Participating in SnapshotVA is an easy way to help libraries throughout Virginia and in your own community. The first step is pick a day for your library’s Snapshot and inform your staff. Let your staff know you are participating in SnapshotVA, build up the excitement and plan some events ahead of time! Prepare for the day using the tools below. Take a tour around your library and make certain you look your best.
1. Get on the list!
If you haven’t signed up for the Snapshot Virginia mailing list in the past, please click here to send us an email with your name, email address, and library name. We’ll send you updates, helpful tips, and reminders.
2. Promote
A variety of materials are available for promoting SnapshotVA among your patrons and staff. Use these to quickly and easily promote your Snapshot Day. Adding the date of your Snapshot Day to these PDFs is easy–once you open each PDF, click in the outlined box and enter the date you’ll be participating. Then you’ll be ready to print and distribute.
Feel free to use these graphics or any others on this site to promote or link to SnapshotVA on your library’s website:
3. Survey
Your desk staff can use the Statistics Worksheet to collect stats on patron activities. Review it with your staff and keep copies at your service desks.
This version is meant for printing – Statistics Worksheet [PDF]
This version has form fields so that it can be filled out on your computer. Totals are automatically calculated. – Statistics Worksheet Form [PDF]
After your Snapshot Day, you’ll add up your library’s results and submit your totals. At that point, you’ll be asked a few additional internal questions, so please gather this data:
- How many items were added to your collection via your book budget?
- How many items were added to your collection via donations?
Once your statistics for the day have been compiled, a link will be provided to send them in. Please submit your data by May 18. The statistics collected by each library, as well as state-wide totals, will be available in June.
4. Comments
We are also looking for comments from patrons. Sometimes those heartfelt testimonials are the best way to show how important our libraries are. A form for collecting patron comments is available as full-page [PDF] and 4/page [PDF].
If you have a favorite patron success story, please send it in. If a patron found a job with library assistance, a young person achieved a significant scholastic goal, or a retired patron started a new chapter of learning through the library, please let us know.
Please email your favorite comments to Kim Armentrout by May 18.
5. Photos
Photographs can be a compelling way to capture the role of libraries in our communities. Please take pictures of people using your library and contribute to the SnapshotVA Flickr pool. Your photographs will be linked on this blog and may be used for state-wide advocacy materials.
The most useful photographs zero in on moments of value for our patrons—finding the right materials on the shelf, using a library computer, interacting with staff, or enjoying programs. Avoid photographing patrons from behind, in poor lighting, or in any scenario that fails to show your library at its best.
Written permission is not required when taking photos in public areas. The best approach is often to wear some form of library identification (shirt, badge, or button) and simply ask: “Hi. I work for the library, may I take your picture for library publicity?”
If you wish to ask for written permission, a sample release form is available as a Word Doc or PDF.
To upload your best photos to the SnapshotVA Flickr pool:
- Go to www.flickr.com
- Click on “Sign in” in the upper right corner of the page.
- In the window that pops up, enter Yahoo!ID snapshotvalib@ymail.com and the password. The Flickr password is sent out with the email update notices, but to have it emailed to you, write Sean Bonney.
- Click Upload Photos and Videos (if you haven’t been switched to the SnapshotVA profile, just reload the page)
- Follow the instructions for uploading – it’s easy!
Please include the following tags for your photos: VLA snapshotday LVA “your library’s name” (spaces between the tags please!). Include a brief description or caption for each photo. For possible use in advocacy materials, please upload your photos by May 18.
6. Results
Reminder—We need all your information by May 18. After that, the data will be tabulated and the results, patron comments, and photos posted on this site in June.
Thank you for participating in SnapshotVA!
Virginia Libraries
More Photos