How do you attract and retain new users with library orientation and instruction sessions?

3 Choose the right format

Depending on your objectives and audience, you can choose from various formats for your session, such as lectures, workshops, demonstrations, tours, games, or online modules. You should consider the advantages and disadvantages of each format, as well as the resources and skills required to implement them. For example, lectures can be useful for conveying a lot of information in a short time, but they can also be boring and passive. Workshops can be interactive and hands-on, but they can also require more preparation and facilitation.

4 Use active learning techniques

Active learning is a pedagogical approach that involves engaging your users in meaningful activities that require them to apply, analyze, or create knowledge. Active learning can enhance your users' motivation, retention, and transfer of learning. Some examples of active learning techniques are quizzes, discussions, case studies, problem-solving, peer feedback, or role-playing. You can use these techniques to stimulate your users' curiosity, challenge their assumptions, and encourage their participation.

5 Incorporate multimedia elements

Multimedia elements are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic stimuli that can enrich your session and appeal to different learning styles. Multimedia elements can include images, videos, audio clips, animations, charts, graphs, or maps. You can use these elements to illustrate concepts, provide examples, or create scenarios. However, you should avoid using too many or irrelevant multimedia elements, as they can distract or overload your users. You should also ensure that your multimedia elements are accessible, clear, and consistent.

6 Follow up and evaluate

After your session, you should follow up with your users and provide them with opportunities to reinforce their learning, ask questions, or give feedback. You can use various tools and platforms to communicate with your users, such as emails, newsletters, blogs, social media, or online forums. You can also offer them additional resources, such as guides, tutorials, or links, to support their independent learning. Moreover, you should evaluate the effectiveness and impact of your session, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, such as surveys, tests, interviews, or observations. You can use the results to improve your future sessions and demonstrate your value to your stakeholders.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?