In the first part of this blog series we discussed building an accurate picture of the usage of online resources at a library. The focus was on key questions that should be asked in order to give you an idea of the barriers that your members face when trying to use the online learning resources you offer.

With that information in hand, we can now look at developing some strategies to drive up usage of those resources.

Online Strategies to improve usage

Let’s start online. In the UK, many libraries have their websites within that of the local council, so as a librarian you might have limited autonomy over the website’s structure and layout. While you may not be able to overhaul the website, there are some options to streamline the learning process for your members.

First, map out and count how many steps it takes to get to the online resource that you are promoting. It’s natural that the higher the number of steps, the lower usage will be — and this is supported by anecdotal evidence from many of our customers. Where possible, try to minimise the number of clicks necessary for a learner to get from your website’s landing page to the online resource they’re looking for.

Second, consider how your online learning resources are categorised, and where a member can find them. If the method of organisation isn’t intuitive your members might get lost along the way. Consider Road to IELTS as an example — would it make sense to categorise it under “Learning in Libraries”, “Skills for work”, “Free online resources”, or “Learn English”? (In different libraries, Road to IELTS can actually be found in all of these categories!)

There is no right answer, but we’d encourage you to put yourself in your members’ shoes (ideally you might even ask your members for their opinion) to find the structure that makes most sense for them.

In addition to streamlining your members’ journey through your website, you might consider the following:

1. Share online resources through images and logos (rather than just text and a link). This makes it a lot easier for members to recognise the resource.

2. Make sure resources are set up to be accessible online and outside of the library.

3. If possible, at the top of your online resource page, use a banner to promote a different resource every month.

In-person strategies to improve usage

Alongside online strategies, it’s important to maximise the potential of the library foot traffic and in-person interactions.

Physical materials
Start by bringing online resources into the physical space. A great way to do this is through bookmarks and business cards. The benefits of this strategy are twofold:

1. It is a physical reminder of the online resource that they can take away.

2. Including a direct link or QR code can take the member directly to the online resources — thus bypassing a potentially complicated or layered website.

Posters, either printed or projected onto TV screens, are also a very effective way to promote awareness of online resources within the library. With these promotional materials, make sure to use simple, concise language that focuses on how the online resource can benefit the user.

Existing groups
Another great way to improve awareness and usage of the online resources available is by introducing it in relevant groups and classes. For example, a weekly English conversation class would benefit from a pronunciation program like Clear Pronunciation. This allows the members to practise independently between meetings. The key is to familiarise the members with the online resource in an in-person session first.

Training
Finally, make sure library staff are aware of the online resources you offer and are confident using them. They’ll probably be the first port of call for any member having trouble navigating the program or for basic troubleshooting. The more comfortable your library staff feel with the online resources, the more likely it is for them to help with promotion.

We offer free training sessions with our online learning resources — please get in touch if you’d like to set this up.

Social media campaigns to improve usage

Make sure to make the most of any social media channels that you have at your disposal. Short posts sharing one or two benefits of your online learning resources are great for improving awareness amongst your members and potential users.

We’ve included an example of a social media post that was created by our colleagues at ClarityEnglish to help promote Clear Pronunciation 1. If you like it, please feel free to use it — and there are many more available on our website.

It’s frustrating to see a great online learning resource that your library offers sit untouched, and promoting its usage can be a challenge.

We’d encourage you to take the time to consider current usage patterns, and to build an accurate picture of your library members’ online learning behaviours and motivations. You can use this information to implement targeted strategies — both in-person and online — to improve usage of the online learning resources your library offers.

Do you have any tried and true strategies that you want to share? Please get in touch with us and we’d love to pass them on to other libraries.