TOP 10 TIPS
PRESENTATION
7 JUNE 2005, SLA CONFERENCE
THE KUDOS FILE: BRAGGING ABOUT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
PREPARED BY MICHELE MELADY
MANAGER, CBC REFERENCE LIBRARY
It’s an understatement to say that email has revolutionized the way the CBC Reference Library provides reference and research service. Walk-in traffic has decreased over the years, while email requests for information have grown exponentially. Ours is more and more of a virtual reference service these days, with CBC journalists and producers across Canada and across the hall opting to email their research requests, and we in turn sending them articles, statistics, web links, by email.
In my early days as a new manager, occasionally one of the librarians would forward to me a short email from a satisfied customer, and I’d read it, feel pleased that we had met that person’s information needs, feel proud of my staff, and then…I’d just delete the message.
But one day it occurred to me that those ephemeral little emails could be very valuable. So I asked the librarians to start forwarding to me every spontaneous, complimentary response from a user that was more than just a two-word “thank you”; “thank you, you’re great!” counted and I wanted to see it.
Each months I cut and paste all those little emails into one email I call the Reference Library Kudos File, and I forward it to my managers and the librarians. In addition to the thank you, I preserve a bit of the context so people can see what the original request was and how we responded to it.
Individually they might seem insubstantial but there is power in numbers. When you read all those compliments compiled back to back, it’s impressive!
Here are some examples:
“Thanks so much. The Reference Library rocks!”
“As always, lovely doing business with you.”
“Thanks, I couldn’t have written my speech without you.”
“Wow, you’re great. This is exactly the stuff I was looking for.”
“Those articles were gold, and helped us find people we needed quickly.”
“You are as usual, fabulous, fast and helpful and much appreciated down here by this staff of one.” (that from our Latin American correspondent)
Here’s why I do it, and why you should too.
"Top Ten Tips: Ten ideas to make your library more effective"
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Division Program, SLA 2005 Annual
Conference
To request updates or additions contact Michele Melady
Last updated 6/22/2005