The Argument Clinic: Elements of Persuasion for Librarians, Archivists, and Library TechnologistsKate DoheUniversity of Maryland Libraries, United States of America Many library professionals are called upon to serve as advocates and public champions for programs, initiatives, or policies that advance the mission of libraries. As these initiatives inherently become more technological in nature, and their success (and continued funding) pivots around developing valuable community partnerships, it becomes increasingly essential that librarians, curators, and library technology staff have the rhetorical tools to form and express compelling arguments in support of abstract technical or critical concepts. Compounding this problem is the wide variety of audiences we must speak to with equal deftness--researchers, administrators, funders, colleagues, and the public. However, few librarians receive formal training in public speaking or argumentation, even though we are routinely called upon to deliver informational and persuasive presentations. In short, it is hard to secure support for digital initiatives like preservation, open access repositories, or data curation if we cannot communicate why our stakeholders should value the work.
This fully interactive workshop will take attendees through the foundations of persuasive speaking, addressing the unique challenges of advocating for digital programs and technology-driven initiatives. Working in small cohorts, participants will develop short presentations by applying argumentation theory and public speaking techniques to the everyday challenges of digital libraries, coupled with constructive reflection and refinement. Led by a former competitive speech coach turned digital librarian, the learning outcomes of this reflective and responsive session will be heavily shaped by the desires and knowledge of other participants.
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This workshop is part of Learn@DLF (our brand new pre-conference workshop day). Learn more and register for this session:
https://forum2018.diglib.org/learnatdlf/
