ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 678 / C&RL News With APN’s plans to shift the focus of the Hotline to broader political coverage, it should continue to be an option for subscribers. By summarizing and analyzing current political events, it provides the most up-to-date source for a wide variety of users. We anticipate that increasingly it will become a standard source for students in political science and related disciplines. The library newsletter: Is it for you? By Sylverna F o rd Assistant to the D irector o f University Libraries Carnegie Mellon University Newsletters can be a vital public relations tool fo r the library administration. D u r i n g the Spring of 1984, a decision was made to start a newsletter at the University Libraries of Carnegie Mellon. The first issue of the newsletter was produced in October of that year. Since that time a total of eleven issues of the newsletter have been produced. For nearly three years the newslet­ ter remained under the editorship of the original editor. In the summer of 1987, I inherited the re­ sponsibility for editing Resources: The CMU L i­ braries’ News. Editing a newsletter was a new ex­ perience for me and I found that I had many questions for which there were no immediate an­ swers. I spent several days considering the hows an whys of producing the newsletter. Turning to the professional literature for guidance I learned, to my chagrin, that there was not much available. Little has actually been written on producing a li­ brary newsletter; certainly the necessary planning process has not been addressed. The articles that have been written are primarily geared to commer­ cially produced, for-profit publications. This d dearth of information prompted me to document my own experience. Out of that grew a working guide which in time evolved into the guidelines and specifications for the newsletter of the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries. Why a newsletter? In the commercial markets, the newsletter seems to be emerging as the medium of the new era. There are newsletters addressing almost any sub­ ject you can think of.1 There are thousands of news­ letters being produced today; they range in price from free to hundreds of dollars per year—and they keep coming. Newsletter production is a busi­ ness in its own right. What does the newsletter have to offer that makes it so attractive in the mar­ ketplace? W hat is the impetus behind the in­ creased interest in this form of publication? Simply 1“Starting Your Own Newsletter,” Changing Times 40 (April 1986): 77. November 1988 / 679 put, is it all driven by the need or desire to commu­ nicate? Effective communication is one of the principles of organizational excellence. For years, corpora­ tions have put major emphasis on maintaining open and meaningful communication with those within as well as outside of the company. Libraries too, have begun to recognize the need to keep the public and employees informed. And just how is that done? How does an organization, large or small, maintain good communication? How does a company or library let staff and the general public know what is going on within the organization? While there are any number of ways of dealing with this problem, in recent years, the newsletter has gained growing support as a viable communi­ cations tool. A newsletter produced within the or­ ganization provides a quick, easy and economical way of keeping people informed of what is going on in the organization. It updates staff on policy changes, changes in personnel, new projects, changes in organizational direction or emphasis and serves as a link between staff who may not see each other on a regular basis. Besides spreading news within the organization, the newsletter is also often distributed to friends of the organization, do­ nors, visitors and others.2 In fact this publication can serve a major public relations role. Just as the newsletter has gained support in the corporate world, it is also being incorporated into the com­ munications programs of other organizations. L i­ braries, large and small, are among the organiza­ tions now using the newsletter as part of their overall public relations program. As might be expected, library newsletters are as different as the organizations they represent. Each library will have its own needs and expectations for this publication. While the final product will be tailored to the needs of the particular organization, much of the initial planning is the same for every newsletter. For the library faced with the decision of whether or not to initiate a newsletter, there are certain factors that should be carefully considered. Forming the foundation for the production of the newsletter, these factors include: purpose, audi­ ence, image, costs, staffing, and quality control. Purpose Before the first word is printed, it is essential that there be a clear statement of purpose for the publi­ cation.3 Why should the library produce a newslet­ ter? What does the library hope to achieve through the newsletter? In some cases the newsletter may be a public relations document, its sole purpose being to make the library look good. In a large organiza­ tion that has staff spread throughout a very large facility or in different locations, the purpose of the newsletter might be to foster a sense of unity. For a library that is dependent on outside sources for funding, the purpose of the newsletter might be to appeal to potential donors. It is possible that the newsletter will serve a number of different pur­ poses. It is important that the purpose(s) be consid­ ered and decided early in the process; many of your decisions on other factors will be directly affected by the overall purpose of the newsletter. Audience The content and style of the newsletter are often determined by the intended audience. If the news­ letter is intended only for people within the library, then using library-specific terminology or exam­ ples will not be a problem. If on the other hand, this publication will be distributed to people out­ side of the organization, it will be important to use terminology that will be familiar to a more general group of readers. If the newsletter is to be sent to wealthy community leaders who might become donors, it will be important that it be done in a style that will be pleasing to that group. In many cases, deciding the purpose will also decide the au­ dience at least in part. It is hard to determine what you want the document to do without also consid­ ering for whom. It is important however, to con­ sciously identify the audience and to be sure that the stated purpose and the targeted audience are in fact compatible. Image As a publication of the organization, the news­ letter will represent the library for many readers. Decide what image you want the newsletter to project and keep that image in mind as you make other decisions related to the content, production, and promotion of the document. Though content is the most important factor that will establish the newsletter’s image, style and tone are also signifi­ cant. Determining what your newsletter will do and for whom, will also set many of the parameters of style and tone. You will want your newsletter to assume a style that will fit the expectations of the audience to which it is directed. Whether the style should be formal or informal will depend upon the library’s relationship with the primary audience and the image that you hope to project. Tone too, contributes to the newsletter’s image and should be in keeping with the overall goals of the publication and the desired image. Will the tone be light and airy, chatty, friendly, or businesslike? As you de­ cide on the image that the newsletter will project, you will also have to determine whether it is a tool of management which portrays the management opinion on all issues, an employee instrument giv­ ing voice to employee concerns, an independent publication providing an open forum for all issues 2Harrie Vredenburg and Cornelia Droge, “The Value of Company Newsletters and Magazines,” In du strial M arketin g M an agem en t 16 (August 1987): 173. 3Lyle L . Erb, “The Company Publication,” Public Relations Quarterly 31 (Summer 1986): 32. 680 / C &RL News of concern, or an unopinionated source of facts. In order for the newsletter to be effective, it is impor­ tant that the overall image be appropriate for the organization and the document. The image must also be in keeping with the established purpose of the publication. Your stated purpose and targeted audience must be compatible. Costs Though a basic newsletter can be produced rela­ tively inexpensively, there are real costs that should be carefully considered before deciding to begin a newsletter. Some costs are immediately evident while others may be hidden and thus may not be considered initially. In making the decision to start a newsletter, it is important to consider all of the cost factors that are involved in the actual produc­ tion of the publication. Whether or not the news­ letter is cost-effective will depend on the expense associated with these factors. Consideration must be given to such factors as the costs of equipment and technical support, writing and editing articles, the layout and design, and finally the production process including the selection of paper and ink and the printing, collating and distribution of the final product. For many libraries, the cost of equipment and technical support will be the single largest expense to be considered in the newsletter decision. To be most cost-effective, it is desirable to begin produc­ tion using equipment that is already in use in the library. Certainly it is still possible to produce a newsletter using a typewriter, and many may choose to take that route. A computer can simplify the production process; however, management may not be willing to purchase a computer just to produce a newsletter. On the other hand, the availability of computers and the various word processing packages offers options and benefits that could make the acquisition highly desirable. If you are serious about producing a newsletter, don’t overlook the benefits of a computer. Desktop pub­ lishing software, such as Pagemaker by Aldus, Ventura Publisher by Xerox, and ReadySetGo by Manhattan Graphics, can greatly facilitate layout and design work; these packages vary in price and capability. For libraries that already have com­ puter equipment, the decision in this area will be centered around selecting appropriate software or determining how to schedule time on the computer for the production of the newsletter. These factors will in turn be affected by the organization’s expec­ tations for and commitment to the newsletter. The cost of each article is directly tied to the sal­ ary level of the person who writes it; the higher the salary the more expensive the article. For that rea­ son, as well as because of the opportunity for pro­ fessional development, some libraries will choose to make writing of articles a responsibility for jun­ ior staff members. If, however, a higher salaried person is really the only one who has the knowledge or expertise to write the particular piece, it may be more cost-effective to have that person do it than to have someone else spend hours trying to gather the information, even at a lower salary. Whether you solicit articles from the entire staff, designate re­ porters, assign articles or leave it to the editor, ac­ quiring articles for the newsletter will cost some­ thing in staff time. Remember to factor in article cost as you evaluate the factors that will affect the cost of the publication. Layout and design The layout and design of your newsletter will have a direct impact on the cost of its production. As you make decisions related to the overall design of the document, keep in mind that you are also making decisions that will affect how much it will cost to produce each issue. You must decide: the size of the pages, the length of the newsletter, the number and width of the columns, the width of the margins, the size of the type, any standard features to be included, how artwork and/or photographs will be handled, whether or not to print the pages back to back. Though it is necessary to maintain some flexibility in the design and layout, it is wise to have a basic plan in place before you begin. Production Decisions made in the production phase can more than double the cost of the final product. The frequency of publication, the type of paper or ink to be used, the use of color, the printing technique requested, the complexity of collating, and the amount of lead time allowed, can all affect the fi­ nal cost of the newsletter. Prior to committing to producing a newsletter, it is advisable to meet with prospective printers to get some comparative data on available services and the related costs. Distribution Early in the decision-making process you must decide on whom you want the newsletter to reach. It is just as important that you consider how your publication will reach its target audience. The best publication is totally useless if it does not reach the people for whom it is intended. Within the organi­ zation, an internal mail system can distribute the November 1988 / 681 newsletter to each employee. An alternative is a need to have a high-salaried executive do the job or could part or all of it be done by a lower salaried assistant. On the other hand, be careful not to un­ der staff as well. Successfully publishing a very large, sophisticated publication will require an in­ dividual with a particular background and experi­ ence. Don’t try to produce a major publication if you don’t have access to the right manpower and expertise. Keep in mind also, that the start up pe­ riod is likely to be quite different than the ongoing operation. You might need greater expertise to get the newsletter going than to maintain it. Know what is involved in producing your newsletter and utilize people with the appropriate levels of exper­ tise. Quality control Since the newsletter invariably represents the li­ brary, it is important that attention be given to the overall quality of the publication. A shabbily done newsletter will not reflect favorably on the organi­ zation that publishes it. Be sure that your produc­ tion process includes definite checkpoints which provide the opportunity for form and content to be scrutinized prior to the final printing. Include a se­ ries of proofreadings and reviews that not only check for typographical and grammatical errors but also for accuracy of facts, completeness of arti­ cles, consistency of form, coherency and overall appearance. Establish quality standards and make their enforcement a part of the production process. Forging ahead If after considering these production and cost factors, you determine that publishing a newsletter is right for you, the next step is to plan your docu­ ment and develop guidelines for its production. While ideally your production guidelines should be in place before you begin production, often you cannot make a final decision on the guidelines until you have actually tried some of the tasks. If you are starting a new publication, it is best to begin with draft guidelines and test them through the produc­ tion of a few issues. If your guidelines stand up un­ der the test of actual application, you are then ready to adopt them, to make them official. Once you have adopted your guidelines, remember to share them with those who contribute to the news­ letter as well as with the production staff. Keep in mind however, that newsletter production is not a static business, new technologies are constantly changing the field. You should be prepared to mod­ ify both your practices and your guidelines as your library changes and as you develop new expertise or acquire new technology. Guidelines The guidelines for the production of Resources were finally committed to paper during the fall of 1987. Prior to that, production was guided primar­ multi-tier distribution in which key people receive bundles of the publication and assume responsibil­ ity for distribution to staff. Placing stacks of the newsletter in the staff lounge or cafeteria is another way of getting it to library personnel. If there are regular staff meetings, the newsletter could also be distributed at some point in the meeting. When the newsletter goes outside of the library, there are a number ways to reach the target audi­ ence. While a direct mailing may be the most pre­ cise method of distribution it is also the most expen­ sive. If you are working with a long mailing list, first-class postage can become a major expense. You might determine that it is not necessary that the newsletter be mailed first class; a cheaper postal rate will get it to its destination a bit later but often quite a bit cheaper. Though much less pre­ cise, you might also choose to identify several places where your targeted readers gather and place copies of the newsletter there. If you want to reach library users, you can do this by placing cop­ ies in key locations throughout the library such as near the catalog, by the circulation desk, by the ele­ vator or in reading rooms. Distribution costs will be determined by the size and location of your au­ dience and the level of precision that you want to achieve in your distribution. Having determined the cost factors, you must se­ riously consider whether or not your library can af­ ford such a publication. Keep in mind that the pro­ duction costs will become an ongoing expense. If the newsletter is to be successful, your library must be willing to pay the necessary costs on a long-term basis. If you decide to publish a newsletter deter­ mine in advance how much you are willing to spend on the publication and for what time period. Establish a newsletter budget and be sure to share that information with the person responsible for producing the newsletter. Staffing An integral part of all of the costs related to the production of a newsletter is the staffing. Just as you will pay for the time of the people who write the articles, you will also pay the cost of the pro­ duction staff. The involvement of every individual in any stage of the production carries a cost, whether it is a fee paid directly to an individual or a part of the salary of someone already on the library payroll. If one of your objectives is to produce a low-cost newsletter, it is important that you pay at­ tention to the expense of the personnel who are in­ volved in producing the publication. Consider the level of expertise and knowledge required for a par­ ticular task and try to match that with the qualifi­ cations of the personnel. If you are doing a small in- house publication that will be published no more than three time a year, you probably don’t need a person with a degree in printing and publishing to get the newsletter done. Determine if you really 682 / C&RL News ily by the memories of those who were involved i the production of the newsletter. As I began to for malize the various practices, it was both necessar and useful to consider each one on its own merit. Rather than adopting a practice because we had al ways done it that way, I had to determine whethe or not we should continue it and if so, I had to de cide upon the best way to get the job done. This re- A poorly done newsletter may tarnish your library’s reputation. view gave me the opportunity to not only docu­ ment practice but to evaluate it as well. Having written guidelines has been a tremen­ dous boon to the production of the CMU Libraries’ newsletter. Not only the members of the newsletter committee but also other interested parties includ­ ing contributors can refer to the guidelines; this clarifies the production process and considerably reduces misunderstandings. It not only guarantees consistency from issue to issue but it also provides a sound basis for decision making as new situations arise. It also means that the next editor will know exactly what was done with previous issues and will have a starting point for her work. The guide­ lines also provide a basis for evaluating the publica­ tion over time. Conclusion While it will not be appropriate for every li­ brary, the newsletter can be an important part of the overall communications program. If well thought out and properly planned, the library For more information… Resources: C M U L ib raries’ News (13 pages, June 1988) is available to the public from the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries. The manual is a summary of the guidelines and specifications for the production of the Carne­ gie Mellon University Libraries’ newsletter. The purpose, distribution, submission of arti­ cles, proofreading, layout and composition are some of the issues covered. The booklet is avail­ able for postage and handling at $4.00 per copy. Send a check or money order to: R e­ sources Editor, Hunt Library, Carnegie Mellon University, Administrative Services, P itts­ burgh, PA 15213-3890. n ­ y ­ r ­ newsletter can be a valued source of useful infor­ mation and a good public relations tool. If you think this type of publication might have a place in your library, take the time to consider the factors that are involved in producing a newsletter. Evalu­ ate your resources, both human and material. De­ cide on the level of commitment you are ready to make to this endeavor. Develop a plan for the pro­ duction, distribution and control of the newsletter; prepare to do a good job. The benefits of a well done newsletter cannot be denied; the expense of a poorly done one must also be recognized. If it is not done for the right reason, not directed to the right audience, or not properly presented, the newsletter will simply become an­ other addition to a growing accum ulation of worthless paper and an exercise in futility for the staff members who labor over it. Worse yet, a poorly done newsletter will detract from your PR efforts and tarnish the reputation of your library. Before throwing your hat into the arena of newslet­ ter publishers, it is important that you know what you are getting into and be sure that you want to do it. Only after considering the pros and cons can you make a sound decision. If you accept the challenge, good luck and welcome to the world of newsletter publishing! Take me out to the ACRL Game! The Cincinnati Reds will meet the Los An­ geles Dodgers on April 5,1989, the opening day of the ACRL Fifth National Conference. Mary Ellen Elsbernd, conference local arrangements chair and collection development librarian, Northern Kentucky University, stated that the game will be “ACRL Night at the Reds.” She invited all conference attendees to come out to the ball game. Elsbernd stated that a lucky ACRL member could throw the ceremonial first pitch, “if we get a good crowd for the game.” She added that the pre-game ceremonies could also feature ACRL members and be projected on the large screen video monitor in the stadium. The game will be played at the Riverfront Stadium, just minutes from downtown hotels. Game time is 7:35 p . m ., “conveniently timed to be 35 minutes after the close of the ACRL Ex­ hibits Reception,” Elsbernd stated. The tickets for the lower level box seats will be $8.50, plus $1.00 postage and handling. An order form for the tickets will be in the registra­ tion materials sent to all ACRL members in late November. Deadline for ticket orders is Febru­ ary 28, 1989.