To: Dr. Nicholas Behm

From: Evely Ortiz

Subject: ENG 303 Teen Librarian Disciplinary Discourse

Date: March 17, 2017

 

Purpose

 

This report provides an analysis of the rhetorical decisions and written practices employed by Marion Olea, the Teen Services Librarian at the Northlake Public Library. From this analysis, the report concludes the following: the Teen Librarian field requires an understanding of one’s audience and an open mind and implementation of social media and its trends in the workplace.

 

Summary

 

For the Disciplinary Discourse assignment, I chose to interview Marion Olea, the Teen Librarian at the Northlake Public Library. In a personal interview, I asked Ms. Olea of the writing conventions and practices she employs in her every day work environment and her purposes for doing so. Throughout this analysis, I discuss the conventions of discourse employed by Olea. Among these are: emails, flyers, verbal communication, and the use of social media. I then analyze their effectiveness based on the varying audiences and make recommendations on improving communication practices in this particular field.

 

Introduction

 

On March 6, 2017, I interviewed Marion Olea personally at the Northlake Public Library on her role as the Teen Services Librarian, serving as an advocate for adolescents in the Northlake community. Working in libraries as a teen into her college career, Olea discovered her passion for promoting reading to the youth after interning at the Oak Park Public Library. There, Olea worked in the Teen Department, and found it to be fulfilling. She explains, “Teenagers, I feel, a lot of times get the short end of the stick. I wanted to be an advocate for them and give them someone who they feel understands them.” Olea took this compassion and understanding and transformed it into a fulfilling career in which she interacts and assists teens on a daily basis. I know Olea from my time working as a Page at the Northlake Public Library and would often ask her advice on pursuing a Masters in Library Sciences.

 

During the interview, the questions I asked related to the genres of writing produced in her role, her audiences, and the conventions she employs in the production of these professional documents (see Appendix A). Through my analysis of Olea’s responses, I have come to understand the most important aspects of producing documents as a Teen Librarian: understanding your audience and their values, the importance of establishing your ethos to your target audience, and the importance of staying up-to-date on social media and its trends. Based on these understandings, I have come to two recommendations for future professionals in the library field that I further discuss. To start my discussion, I give a brief overview of my interview with Olea and her responses. I then discuss the understandings mentioned above in detail and analyze their rhetorical intent and effectiveness in contributing to one’s success as a Teen Librarian.

 

Discussion

 

In regards to communicating within her field, Olea explains that communication is constant, both written and verbally. Whether it be with other librarians within her discipline, colleagues, the teens she supports, or patrons of all ages, Olea interacts with people constantly. Among these forms of written and verbal communication, Olea explains that her primary forms of communication are emails, the creation of flyers, verbal relationships, and social media.

 

Emails

 

Olea explains that her primary forms of communication vary depending on her audience. However, emailing is the primary form of communication she uses to connect with her colleagues, teens, and partnering businesses.

 

Emailing Colleagues: When discussing her use of email, Olea explains that she most often uses the medium to communicate with her colleagues on a daily basis. Emails provide a quick and efficient way to communicate within the workplace. However, unlike other organizations, Olea explains that the tone she uses to communicate with her colleagues through email is very informal. Olea explains, “we try not to sound so stiff in our writing.” This helps establish a trusting relationship between librarians, as they come to work together to produce materials, programming, and events for the community. A formal tone would take away from the level of trust within the workplace, as the library is seen as more of a “family” and welcoming environment. Reaching an empathetic level with colleagues produces a level of reliability that contributes to overall library success. Whereas in other situations this would seem unprofessional, this approach to conversation is welcome at the Northlake Public Library and other libraries across the board.

 

Emailing Businesses: This informal approach is dropped when communicating with businesses outside of the library environment. Olea explains that she often collaborates with new businesses to attend library events or provide the library with resources for teens. Her primary form of communication to these businesses is through email, in which she uses a formal and professional tone to “make sure they view me as a professional the same way I view them as a professional.” An example of this is an email in which Olea reached out to Alejandra’s Mexican Restaurant to discuss collaborating for an adult program at the library in which the restaurant would be used as the venue (See Appendix E). Olea begins the email explaining her position and purpose for emailing, writing, “the reason for my email is that in the past we used to host Trivia Nights at Alejandra’s Mexican Restaurant and were hoping to be able to do that again this summer” (Appendix E). Olea makes sure to clearly state her reason for reaching out in a formal and professional manner. As the restaurant is seen as a future prospect, a formal tone helps improve the library and Olea’s credibility, showing that professionalism is valuable to the organization. This appeals to the future prospect, contributing to their willingness to partner with the library.

 

Olea explains that when communicating with an organization, it is important to point out what the business will gain from collaborating with the library. She explains, “we try to sell ourselves in a way that the company will see that they will also greatly benefit from this partnership. It’s a good relationship for both of us, a mutually good experience for everyone.” These benefits may come in the form of increased clientele, promotion of the business at programs, or the promotion of products. By emphasizing these benefits, the targeted organization is more likely to agree to participate in the event or provide the library with the needed resources. This is seen in Olea’s email, in which she closes by discussing the benefits of the restaurant’s partnership, writing “I hope we can continue with our previous partnership and work together to bring patrons to both of our establishments” (Appendix E). Olea focuses on appealing to the company on a logical note, as she knows the restaurant wants more business. The library can provide the restaurant with the desired business, and the organization is left to see that partnering with the library is logical, lessening their chance of refusal. Olea uses logic and reasoning within her emails to persuade businesses to partner with the library.

 

Emailing Teens: Olea uses email as a primary form of communication with the teens she works with. Within the library, Olea works with teens who volunteer to help with programming and events and keeping the library organized. Olea explains that she keeps a very informal tone with the teens, as she wants them to trust her and be comfortable around her, noting, “the tone I use is very informal. Very quick, succinct.” The use of an informal tone helps Olea establish her credibility as a Teen Librarian teens can easily approach and trust. In an email to her teen volunteers, Olea opens with “I hope everyone’s first day back at school went well and you’re not drowning in homework already” (See Appendix F). Here, Olea attempts to connect to the teens, showing that she understands the struggles of high school, connecting to them on a pathetic level. She uses a conversational tone to allow the teens to feel comfortable around her and establishes her credibility as a trustworthy source.

 

Olea notes establishing this level of comfort is a process. “I’m continuously reaching out to Teens and speaking with them. They’ve gotten more comfortable with me as the school year progresses. It’s constant interaction.” Olea believes that using an approachable tone from the start may help reduce the intimidation many teens face when first meeting her. This is seen in her email, when Olea discusses the events for which she needs volunteers, noting “I promise they’ll be fun and you can eat some of the food!” (Appendix F). Here, she attempts to appeal to her audience’s values, encouraging them to attend for the food and entertainment. By doing so, she takes away some of the dread of volunteering by convincing her audience that volunteering for the events will be worth their time and effort. This conversational tone helps Olea connect with her audience on a pathetic level, as the teens are able to clearly understand her and are persuaded by her appeal to their values as students. This also helps Olea establish an open relationship with the teens.

 

Flyers as Means of Communication

 

The production of flyers to promote programming and events is also among Olea’s forms of communication. In order to produce a successful flyer to draw her reader’s attention, Olea explains that the flyer has to pop, use simplistic text, and engaging graphics. When promoting Candy Sushi, a recent teen program, Olea used bright colorful examples of candy sushi as her primary graphic (See Appendix G). The graphic is placed along the top of the flyer and stands out against the neutral backdrop. Below the image is a brief description of the event stating, “Teen Chefs: Candy Sushi.” Below the event description is the time and place of the event (Appendix G). From this, readers clearly understand the target audience and the event itself. Olea explains, “even if they didn’t read any of the text, they’ll be able to recognize the purpose of the event.” Teens are drawn to the flyer by the compelling picture and can easily read the simple text to learn more about the program, as the text itself is to the point.

 

Olea explains that when promoting an event, she’ll often use a meme to elicit a reaction from her audience. In a recent program, Olea used Grumpy Cat and other popular memes to try and attract the teens to an event. She explains, “I try to persuade teens to attend my program by appealing to what they like. I don’t want to have a boring black and white flyer that doesn’t really show what the program will be about.” This involves referencing pop culture and social media trends, in turn showing teens that Olea does indeed understand them, creating a trusting relationship between librarian and teen. Olea uses visually appealing images to excite teens in relation to the program she is promoting. “If I can make them laugh, I feel like they’ll be more interested to see what the program is about,” says Olea. Once at the program, Olea makes sure to be laid back with the teens, making sure to allow them to feel comfortable around her. She describes a “fight club” mentality in which “what happens here stays here. You don’t have to worry about having to act a certain way. Have fun.” This allows the teens to be more accessible to her in regards to participating in programming and makes them more comfortable with her. By appealing to the teens on a pathetic level, Olea is able to gain a clear understanding of the types of programming they want to see and what attracts them as an audience, allowing for better attendance in programming.

 

Verbal Communication and Social Media

 

Verbal communication is Olea’s primary form of communication as a librarian, as she communicates and interacts with the public daily. Olea makes sure to use an accessible tone to reach her audience and makes sure to answer their questions promptly. Through social media Olea interacts with both the public and colleagues in an informal manner to attract them to the library and the programs and services it offers.

 

Verbal and Written Communication With Patrons: Olea interacts with patrons of all ages on a daily basis. She constantly helps adults, children, and teenagers with any reference questions. She explains that the question “can be something as in depth as ‘can you find what year the Chicago fire happened?’ to something as basic as ‘do you have the number for the Walmart here in Northlake?’” Olea makes sure to answer these questions promptly, so as to establish her credibility with her audience. Patrons often want the information on the spot, and Olea makes sure to fulfill this need. Along with this, Olea answers reader’s advisory questions and often gives patrons book recommendations, starting an easy, friendly conversation with the patron in order to understand their interests and values to give a successful recommendation. This appeal to pathos helps establish Olea’s credibility as a librarian, as she attempts to understand the patron on an empathetic level. When communicating with the public both verbally and through written mediums, Olea explains that she tries to be very informal and conversational. She explains “Another reason why we don’t make things so formal is because the reading levels of our patrons differs.” Because of this, Olea wants to make sure that both her verbal and written text is accessible to all patrons. The ease of readability is essential in the production of successful communication, as she wants to make sure not to exclude any of her audience. “We want to make it easy on our patrons and anyone we try to communicate with,” says Olea. By using a conversational tone when speaking and producing simple text that is easy to read, Olea allows information to be accessible to all patrons. This helps establish her credibility as a librarian eager to provide information to the community, while also emphasizing the library’s core mission and values to serve the community. Being open and accessible to all patrons allows for greater patron attendance at events and a more open and comfortable relationship between patron and librarian.

 

Communicating through Social Media: Olea uses social media as a primary form of communication in order to promote programming, communicate with the public, and communicate with other teen librarians. Olea often uses Facebook and Instagram to advertise her programs. Olea explains, “I try to take pictures and post them on Facebook and Instagram so people can see current programming and it’ll generate more appeal for future programs.” This is seen on the library’s Facebook page, in which Olea posted pictures of teens at the Candy Sushi program and their final products. This engages audiences online and encourages them to participate in future events. Olea explains that she uses Instagram and Facebook as a promotional center because she knows “that’s what teens check the most.” When promoting programs through flyers or pictures, Olea explains that it is important that the promotional material pops so patrons don’t easily scroll past it. She wants them to be drawn to the eye-catching graphic and investigate future programming.

 

Facebook is another form in which Olea and the other librarians communicate directly with the public. Olea explains that patrons often message the library through Facebook, asking quick questions, such as whether or not the library will be open on a certain day. Olea and the others make sure to quickly respond to these messages. By doing so, they establish the library’s credibility and brand as a center for information. Patrons feel they can trust the librarians through their quick response and are more likely to pursue the library for more information and establish a relationship between library and patron. Through Facebook, Olea communicates with teen librarians across the world and the surrounding community. Olea is part of a Facebook group for Teen Librarians in which they share programming and ask questions. Olea explains, “We’re very inclined to help each other out.” When communicating with each other, the tone used is very informal and casual, taking a more conversational form. She explains, “within our profession, we tend to keep a more informal, casual tone.” This helps create a comfortable atmosphere in which librarians can easily discuss programming and give each other tips and information on different events across libraries nation and worldwide. In effect, this collaboration helps better library programming, events, and participation.

 

Conclusions

 

After discussing and analyzing the discursive practices in the library field, I have come to two conclusion on the discursive practices within the Teen Library profession: the importance of understanding your audience and implementing this understanding through the tone employed and the importance of staying up-to-date on social media and its trends to appeal to teens across the board.

 

In order to establish a relationship between librarian and patrons, it is important to use an informal, accessible tone when communicating with readers. Because patrons are at varying reading levels, using language that is easily comprehensible establishes a librarian’s ethos and allows for ease of readability, allowing for the accessibility of information to all patrons. This allows resources to be available for all and establishes credibility as a librarian. It also allows for the forming of a comfortable relationship between librarian and patron, as they are more likely to trust the librarian if they can easily understand them and are not intimidated by their use of language. However, it is also important to understand when to use a formal tone of voice, especially when communicating with businesses and organizations outside the library environment. This establishes the library’s credibility as a community organization and creates a professional relationship between the business and the library, making partnering more likely. It shows a mutual understanding and respect between the library and organization and garners a level of friendly formality. Understanding one’s audience and language is essential to the success of a Teen Librarian and librarians across the board.

 

Staying up-to-date on social media and trends is essential as a Teen Librarian. Not only does social media allow Teen Librarians to successfully promote programming and events, but it helps understand the teen audience they are trying to reach. Teens use social media on a daily basis. Implementing social media use attracts teens to programming and shows that you understand them and their values on a basic level. Using social media trends when promoting programming creates a level of understanding and attracts teens to events. As a Teen Librarian, it is important to understand the trends in your teen audience. Using social media not only allows this, but allows you to reach out to teens in a way that communicating verbally doesn’t often achieve. By showing up on their Facebook or Instagram feed, teens see that the library has a social media presence and will be more drawn to attend events and establish a comfortable relationship with the Teen Librarian, allowing Teen Librarians and teens to connect on a social level.

 

Based on my conclusions, I have two recommendations for improvement in the Teen Librarian field: a better understanding of the level of formality between librarians, and a better distribution of flyers to promote programming. First, while the level of formality between librarians tends to be very informal, understanding that there are moments when formality is essential when communicating with other librarians is key when trying to persuade and communicate with other Teen Librarians. There may be instances when using this informal tone with others may be seen as unprofessional and may take away from one’s credibility. It is important to be aware of this and use a formal tone when first approaching a librarian that’s unfamiliar. Once the relationship evolves, the level of formality can evolve with it, eventually leading to a less formal tone.

 

When promoting flyers to attend programming, posting on social media is an essential component. However, it is also important to post flyers around the library itself so that teens can be aware of the events once in the library. Posting the flyers at the circulation desk, along the teen area, and the youth department will allow for better access. It is also important to promote programming for adults and youth, this way families can see what’s available to everyone in the family. Parents can attend a program while their children do so as well. This creates a sense of community and allows for better attendance in programming, as families encourage their kids to attend events while they do so as well.

 

 

References

 

Olea, Marion. Personal Interview. 6 May 2017.

 

Appendix A: Interview Questions

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1. How did you discover that you wanted to be a Teen Librarian and can you tell me a bit about your everyday responsibilities?

2. About how much time do you spend composing documents to communicate with colleagues and the public as a Teen Librarian?

3. As a teen librarian, when composing documents, how do you adjust your writing style and tone according to your specific audience? Who are the specific audiences in your professional writing?

4. What genres of writing do you most often produce in this field? What strategies do you use when composing these different types of documents?

5. What are the purposes for these different types of texts? (Follow up to previous question)

6. About how much time do you take a week to produce these documents or communicate with the public?

7. To what extent does this job require you to communicate and participate with the public? What is the level of formality used within these instances and outreach events, and how does it differ from the formality used with your colleagues?

8. What kinds of texts do you produce in terms of fundraising (if so) and how what is the process you go through in producing these types of documents? What do you focus on primarily when producing these texts?

9. How do you establish your credibility within your writing to both your colleagues and patrons?

10. When discussing programming, how do you draw your audience and persuade them to attend the particular events within your writing?

11. How does the formality or language of your writing shift based on the particular genre you’re using?

12. To what extent is pathos (emotional appeal) a necessary part of your writing? How does it impact or persuade your audience?

13. What conventions are most important in producing documents/communicating with those in your field?

14. To what extent do you communicate with organizations outside the library and how does your tone and writing change to accommodate/persuade these organizations?

15. How do the specific communications practices/languages used in the library field evolve with the growing use of technology and how does this affect your own writing?