CALL Pre-Conference Workshop
Sponsored by Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society

Making & Presenting the Business Case
Saturday, May 23, 2009
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Whether it's a request to attend a conference, the acquisition of a new online service, or plans to join a consortium, library staff is increasingly expected to be able to produce "a business case" for the proposed expenditure or effort.

The statistics that have so much meaning for library professionals are just numbers to senior managers who have no experience of managing a library. Gathering the statistics to prove your business case is the start, and making those statistics illustrate your vision to your management is the next step.

Nationally renowned speaker Maggie Weaver will take us through the research necessary to construct a business case, including cost benefits and finding local champions for the cause and suggestions for structuring an effective request for funding, either in writing or orally. Then, she will cover the presentation techniques for ensuring that unfamiliar statistics send the “right” message to management, using real library examples. She will cover important methods for ensuring clarity in conveying statistics in written and oral presentations, with good and bad examples, and will illustrate how tables, rankings and charts can influence the perceived message.

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will:

* understand how to research costs associated with a project
* understand the importance of quantifying benefits or returns appropriate to their organization
* understand how to concisely present the benefits of change or innovation, including financial impacts.
* be more likely to submit successful proposals to their management
* view presented statistics objectively, and determine the message conveyed by differing forms of presentation
* know when and how to use tables, ranking, charts and graphs, and how to use titles and labels for improved clarity;
* take home a list of resources for building a business case in various situations, and a handout with copious illustrations as a reminder of the techniques discussed.

Registration fees are $95.00 for CALL/ACBD members and $125.00 for non-members. Registration Form.