts
  • Card 4: Justify New Service
  • Card 5: Publicize Library Services Internally
  • Card 6: Increase Compensation to Match Increase in Responsibility
  • Card 7: Increase Compensation to Match Job with Similar Responsibility / Size
  • Card 8: Increase Compensation by Comparing Within Region
  • Card 9: Reach Out to Your Community
  • Card 10: Raise Your Library's Profile
  • Card 11: Volunteer Your Services
  • Card 12: Professional Development: You
  • Card 13: Professional Development: Your Staff
  • Card 14: Professional Development: Your Institution

Results

This is the first time in the 10+ years tenure of the MLA's executive director that she recalls members being so vocal in their enthusiasm for any marketing effort. Kudos have been sent from medical librarians at both large and small hospital and academic libraries. Here is a sampling of their comments:

  • I am a new MLA member and have just received my first JMLA with cards 12-14. I am contacting you to request the previous sets and the toolbox. Whoever came up with this idea should be commended. What a fast and fun way to discover truly useful information! Thank you!
    - Holly Hubenschmidt
  • Please mail me the toolbox and first set of cards to the address below. I was unable to attend the MLA annual conference due to budget restraints. The second set of cards is fantastic! These are great and really fit into circumstances that many medical libraries are facing these days. Personally, card 6 gives me great advice since this happened to me recently!
    - Meredith P. Goins
  • I would like to request the initial toolbox kit. I recently received the second set of cards and find it could be extremely useful. I'm presently finding myself, more than ever, having to justify and explain the value of my little library.
    - Lisa Anne Matsumoto
  • I would like to receive the first set of resource cards (1-5) and the toolbox. I received the second set of cards with my July issue of JMLA and I am very excited about this initiative. Thank you!
    - JoAnn Hall
  • I am impressed with the cards that came with the recent issue of JMLA. I am writing to request a copy of the first set that was distributed at the annual meeting. What a great reference! Thanks to the association.
    - Barbara Nanstiel, MS, AHIP
  • I'd like the initial toolbox package kit to be mailed to me. A very timely resource!
    - Heidi Sue Adams, MS, AHIP