This document discusses how libraries can take a more proactive approach to reference by engaging users on various online question and answer sites ("slamming the boards") as well as in the local community. It encourages librarians to search for and answer questions on sites like Yahoo Answers and social media, while identifying themselves as librarians. This will help promote library skills. It also suggests attending local community meetings to offer research help and listening for ways to assist locally. The goal is to cast a wider net to make more users aware of what libraries can do rather than waiting passively for questions.

1. Getting Proactive:“Slam the Boards and Beyond”Bill PardueArlington Heights Memorial Librarybpardue@ahml.info / @billahml

2. What’s the point?Users have more places than ever to ask their questionsYahoo AnswersCha ChaFacebook QuestionsLinkedIn Q&ATwitterWikiAnswersEtc., etc., etc….

3. How do we respond?Hope it goes away?Argue that we’re better (we clearly are…aren’t we)?With whom do we argue?Presume that we’re just not part of it?Actively engage?Guess which one I’ll advocate!

4. What’s “Slam the Boards?”Genesis in Denver, Sept. 2007Now monthlyFind questions, answer them, ID yourself as a librarian.Promote our skills, don’t diss the boards.

5. The Wiki & The Group & The Tweethttp://answerboards.wetpaint.comAdd your name to the listLink to your Q&A profilesHave discussionsFacebook: Answer Board LibrariansGroup may be archived soon…jump in!Twitter: #slamtheboardshashtag

6. DisclaimersWe’re all busy! (Can you do a few per month?)They’re not our patrons! (It’s for the good of the whole)Relatively few people see our answers (Every patron is part of the “long tail.”)

7. Make “Slamming” localLook for a hyperlocal site—seed w/Q&As?Is there a local “Patch” site?http://www.patch.comLocal daily/weekly papers?Reply to local comments/questions on news, discussion, review sites (papers, yelp, etc.)Monitor twitter searches for your town’s name.Set up a Google alert for local questions in Yahoo Answers.Remember to ID yourself!

8. Slamming’s not always virtualAttend local meetings and offer to look up research topicsChamber of commerce, Rotary, Social Services, etc.Get yourself appointed to a local committeeListen to what’s going on…offer assistance…don’t just wait.Be “on” even when you’re out of the building--a “Library Ambassador.”“Library Dude” hot dog cart! http://bit.ly/qwssAZ

10. Slamming isn’t always answers“Chiming in,” asking questions of your community (esp. in FB or Twitter)Offering assistancePromoting: Making the library knownHelping the user get value from our skills, any way we can!

11. Requires an attitudinal changeWe can’t wait for questions to come to us.We can’t just assume that users know what we do.We have to cast our net wide and take a proactive (even “predatory?”) approach to reference.We have to be willing to trumpet what we do and who we are.We might even need to “butt in” a bit (carefully!).

12. Questions?I’m always happy to talk, promote, etc.bpardue@ahml.info@billahml