Your Name and Title: Ashley Thomas, Health Science Data & Digital Services Librarian
Library, School, or Organization Name: Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Co-Presenter Name(s): Iris Jahng and Lexie Chunxiaoxue Lu
Area of the World from Which You Will Present: Boston, Massachusetts (EDT/UTC-4)
Language in Which You Will Present: English
Target Audience(s): Academic libraries, student services, outreach and engagement
Short Session Description (one line): They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but who knew it was so absolutely vital for a med student?
Full Session Description (as long as you would like):
The story of this new service begins in the Countway Library Studio. Our team, Publishing and Data Services, established and operates the studio and is available to users from across Harvard’s Longwood campus, including Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and affiliated hospitals. The space is fully equipped with professional video and audio recording equipment including computers with post-production software options. Students, faculty, staff, postdocs, and researchers regularly schedule time in the studio for a variety of different projects, from podcasting to video recordings, conference presentation videos to voice over work, and so much more. It was during one of these sessions that a patron mentioned they needed a professional headshot to update their webpage. That sparked the idea – why not offer a headshot service using the resources we already have available?
Once the idea was born, our team acted quickly to get a pilot project operational. We assessed our current photography equipment and found that we had all the basics necessary to start a portrait photography service. Next, we crafted some promotional materials with a QR code that linked directly to our LibAnswers system. Lastly, we then collaborated with our Outreach team to help advertise the service and distribute the sign-up link.
It was a HIT!
Within the first 24 hours, we received over 200 requests, which signaled to us that we were addressing a significant and previously lacking need in our community. The overwhelming response required our team to quickly organize a strategy meeting to address four key questions/topics:
- How will patrons schedule their sessions?
- What, specifically, does the service include?
- Where and how should we set up the photography space?
- How can we efficiently balance this service with our existing responsibilities?
Given the influx, our answers were malleable, meant to carry us through the initial pilot stage, with the caveat that we would come back together once the first wave calmed and evaluate and reassess our strategies and intentions.
A main goal was to create a space where patrons felt safe, confident, and comfortable. We discovered that when an individual felt relaxed in the studio, they were more satisfied with their photos, their smiles appeared more natural. To support this environment, our team added thoughtful and personal elements to the space. For example, team members brought in Squishmallows from home to serve as comfort companions for patrons during their sessions (folks even took fun photos with them after their “official” photo session was finished!). We placed a mirror nearby so folks could adjust their clothing, makeup, or hairstyle. Additionally, we provided oil absorbing sheets for those who needed them, lint rollers, and even a fan for those who wanted a more dynamic, “airy” effect for their hair (or just wanted to cool down from the unseasonably hot New England summer). The feedback we received during the pilot period indicated that we were successful in making this a quick, easy, and relatively stress-free experience for many users.
Besides collaborating with our internal Countway Outreach team, we are officially collaborating with the Office of Student Affairs at Harvard Medical School to create a special scheduling link for medical students who urgently need a headshot for their residency applications. We are hoping to expand, or at the very least deepen, this partnership as we define the limits of what our team can and cannot provide.
As thoroughly documented in the press, Harvard is under a wee bit of financial pressure as it battles for its continued academic independence. Since March of this year, the University, and echoed by the Medical School administration, has called on all departments to consider and prioritize cost savings opportunities as unit budgets begin a permanent 15% budget reduction. So, any new ventures taken on by our team would need to be taken on at minimal to zero cost.
Fortunately, we have been (slowly) building out the Countway Studio equipment list over the past two years. So, while we did not have top-of-the-line equipment with all the bells-and-whistle accessories, our equipment was sufficient and in good working order.
Check - no new equipment costs.
For other accessories that we needed, such as the mirror, fan, mobile computer station, we repurposed items that we had on-hand.
Check - no accessories necessary.
Our team was fortunate that we were able to put this service together quickly with items we already had, allowing us to create a new offering while adhering to the University’s financial position.
Websites / URLs Associated with Your Session: https://countway.harvard.edu/services/publishing-data-services/photography-visual-communication
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