Objective
For an
academic Health Science Center to succeed and flourish,
getting administrative leaders to feel personally connected
to the library is essential to ensure that support of
the library is always in their plans and budgets. This
poster details our library's 'RxEAD: Prescription for
Knowledge' poster campaign, which promotes our ongoing
positive relationship with the faculty, staff and students.
Methods
We contacted the
deans of all six Gainesville HSC colleges (Dentistry,
Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health & Health
Professions, and Veterinary Medicine), as well as the
program directors for the four colleges served by the
Borland Library in Jacksonville, and asked them to sit
for a personalized RxEAD poster. The RxEAD poster was
adapted from the popular ALA poster campaign that uses
celebrities to endorse the idea of The Excellence Of
Reading. Our variation used the 'Rx' medicine symbol
and also the subtitle 'Prescription for Knowledge.'
The participants were asked to pose with
a book that was important to them personally or professionally.
Nearly all the deans and program heads were delighted
to participate (only two sent substitutes). The director
and associate director of the HSC Libraries also participated.
Everyone dressed snappily and brought their favorite
book to the library, and we chatted and shot their pictures
in a few poses and sent them on their way in under 20
minutes. Although the fast and efficient photo sessions
let them know we realized they are busy people who were
doing the libraries a favor, every one of them behaved
as if the opposite were true: they were glad to help
the libraries and honored to be asked to participate.
That feeling only increased once the 20"X30"
color posters were displayed in our libraries. The posters
garnered many positive responses from library patrons
and students glad to see their dean and college represented,
and there have already been several requests to participate
in next year's campaign.
We anticipate our gallery of Powerful
People Who Love The Library will continue to grow. One
administrator sees this campaign as an opportunity to
introduce the students to university leadership as well
as promote The Power Of The Library - as exemplified
by these deans and their love of reading.
Examples of Posters Produced
|
 It's
Not About the Bike
~ Lance Armstrong
This is the story of Lance Armstrong's
triumph over cancer. It is an inspiration
to me in how I approach and live my life.
Like Lance says: whenever you get a second
chance make sure you don't screw it up!
Dr. Joseph DiPietro
Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine |
|
 Curious
George Goes to the Hospital ~ Margret
& H.A. Rey
I enjoyed reading all of the Curious George books
as a child. I chose Curious George Goes to the
Hospital in particular because it stimulated an
interest in reading for my own children. They
enjoy reading and hearing about a hospital, since
Mommy works in one, and they enjoy the antics
of the monkey, George, and his friend, The Man
in the Yellow Hat.
Thanh Hogan
Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy, Jacksonville
|
 Soft
Tissue and Esthetics in Implant Therapy
~ Anthony G. Sclar
I picked Soft Tissue and Esthetics in Implant
Therapy because it combines several features I
admire. It covers state-of-the-art dental procedures
with emphasis on esthetics, quality and excellence.
It also is well written, logical and contains
absolutely beautiful photography. In essence,
it is an esthetic book about esthetic dentistry,
the current focus of dentistry today.
Dr. Clifford Starr
Program Director, College of Dentistry, Jacksonville
In addition to the 10 Health
Science Center deans and program chairs, the director
of the HSC Libraries (Gainesville) and associate
director of the Borland Library (Jacksonville)
also participated in the RxEAD campaign.
 HSC
Library, Gainesville
A Gift Upon The Shore
~
M.K. Wren
My reasons for picking A Gift Upon The Shore
were many. It was written by M. K. Wren, a talented
female science fiction writer. One of my interests
is science fiction written by women about women
so this book definitely has a place in my library.
The book's focus is preservation of knowledge,
which is a subject especially important to me
as a librarian.
Publishers Weekly wrote the following description:
"Unsparing but ultimately hopeful, this elegiac
novel, set in the near future, traces the first
generations to survive nuclear war and ensuing
plagues. Writer Mary Hope and Rachel Morrow, a
painter, eke out a meager existence at a farm
on the Oregon coast. As they struggle through
the Long Winter following The End -- as the nuclear
disaster is simply called -- their desolation
is succeeded by a determination to collect and
preserve for a new civilization the great books
of Western culture."
Faith Meakin
Director, Health Science Center Libraries
|
Gift From The Sea ~ Anne
Morrow Lindbergh
I've always found the beach to be a wonderful
place to read and reflect on life and its challenges.
This copy of Gift From The Sea was presented to
me by a very special friend about twenty years
ago. Anne Morrow Lindbergh's book has been described
as a collection of "wise and elegant meditations
on youth and age, love and marriage, solitude,
peace and contentment, as she set them down during
a brief vacation by the ocean."
I rediscovered the book about a year ago when
we moved to a new home, and I took it to the beach
and re-read it a few months ago. As a working
mother struggling to balance work and family responsibilities
as well as finding a little bit of personal time
for growth and reflection, I related to many of
the feelings expressed by Lindbergh in her writing.
Rereading the book made me smile when I realized
that I've been struggling with these same issues
during my entire adult life. But I also realized
that I am not alone, as Lindbergh expressed many
similar feelings so eloquently in this book.
Dr. Teresa Dolan
Dean, College of Dentistry
 HSC
Library, Borland, Jacksonville
Midnight In The Garden Of
Good & Evil ~
John Berendt
Soon after Midnight In The Garden Of Good &
Evil was published, Susan Woods, a former HSCL
librarian, recommended it to me. Having a real
affection for Savannah, I immediately went out
and bought the book and was spellbound by the
myriad characters in this real-life murder mystery.
In March of 1995, soon after the book was published,
my husband and I were invited to a corporate outing
in Savannah for St. Patrick's Day weekend. Along
with the invitation came a copy of the book (now
my second copy), with the suggestion that we read
it beforehand.
One of the activities of that weekend was a Midnight
In The Garden Of Good & Evil tour that took
us to over 20 sites and featured two live characters
from the book. It started with a trip to Bonaventure
Cemetery where we drank martinis while sitting
on the bench at Conrad Aikens' grave (at 9 o'clock
in the morning!). At this site, we met Minerva,
the voodoo priestess from the book. (Note: The
Savannah 'bluebloods' later put an end to the
martini drinking in the cemetery during this tour.)
Later in the morning, we toured the Hamilton-Turner
House, the fourth residence Joe Odom occupied
in the book, which he shared with Nancy Hillis,
who was the inspiration for 'Mandy'. She was on
hand to take us on the tour of the house.
During the course of the tour, I got both
Minerva and Mandy to autograph my copy of
the book. A few years later, at a Southern
Chapter/MLA meeting in Savannah, I met
Emma Kelly, the piano player from the book,
and got her to autograph my book, too. Being a
librarian, and having two copies of the book,
I
have designated my autographed copy of the
book my 'Reference' copy and the other one the
'Circulating' copy.
Pam Neuman
Associate Director, Borland, Jacksonville |
Although the 20"x30" RxEAD posters were
first displayed in the libraries during National
Medical Librarians Month in October, they are
not really tied to that celebration but function
more as a general library promotion, and will
be employed at several events during the coming
year.
|
One additional component of the RxEAD campaign
involved the creation of bookmarks containing
each poster in miniature along with helpful
library services information (hours, contact
numbers, web address). These bookmarks have
been very well received and continue to be
requested by and distributed to faculty, staff
& students. |
The posters were so well received
that we decided to produce full sized copies
of each poster to present participants, giving
us another opportunity to strengthen the bonds
between the Libraries and the Colleges.
|
The HSC Libraries' website offered another venue
for promoting and highlighting the RxEAD posters.
In addition, it allowed the participants an opportunity
to share the story of why the book they chose was
important to them. |
The RxEAD Poster Campaign won
First Place in the 2004 National Medical Librarians
Month Creative Promotions Awards from MLA, as
well as First Place in the Swap & Shop Ongoing
Promotional Campaigns category during the MLA
Annual Conference.
|
Results
The idea for the campaign was clearly successful
in that we had full participation from every HSC
college - nearly every dean and program head personally
participated, and the others sent willing and
gracious volunteers. Electronic and printed copies
were requested from several of the participants.
The bookmark versions of the posters were also
successful - hundreds of each were distributed
at various public functions in the libraries and
at the colleges, with many takers commenting on
how 'cool' and 'fun' they were. Another large-scale
distribution is planned for the fall term.
All the participants behaved as if it was an honor
being asked to appear on a poster, and they thanked
us for the opportunity. And once the posters were
on display, other faculty and administration members
asked about participating in next year's campaign.
| |
Participants'
comments about the campaign:
"I look forward to receiving my own
copy of the poster. My executive assistant
gave me one of the bookmarks you created.
Can I get a few of the ones with me on
them to give my nephews? I'm always telling
them to read more!"
"I have seen the
posters - they look great! Many, many
students have told me they saw them as
well, which I was pleased to hear."
"Thanks again for
this unique opportunity."
Comments
about the bookmarks reported by library
staff:
"While handing out the bookmarks
during library events, I heard a lot of
students and others that were excited
about them. A couple of dental students
said they wanted extra ones to put on
their refrigerator. One department secretary
said she wanted a copy of the actual poster
for her office. Several said they thought
it would be 'good to be seen with' the
bookmarks by the person portrayed in the
bookmark. A lot of folks were just happy
to get them, because they needed bookmarks,
and having a picture of their college
dean on it was a bonus. Most people just
said 'Thanks!'"
"One of the faculty
from Health Professions said they were
using the bookmarks as trading cards ('I'll
give you my Tisher bookmark if you teach
my class for me')."
"I shared them at
the beginning of a Distance Learning meeting.
Several people asked for them. Remarks
were made about the choices of books that
people made, and the responses were very
positive."
"The directors of
the AAMC/AAHSL loved them and we will
probably see their own versions sometime
in our future."
"Several college
staff members asked about getting a full
sized copy of their dean's poster for
their administrative office."
|
Conclusion
Although hard to quantify, we believe this campaign
has been very successful. Did it impact patrons'
knowledge of the library, and perhaps in the
future will it have an impact on funding? Impossible
to answer, ultimately, but it is equally impossible
to deny the positive impact and reaction to
the RxEAD poster campaign, the potential long-term
benefits of the libraries' raised visibility,
and finally, the importance of making and reinforcing
connections between deans, administrators, faculty,
staff and students and their health science
center and medical libraries.
One final marker of success: the RxEAD Poster
Campaign won First Place in the 2004 National
Medical Librarians Month Creative Promotions
Awards from MLA, as well as First Place in the
Swap & Shop Ongoing Promotional Campaigns
category during the MLA Annual Conference.
 Copyright
Information
You are free to copy, distribute and display this
work, AND to make derivative works, ONLY under
the following conditions:* ATTRIBUTION:
You must give the original authors credit. For
example: 'This work is based upon an original
poster design by the University of Florida Health
Science Center Libraries, Gainesville, FL, which
in turn was derived from an original idea by the
American Library Association.'* NONCOMMERCIAL:
You may not use this work for commercial purposes.
License is granted only for noncommercial derivations
by other medical or health science libraries.Furthermore,
you should inform the original authors of this
work about any derivative works you create. (ned@library.health.ufl.edu)
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