Library PR and Communication: Welcoming a New Teacher or Staff

How do you welcome a new teacher or staff in the library? Most often, the Human Resource Office introduces him or her to the community through a formal memo or letter. At faculty meetings and assemblies he or she is introduced as well. The school library, being a department that supports all aspect of academic and student life can initiate means to reach out and communicate to new faculty and staff.

I would do this by writing them a letter sent through email. This is good public relations and communications practice. Partly, this communication to new faculty and staff is a way to advocate the library's role in the school community. The new employees are also informed of the services and programs that they can avail of, as well as the staff and personnel they can collaborate with.

Here is a draft of the letter I often use to welcome new employees.

Dear _____, 

I hope you are doing well and have taken strides in getting to know the BA community. We, at the BA Library, formally welcome you as a valued member.  

The BA Library is one of the departments in school that supports your program and department. A budget for information and instructional resources is provided for your department under _________. This means, you can recommend and request for sources, references and other information materials that can enrich, enhance and improve your programs. We are also open to receive information materials from your department that will help our students in __________.  

Feel free to see us anytime or access the library catalog to check the titles of books and resources. 

Attached in the email is a list of online subscriptions and links to the BA Library portal and web OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) and the BA Library personnel's profile. We highly encourage you to make use of the resources of the BA Library since these went through a process of review, evaluation and selection. 

Thank you very much and we hope to see you soon in the BA Library!

           Ms. Zarah G

As a school librarian do you welcome and recognize the new employees in your school? What creative ways do you employ to make new employees feel they are part of the community? Feel fee to share!