Here’s a thought-provoking question (request, really) from a recent job interview for a public library position: Stand up and make a presentation of one minute or less to introduce the library. It can be a presentation to any group for any library.
Of course, I didn’t come up with anything particularly creative during the interview, but thinking about what I could have done provided lots of amusement for me on the drive home after the interview.
I think this is a good exercise. Usually, you’re lucky if you have a minute—and you’ll rarely get more—to tout the great things the library has to offer, so how would you do it? My main thought during the interview was that I wanted to present a friendly face so that people would feel comfortable calling the library or, better yet, walking through the door. My goal: Make people feel welcome so that they want to visit the library, even if for no particular reason. Then, when they do have a particular reason, they’ll think of the library.
Here’s one of the “presentations” I thought of on the way home from the interview. Kind of cheese-y, but cheese-y is one of my signatures:
“Good morning! I’m very happy to join you today. I’m Debra Capponi with the Utopian Library System, but for the next 30 seconds I’m going to pretend I'm Monty Hall at the end of an episode of Let’s Make a Deal, when he would approach members of the audience and give them money if they could produce various items from their purses or wallets.” [At this point, I’d approach a member of “my” audience.] “You look very nice today, ma’am. I'd like to offer you some money. I’ll give you $2 if you can show me a library card right now.” Regardless of whether or not the person can show me a library card, I’d have an opening to say how much more than $2 a library card is worth. Then I could distribute literature describing the library’s myriad services and offer my card, ending with an invitation for all to visit the library.
Any one-minute “hooks” you’d like to suggest that could attract library users?
Of course, I didn’t come up with anything particularly creative during the interview, but thinking about what I could have done provided lots of amusement for me on the drive home after the interview.
I think this is a good exercise. Usually, you’re lucky if you have a minute—and you’ll rarely get more—to tout the great things the library has to offer, so how would you do it? My main thought during the interview was that I wanted to present a friendly face so that people would feel comfortable calling the library or, better yet, walking through the door. My goal: Make people feel welcome so that they want to visit the library, even if for no particular reason. Then, when they do have a particular reason, they’ll think of the library.
Here’s one of the “presentations” I thought of on the way home from the interview. Kind of cheese-y, but cheese-y is one of my signatures:
“Good morning! I’m very happy to join you today. I’m Debra Capponi with the Utopian Library System, but for the next 30 seconds I’m going to pretend I'm Monty Hall at the end of an episode of Let’s Make a Deal, when he would approach members of the audience and give them money if they could produce various items from their purses or wallets.” [At this point, I’d approach a member of “my” audience.] “You look very nice today, ma’am. I'd like to offer you some money. I’ll give you $2 if you can show me a library card right now.” Regardless of whether or not the person can show me a library card, I’d have an opening to say how much more than $2 a library card is worth. Then I could distribute literature describing the library’s myriad services and offer my card, ending with an invitation for all to visit the library.
Any one-minute “hooks” you’d like to suggest that could attract library users?
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