Best Practices. for Library Partners to maximize digital circulation. Your checklist to a successful digital collection.

Transcription

1 Best Practices for Library Partners to maximize digital circulation Your checklist to a successful digital collection. 1

2 OverDrive s Best Practices With your OverDrive service, we help you maximize the circulation of your Virtual Branch with support for collection development, staff training, and promotion. This booklet provides many Best Practices Collection Development Staff Training Promotion OverDrive offers a variety of services to help optimize your digital collection. Our Collection Development team can create recommended title lists, help you add a new format, set up a Maximum Access plan, and more. Sessions for all staff cover specific topics related to your OverDrive service. The online sessions are lead by experienced trainers, and are conducted with easy-to-use web and audio conferencing tools. Raising awareness of your Virtual Branch online, inside, and outside the library is an important success factor. OverDrive provides promotional assistance at no additional cost. We provide print materials, web graphics, sample press releases, and more. Contact OverDrive at partnerservices@overdrive.com or x2 2 1

3 Section1 Collection Development Keep your collection fresh and varied, and use our tools to help. Mirror your physical collection with content users want: best sellers and classics. 2

4 Best practices to maximize download circulation 1 Subscribe to ContentWire 2 Involve your staff 3 Maximize your collection ContentWire weekly newsletter Sign up for information on the latest titles and publishers available for you to add to your digital collection. Give staff an opportunity to participate in the purchasing process by creating lists in Content Reserve. During routine branch visits, ask for suggestions for your digital collection. Content Reserve is OverDrive s collection development portal and holds the entire catalog from which you build your digital collection. Purchase from suggested title lists. Check out the Marketplace homepage, tab features, and suggested title lists in Content Reserve. Subscribe to a Maximum Access plan (always available, simultaneous use collection), which means no wait lists on many popular and classic titles. Choose your subscription level (e.g. 25, 50, 75, or 100) and select from many publishers and suppliers. 3

5 Best practices to maximize download circulation 4 Add free titles through Community Reserve 5 Automate your collection 6 Review reports Community Reserve is a digital resource sharing tool that enables you to upload and share local content. Increase the value of your collection by uploading local historical documents, educational materials, and locally produced music or video to your Virtual Branch via the Content Reserve collection development portal. Automatically add best sellers to your digital collection and keep wait lists to a minimum using these tools in Content Reserve. Download Standing Order Plan: Get best sellers in your collection automatically, and tailor the plan to fit your needs and budget. Create a Holds Manager plan by selecting a hold ratio, monthly budget, frequency, and maximum title limits, and OverDrive will fill holds for you automatically. Respond to user demands using real-time data in Content Reserve. Activity Charts: See popular content and make informed purchasing decisions. Turnover Rate Charts: Use to compare circulation activity to turnover rate statistics. Current Waiting List and Waiting List History: Compare your library s current waiting list to the waiting list history to see if a title has been in demand for a long time. Contact Collection Development at collectionteam@overdrive.com 4

6 Section2 Staff Training Many users learn about your OverDrive service from staff, so ensure they are knowledgeable to help promote and provide assistance. 5

7 Best practices to maximize download circulation 1 Attend staff training 2 Visit the Training Center 3 Practice makes perfect OverDrive s free training curriculum is available before and after launch, and conveniently hosted online. 1. Browse, Check Out, Download 2. Collection Checklist 3. Community Outreach 4. Patron Assistance 5. Real-time Reports Invite all staff to attend. Participate in OverDrive s annual Training Month. (September) Utilize the resources in OverDrive s Training Center. Course materials (presentations, recordings) Customer training template Hot topics and resources Try the user experience on your own, so you can help promote and answer questions. Browse, check out, and download all formats in your collection. Place a hold and retrieve the hold. Transfer a title to a portable device, and burn to CD. Visit the OverDrive Device Resource Center: Be familiar with the help resources on your Virtual Branch website. Contact Training at training@overdrive.com 6

8 Section3 Promotion Promote your digital collection online, inside, and outside the library to raise awareness around your community. 7

9 Best practices to maximize download circulation 1 Maximize your online presence 2 Distribute and display promotional materials 3 Reach out to local media Nearly 70% of users learn about your download service online. South Ayrshire (UK) billboard Washoe County Library System (NV) Place a graphic or text link on your library s website to direct customers to your Virtual Branch. The graphic should be easy to find and direct. Purchase MARC records to integrate digital titles in your catalog. Utilize free tools such as Facebook and Twitter to get the word out. Display materials in the main library and all branches. Display materials at the following locations: Local gym Schools Shops/restaurants Subway/bus stations Community events Optimize publicity opportunities through delivery vans, buses, and billboards to reach commuters. Issue a press release to your local media channels (TV, radio, newspaper, and local publications) to announce your OverDrive service and share updates. 8

10 Best practices to maximize download circulation 4 Involve customers 5 Offer OverDrive Download Station 6 Host an event Start a digital book club to get book lovers using downloads. Ask for customers feedback through a suggestion form on your website to submit requests for favorite authors, subjects, and formats. Conduct a customer survey. Spotlight local talent through Community Reserve. Purchase OverDrive Download Station software to allow customers to download audiobooks and music in the library and help raise awareness. Lake County Public Library (IN) Host an event to generate awareness. Customer training workshop. MP3 player raffle. Launch party for staff. Participate and/or sponsor an event in your community (parade, festival, county fair) and advertise your digital collection. 9

11 Best practices to maximize download circulation 7 Communicate to library users 8 Evaluate success using reports Publish an article in your newsletter with information about your Virtual Branch. Include updates on new content, website features, and formats. Send an to customers announcing your OverDrive service and when new titles or formats are added. Include a short message in your staff signature. Traffic Report: See what URLs are directing customers to your Virtual Branch. New Customer Registrations: Keep track of new customer usage, because more customers equal more checkouts. Customer Activity Chart: View the number of unique customers who checked out titles by date or branch. OverDrive s online Marketing Kit offers promotional resources to help you get the word out, including print-ready materials, web graphics, and more. partnerservices/marketingoutreach Record a phone script about your service to play while on hold for those who call the library. Download Dashboard, a free desktop application to monitor statistics. Contact Partner Services at partnerservices@overdrive.com or x750 10

12 OverDrive, Inc Sweet Valley Drive Suite N Cleveland, Ohio USA main fax OverDrive, Inc.