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<p>Writing descriptions for library programs is a challenge. You work
in
a library, after all, not an advertising agency. You’re trying to teach
or help people, not sell them cigarettes, but you do want people to
show up. How can you write a program description that attracts interest?</p>
<h2 id="aprogramwithbenefits">A Program With Benefits</h2>
<p>The place to begin is to list ways the program <em>benefits the
patron</em>. To do this, you have to consider what those patrons want
and care about. Then write your description in a way that matches their
needs to the benefits they’ll get from attending. If your program has
learning objectives, their wording may be too dry, but that’s a useful
starting point for a list of benefits.</p>
<p>Let’s say you’re advertising a class where you’ll help students
select a database to search and select keywords to use. Telling them
what they’ll do in the program <em>is not the same</em> as telling them
how it will help them. For a student, hearing that the program will help
them quickly find quality sources for their Freshman English research
paper is a lot more attractive than hearing that they’ll be using
databases. </p>
<h2 id="fastfriendlyfree">Fast? Friendly? Free?</h2>
<p>People also care about things like having fun, spending time with
friends or family, spending time wisely, saving money, etc. <em>Don’t
make extravagant promises the program can’t deliver</em>, but if a
program does have benefits like these, don’t leave them out. Keep
challenging yourself to consider these benefits from the patron’s point
of view.</p>
<p>If you’ve got a program on couponing, emphasize that it can help
people save money (a benefit) over the coupon organizing techniques
they’ll practice in the program (the activity). If your story time for
toddlers builds early literacy skills, helps parents spend quality time
with their children and help them select books that kids at that
developmental level will finding interesting, say so! </p>
<p>Don’t assume people already understand how your programs are
useful. If thinking about benefits helps you adapt your programs
to become more useful, too, that’s icing on the gingerbread cookie.</p>
<ul>
<li>Nathan Swartzendruber</li>
</ul>
<hr><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't forget.</span> Learn how
to boost your digital memory with Evernote at SWON’s Evernote Level-Up
Lab on December 10. It’s designed for people
who are already using Evernote, but you’ll learn a lot even if you’ve
just created an Evernote account. Sign up for the Lab here: <a
href="http://tiny.cc/evernote-lab">http://tiny.cc/evernote-lab</a></p><hr><span
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style="font-weight: bold;" data-mce-style="font-weight: bold;">Calendar
excerpts from the next two weeks. (</span>Please register for online
classes at least two days before they take place.)
<ul>
<li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=754">Learning
and Libraries: Developing Communities of Learning</a></strong> -
(12/5/2013) - Online</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=613">SWON
Executive Board Meeting</a></strong> - (12/6/2013) - SWON Conference
Room</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=429">Adult
Planning and Services (SIG) Meeting</a></strong> - (12/9/2013) - Dayton
Metro Main Library</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=755">Serving
the Underserved of Your Community</a></strong> - (12/10/2013) - Online</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=642">Level-Up
Lab: Evernote</a></strong> - (12/10/2013) - SWON Conference Room</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=756">Learning
and Libraries: Social Media Tools to Facilitate Learning</a></strong> -
(12/12/2013) - Online</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=679">Teen
Services (SIG) Meeting - Manga</a></strong> - (12/12/2013) - PLCH Main</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=354">CLEAR
(SIG) Review Meeting</a></strong> - (12/12/2013) - Kenton County PL,
Covington Branch</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=359">CLEAR
(SIG) Review Meeting</a></strong> - (12/13/2013) - SWON Conference Room</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=657">Directors/Human
Resources Personnel (SIG) Meeting</a></strong> - (12/13/2013) -
Cincinnati Art Museum</li><li><strong><a
href="http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=757">Having Fun
Wherever You Work</a></strong> - (12/17/2013) - Online</li>
</ul>
<div><div><span><br>
</span></div></div>
<span>SWON Libraries - <a href="http://www.swonlibraries.org"
target="_blank" data-mce-href="http://www.swonlibraries.org">http://www.swonlibraries.org</a></span>
<div><div><span style="font-size: small;" data-mce-style="font-size:
small;">10250
Alliance Road, Suite 225<br> </span></div></div>
<div><div><span style="font-size: small;" data-mce-style="font-size:
small;">Blue Ash,
OH 45242</span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"
data-mce-style="font-size: small;">phone (513) 751-4422 - fax (513)
751-0463</span></div></div>
<span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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