The first phase of this project, Community Assessment, resulted in a clear description of the target community: public libraries in Massachusetts. This assessment identified preferences and barriers that, when incorporated with the Diffusion of Innovation model, guides the design of a program of outreach training activities. 
This program is called All Ready Reference.

Outreach Activities: A Multifold Approach 

Infographics & Research Guides

Infographics and research guides provide a summary and a roadmap to information. The Community Assessment surveys indicate a preference for these materials.

The infographic and digital research guide are available here on the All Ready Reference page of this website.

They can also be housed at library administration and reference desks in paper form. 

Short videos

Short video tutorials, between two and five minutes, will explain the purpose and use of the infographic and both the paper form and online version of the research guide. Also, short videos will explain how to use the training modules and other activities as they are produced. The Community Assessment surveys indicate a preference for short videos. The videos can be uploaded to YouTube so that it is easily accessible and viewable.

Training Modules

Training modules, available online and printable, that allow library staffs to conduct their own training about resources. Community Assessment surveys indicated a distinct interest in such modules.

​Self-training also mitigates the barriers preventing access to information because of a lack of funds, time, or personnel to attend training delivery.

Workshops

Training workshops will be conducted at meetings, conferences, and summits. As indicated through conversations with community partners and stakeholders in the Community Assessment, in-person training will reach a sizable portion of library staff. It can also be done in concert with presentations from complementary workshops, such as those from COSTEP, MEMA, NLM DIMRC, and NN/LM NER.

Webinars

Informational and training webinars will be conducted via NLM DIMRC and/or NN/LM NER. Webinars will be no longer than one hour, preferably less than 45 minutes.

​Conversations with community partners and stakeholders in the Community Assessment indicated that webinars are regularly attended, making this a viable way of reaching a core group.

Logic Model

A logic model was used to align activities to outcomes to ensure that they support desired results and the overarching purpose of the outreach.

Training Recommendations Report