96 · Survey Results: Survey Questions And Responses
39. What methods has special collections used to promote use of unique collections by unaffiliated
researchers? Check all methods that have been used. Check up to three that have been most
successful. N=66
Method Used
N=66
Most Successful
N=52
Promotion on library/university Web pages 58 34
One-on-one contact 50 28
Press releases 40 12
Posters, flyers, bookmarks, etc. 34 6
Library newsletter (print or electronic) 30 9
Listserv/group e-mail 28 12
Social networking sites 22 2
Blogs 20
Direct mail 19 7
Campus newsletter 16 1
Advertising in scholarly journals 7
Other method 21 8
Please describe other method(s).
Used and Most Successful
Events these usually make us aware of individuals not previously known to us that have an interest in the topic.
When we work with academic departments we frequently pull in scholars from other institutions for our events and
it’s another way to make connections with unaffiliated researchers with an academic interest in one or more of our
collections.
Exhibits, both physical and online. Participation in annual meetings of disciplinary societies, often resulting in visits to
use the collections from researchers the following year. Articles, papers, and other presentations by special collections
curators, drawing attention to collection strengths.
Exhibits, of course! Including online exhibits, which last forever and reach outside scholars and researchers long after
the actual exhibit has come down.
Our Web site has information about hours, services, and online finding aids. Online finding aids are ingested into
Encore, and in turn are harvested into OAIster. Staff also make presentations at national conferences and at some
subject-specific conferences.
Short-term fellowships have been offered to allow scholars to use one of the large special collections. These were
discontinued due to funding difficulties but have been re-activated in 2010.
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