How to Find the Best Virtual Library in the World?

The best virtual library has got to be out there somewhere. If not in the real world, perhaps in a virtual one. How will I go about finding one that I can share with you, my staff and students? Let's look at a marketing scheme of how to attract visitors. That's the idea! Did you see the light go on? After all it's about marketing to get the visitors hooked to come to your site and linger. Through the readings I've done, this article stood out for me because of the suggestions for inclusions for virtual libraries that I hadn't come across before. These are some of the great ideas that were presented in "Marketing the Virtual Library" by Jody Fagan. I'll offer some main ideas before going into detail about what was included.

· Maximize electronic resources. You'll be better able to meet the needs of larger numbers as long as these resources are easy to research.
· Include Web techniques to promote online resources. I'm not sure how many people will read a reference book cover to cover online; therefore it makes more sense to provide articles before books.
· Aesthetics does have a roll to play. If it's not appealing - one won't stay.
· To advertise or not to advertise - that is the question.
· Making connections is so important. How can this happen between the real world and the virtual one?
· Tailoring the virtual library to your needs should be at the forefront of your choice.
· Lastly, how do you evaluate if it's working?

Here are my specifics that would work for me - sometimes it's not just about everyone else. It has to work for the Teacher-Librarian too.
· As I do my own cataloguing, I could really use the MARC records that are available online.
· Sharing downloadable options with teachers would be beneficial - some examples are: posters, user guides, and templates. [Note - consider the time factor in downloading, I don't want to frustrate anyone with getting booted out because it's taking too long.]
· A huge plus would be online tutorials - who doesn't like the hands-on approach?
· E-books are also excellent for us to be exposed to. Wouldn't it be great to have some tools like highlighting, quick searches for looking up unknown words or even be able to bookmark?
· To advertising or not to advertise - there's a good question? Do you need the funding- they pay you? Do you have funding to pay for such services? Or are you just selling out? Here's a tidbit I learned about using the services of Facebook. "Facebook allows you to pay per click or per view." Wow! I know our school couldn't afford that.
· Making connections to match the physical library with the virtual library should be an easy sell using some of these tips. Try placing a 'book dummy' on the shelf beside something that would be a popular choice online. Create a poster at the end of the stacks to direct users to specific areas. Here's one I can apply right away - put up a sign by the newspaper stand to direct users to the online version to access the archives. This one is key for me to include - incorporate an orientation of the online site that can be accessed at all times.
· Tailoring traditional needs such as email capabilities. Don't forget to be creative with some quick and easy selling features like 'In 15 seconds I can show you how this resource can improve your life'.
· Finally, conducting surveys allows for the collection of important feedback - we can all gain from this type of evaluation.

With so many options to look for and use in a virtual library, I'm well on my way to making some great choices when deciding upon which sites to choose to add to my blog. I feel like my workload just got a lot lighter - I like that feeling as it will free me up to allow for more collaborating.

Source

Fagan, Jody. (2009, July). Marketing the VIRTUAL LIBRARY. Computers in Libraries, 29(7), 25-30. Retrieved from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1796623291).