Melody Herr: Welcome to our lightning talk! 
I'm Melody Herr.  Melody Herr: 
Cedar Middleton, Jessica Kelly, and I  Melody Herr: 
will tell you why we've chosen  Melody Herr: 
to focus on research centers,  Melody Herr: the services we provide 
through the institutional repository,  Melody Herr:  and the ways in 
which we promote the center's work. Melody Herr: Let's start with the question 
"Why research centers?" Melody Herr: Our institutional 
repository opened in June 2015.  Melody Herr: When I joined the University 
of Arkansas Fayetteville the following spring, Melody Herr: we did not have much 
content beyond theses and dissertations.  Melody Herr: We needed content - 
lots of high quality, highly visible content -  Melody Herr: in order to 
demonstrate the repository's value. Melody Herr: First, we chose 
to focus on research centers, Melody Herr: because 
they produce some of the  Melody Herr: most prestigious 
research on our campus. Melody Herr: We wanted 
our IR to be associated with them Melody Herr: to benefit from 
their name recognition and reputation. Melody Herr: Second, 
you understand the challenges  Melody Herr: of 
collecting faculty publications. Melody Herr: A research center 
provides an entree to faculty. Melody Herr: Furthermore, each 
center has a director or,  Melody Herr: sometimes, an assistant 
who serves as a single point of contact.  Melody Herr: In other words, the 
repository team works directly with only Melody Herr: one or two people to get 
a bundle of research produced by affiliated faculty. Melody Herr: But how can 
you market your repository?  Melody Herr: Even if a center has 
its own website and YouTube channel,  Melody Herr: don't assume 
that it doesn't need you.  Melody Herr: It does need you - 
you just have to let the director know that. Melody Herr: Broadcast-style advertising,
 in our experience, just isn't effective.  Melody Herr: Successfully marketing 
for an IR requires personal outreach.  Melody Herr: I'll share just 
two of our strategies. Melody Herr: The first is cold calling.  Melody Herr: We compiled a list 
of research centers on campus,  Melody Herr: identified the directors, 
and send a standard email to each. Melody Herr: Not surprisingly, 
we didn't get much response Melody Herr: to the initial 
round of cold calls.  Melody Herr: But I kept an 
eye on campus news and repeatedly Melody Herr: followed up 
whenever there was an excuse. Melody Herr: If the center 
received a grant or an award, Melody Herr: I send
a congratulatory note, Melody Herr: along with a 
reminder about our services. Melody Herr: If the center 
was sponsoring an event, Melody Herr: 
I suggested the ways Melody Herr: a repository
could provide support.  Melody Herr: The second
strategy is networking. Melody Herr: Recruit your 
colleagues as salespeople.   Melody Herr:  Subject librarians 
can help spread the word.  Melody Herr:  They also can 
alert you to incoming grants,  Melody Herr:  changes in 
personnel, and upcoming events. Melody Herr: Every member 
of the repository team Melody Herr: has 
opportunities to network.  Melody Herr: For example, when 
Cedar served on Staff Senate,  Melody Herr:  she met 
administrators who eventually Melody Herr: brought their 
content to the repository. Melody Herr: These marketing 
strategies have been successful.  Melody Herr: We now host 
more than a dozen research centers,  Melody Herr: ranging from 
nutrition science to Middle East studies, Melody Herr: to education reform 
to the economy of Northwest Arkansas. Melody Herr: And now, 
Cedar will tell you about the services we offer. Cedar Claire Middleton: 
Thank you Melody.  Cedar Claire Middleton:  
Hi, I'm Cedar Middleton,  Cedar Claire Middleton:   
the institutional repository coordinator. Cedar Claire Middleton: 
In order to help our centers  Cedar Claire Middleton: see us 
as an asset to their research,  Cedar Claire Middleton: we 
share that we have an Cedar Claire Middleton: institutional 
repository that can house their work.  Cedar Claire Middleton: This 
allows them to not worry about Cedar Claire Middleton: having their 
own website if they don't want one. Cedar Claire Middleton: We 
do all the uploading, so they Cedar Claire Middleton: just need 
to provide the metadata and files.  Cedar Claire Middleton: 
We have a range of content, Cedar Claire Middleton: like articles, 
reports, briefs, and presentations. Cedar Claire Middleton: Having 
this great content is important,  Cedar Claire Middleton: 
but with the added metadata, Cedar Claire Middleton: it 
provides great information   Cedar Claire Middleton: for our 
search engine optimization.  Cedar Claire Middleton: This 
allows our authors' work to be Cedar Claire Middleton: more 
easily found in a Google search,  Cedar Claire Middleton: which is the 
main avenue our repository is found online. Cedar Claire Middleton: With 
their work being easily found  Cedar Claire Middleton: 
through our repository,  Cedar Claire Middleton: with 
extra information from the metadata, Cedar Claire Middleton: and great 
search engine optimization, Cedar Claire Middleton: 
the statistics for our Cedar Claire Middleton: 
authors' work greatly increases. Cedar Claire Middleton: 
Over to you, Jessica! Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
Thanks, Cedar! Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
Hi, I'm Jessica Kelly. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: I'm the 
Scholarly Communications Assistant, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: and I do a 
little bit of everything in our office Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: and a lot 
of the social media and graphic design.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: There's much to 
juggle when it comes to promotion,  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: but to me 
it all comes down to relationships Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: and 
understanding the landscape. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: As you 
can see by all the social media Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: icons 
on this slide, there are  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: a lot of 
platforms from which to choose. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: We have 
two accounts on just two  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: social media 
platforms, Facebook and Twitter.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: We don't 
rule out utilizing others in the future, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: but this 
is what makes the most sense for us now. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: So 
when you begin your, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: your, um, 
your search on which platform to start on, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: you really want 
to do some soul searching and research. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: For soul 
searching, you want to ask yourself,  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: who 
is your target audience, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: and what 
do we want them to get out of the IR? Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: Where do these 
people "hang out," electronically speaking? Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: Then 
you want to do your research. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
After doing the soul searching, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: ask 
yourself the Most Important Question -  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
given that target demographic,  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: which platform 
does it make the most sense to be on?  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
How does that platform work? Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
Do a bit of research Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: on 
working on that specific platform. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: One of the 
biggest things, though, is building relationships.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
It's all about the relationships! Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: So, 
building relationships is very valuable.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: Utilizing
already established hashtags  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: and existing 
social media accounts close to you,  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: like 
other university accounts Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
or local area accounts Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: you 
can find ways where you can  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: join in 
on the conversations happening. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: You 
can then find opportunities to Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: begin new 
relationships and generate some goodwill.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: For example, 
congratulating and welcoming new professors Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: who might 
one day put their research into the IR. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: But 
you also want to maintain relationships. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: The 
relationships that you build and maintain Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: with 
the people you serve could Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: be 
beneficial not just for the IR, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
it could also prove to be  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
beneficial for the library in general. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: Keep building 
that goodwill that you've established  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: and the
research centers will know that Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: they 
can rely on you to help spread Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: the word 
on their research and publications  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: and, can 
put in a good word for you  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: with 
other research centers. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: Now, 
there's no understating Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: the 
importance of being credible.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: You 
likely will never have to Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
address anything controversial, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: when 
promoting anything in the IR, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: but 
it's still important that you're  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
viewed as a source of authority. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: And the 
best way to do that is to systematically Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: just keep 
putting out matter-of-fact content.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
Now on the flip side,  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
a social media account is  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly:
not just a bulletin board. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: Systematically 
putting out matter of fact content Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: doesn't 
mean that's all you should put out. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: Most 
folks understand that there are Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: actual 
people behind the account,  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: so 
while you absolutely should post  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: things 
that might go on a bulletin board,  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
do so with personability, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
and invite engagement Jessica Elizabeth Kelly:
in an authentic manner. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
Get chummy with some Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
other social media accounts,  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
do some bantering, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
and interact occasionally Jessica Elizabeth Kelly:
with light hearted, fun things. Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
Now, this is what we have Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
discovered has worked for us so far.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: We've 
had accounts for two, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
excuse me, just shy of two years, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: and 
with 134 followers on Facebook Jessica Elizabeth Kelly:
and 245 followers on Twitter, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: we 
think we aren't doing half bad! Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
So on behalf of  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly:
Melody, Cedar, and myself,  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: we 
would like to say thank you Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: for 
listening to our presentation.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
If you have any questions, Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
you're welcome to reach us at Jessica Elizabeth Kelly:  
any of the email addresses listed.  Jessica Elizabeth Kelly: 
Thanks again!