[Update: not so random after all – I probably heard Stephen Abram say this at Internet Librarian]
As I’m starting to re-write our website plan, I’m having some random thoughts… they don’t necessarily go in the plan, but might be useful nonetheless. So I’m posting them as they come.
Random Thought #1: Go where your customers already are, and be prepared to meet them with the information they need.
The second part of that statement might be difficult – then again, if we have well-rounded librarians, we should at least be able to track down said info.
First part of the statement – where are our customers? Here’s a beginning list:
- in the library
- at home
- on the phone
- in the classroom
- on the web
- in a meeting
- at the mall
- etc
My point? Can a library patron reach your library via phone, email, chat, IM, SMS, etc?
How about this – your customers are in school… how do you meet them? Your customers are at the cafe around the corner. How do you meet them? Your customers are working in the corporate office across the street. How do you meet them? Your customers are using Flickr/LibraryThing/Furl/del.icio.us/my yahoo/etc – How do you meet them?