Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Marketing virtual chat reference at UNC-Chapel Hill

UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries have found a fun and effective way to advertise their AOL Instant Messenger chat reference service. They have created a sticker noting the library's "buddy name" that students use to send their instant messages to librarians, shown here:



Suchi Mohanty, Reference and Instruction Librarian at the R.B. House Undergraduate Library, has provided this description of how their stickers have been received:

"UNC-CH requires all incoming undergraduates to have a laptop, and in looking around campus, we noticed that many students decorate their laptops with stickers. We thought that by designing stickers, students might be likely to put them on their laptops - reminding them about the service, but also advertising it to other students. I have seen students put the stickers on their notebooks, laptops and even water bottles. We distribute these stickers at summer orientation to new students, in library instruction sessions, and at the reference desk. Most students think they are pretty cute."

Thanks to Suchi for sharing this idea!

Update:
In response to Suchi's comment, click here to see the updated version of the sticker.

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