How Did You Do That?

Putting together a How-To Festival

@ Your Library

Tiffany Torres * Denice Enstine * Emma Pinault

Cumberland County Public Library & Information System

300 Maiden Lane

Fayetteville, NC 28301

The Committee

Nora Armstrong, Programs & Services Coordinator

Tiffany Torres, Library Awareness Coordinator

Denice Enstine, Information Services Librarian

Emma Pinault, Information Services Librarian

It all started with an article…

Rosenfield, J. (2012). Barbecue? flamenco dancing? learning gets interactive.

American Libraries, 43(11), 18-19. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com/docview/1223377342?accountid=4315

Planning Phase

Or, “We said yes. Now what?”

Just the Facts

Know Your Community

Fort Bragg – large military population Veterans 28,262

Senior Population 19,976

Youth Population 19,652

Universities/Colleges

Average Income $44,900

Know Your Library

Eight branches serving just under 300,000 citizens

Over 200 Employees

U. S. Census Bureau. (2014). Profile of selected social characteristics: Fayetteville, N.C. Retrieved October 1, 2015, from http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml

Getting Started

1st Meeting Discussion Topics

Date, time, space (booked rooms immediately)

Session types; Session lengths

Louisville Free Public Library—How to have a How-To Festival?

Staff suggestions

Gathering Talent

Session categories Life, Garden, Kids, Active, DIY, Food, Pet, Craft, Biz, Tech, Family

Making Contact

Divided up the work

Elevator speech -- “What’s a How-To Festival?”

Monthly meeting to update on responses

Community Talent Cold calls

Staff Talent Call for presenters

Tech Talk, Etc.

Presenter Needs Tech

Copies

Space

Number of Sessions

The Master List

Getting the Word Out

PUBLICITY

Describe the event

Newspaper articles

List event in local calendars

Handouts, posters, signage

Helping Hands

Volunteers Stage managers

Directors

Producers (that’s you!)

Stage Manager’s Worksheet

Other Considerations

Swag Bags

Door Prize

Street Closure

Food Trucks Friends of the Library

Security

Custodians

Final Countdown

Confirming with Presenters Reminders

Final Confirmation

Parking Map

Pre-Event Setup

The Day Before… Posters and Stands

Signage

Furniture Setup

Technology Setup

Swag bag prep

Execution Phase

This is it!

Places, everyone!

Arrival Producers – 2 hours prior to event

Presenters – 20 minutes prior to session

Staff Placement Producers – 1 on each floor, 1 floating

Stage Managers – one in each session room

Communication Walkie talkies

Attire Staff wore red (easily identifiable)

Our “Morning of” To-Do List

Entrance Table Library Resources

Schedule/Map

White Board Schedule Changes

Cancellations

Folders in each station for stage managers Schedule and Attendance

Count

Distribute Swag Bags to stations/rooms

Nailed it or Failed it?

Sessions The well-attended and the well-intended

How-To Festival Photos

How-To Festival Photos

Evaluation Stage

Our Wish List for How-To Festival 2016

So, that happened…

Meet the day the event concludes! What worked well?

How was the attendance?

How well did the schedule work?

Plans for next year?

Ch-Ch-Changes

Improvements for 2016 Branding

New Date/Time

More streamlined printed program

LibGuide for the festival

Can YOU How-To?

Absolutely!