Going Beyond Staff Training
Niche Academy is a great staff training and development tool, but did you know there are other ways to use the platform? The ability to easily create interactive content featuring links, images, videos, and more makes Niche Academy a wonderful resource for patron-facing initiatives. And, our widget technology allows you to embed content directly on your website for patrons to find easily!
So what are some innovative ways to use Niche Academy? Here are a few suggestions.
Educate Patrons About Library Resources
Patrons are more likely to use eResources when they know how! You can use Niche Academy to introduce and explain the resources available through your library—and the best part, it requires very little effort on your end. Our learning design team has developed—and regularly updates—hundreds of quality eResource tutorials to help patrons have a great first experience with eBooks, databases, and more. So, you will likely find the tutorials you need in the free marketplace included with your academy.
Host Book Clubs
Whether you hold in-person or virtual meetings, you can use Niche Academy to structure your book club program. The tutorials you create in your academy don’t have to be tutorials in the traditional sense. You might make a tutorial to share book selections, additional resources, a meeting schedule, and more. You can even add discussions to keep the conversation going after a meeting.
Share Virtual Presentations and Programs
Platforms like Google Meet and Zoom make it easy to host real-time virtual events. And, people often share recordings on YouTube to reach anyone who couldn’t attend a live session. But, using YouTube exposes patrons to data collection and the possibility of inappropriate video suggestions following your content. Luckily, a Niche Academy subscription includes unlimited free video hosting. Placing content in your academy keeps patrons on your site, gives you greater control over privacy, and provides more options. You can share recordings and other resources as follow-up for live events. Or, you can create entirely asynchronous programs that patrons can experience at their own pace. Depending on the topic, you can even include knowledge checks to help participants test their understanding or recall.
Supplement In-Person Programs
Niche Academy can also enrich your in-person programs in many ways. Similar to hosting book clubs, you can add content to your academy to supplement programs like workshops, exhibits, and others. You might share introductory material beforehand, provide additional resources and activities afterward—or both!
Collect Community Feedback
Tools like SurveyMonkey and Google Forms make it easy to collect feedback. But these kinds of surveys are also easily ignored. So, why not try something different? In a tutorial, you can share information about budget decisions, program ideas, or other topics and use Niche Academy’s surveys, polls, or discussions to hear the community’s thoughts and ideas.
Share Your Ideas
These are just some of the ways you can use Niche Academy for patron-facing initiatives. Can you think of others? We’d love to hear your ideas! Tag @NicheAcademy or #nicheacademy to share your suggestions on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter!
