library reality tv

Library Reality TV:Scenes from your local public library

Using improv techniques to transform your approach to customer serviceHenry Bankhead, Heidi Murphy, Jennifer Laredo, Melissa Maglio: Los Gatos Library

Nov. 5th, 2014 California Library Association Conference, Long Beach, CA

Warm Up

Why Improv?

StepIn

Yellow Ball

Yes, and...

O - OpenA - AssessR - Reset

Improv (and Customer Service)

is about making your partner look

GREAT!

Scenarios

Those (teens, homeless, kids) are too (loud, smelly,

rude)--what are you going to do about them?

"Need an audience" type customer... They always start with it's a long story but this is

what happened and that is what happened and then this

happened and that happened...

Wrap Up

“Improv makes me better at trusting my ability to

spontaneously deal with the unfamiliar.”

Improv Confidence

Appendix:

Body Language Warm Up

● Break into two groups● One group approaches the other, and says

“The library is closing in five minutes,” in an unfriendly fashion.

● The listening group notices what traits made the message unfriendly.

● Switch roles and repeat, making the message warm and friendly.

● Notice what changed in manner.

Step In, Step Out

● Form a circle● One person makes a true statement about

themselves. “I play tuba.” “I ate cereal for breakfast.”

● Step in one step if the statement is also true for you.

● The next person makes a statement.

Yellow Ball

● Form a circle● One person holds an imaginary yellow ball.● They find another person in the circle, and

they make eye contact. ● They say “Yellow ball” and throw the ball.● The receiver maintains eye contact as they

catch the ball. ● The receiver says “Yellow ball, thank you,”

before breaking eye contact.

Yellow Ball continued

● The receiver then makes eye contact with someone else, and starts the cycle over.

● After a few minutes, stop and add a red ball.● After a few minutes, stop and add a blue

ball.

Yes, and….

● Divide into pairs● Someone starts the group off by saying

“Remember that time we went on vacation in ________ (choose a destination.)

● Partners take turns describing their fictional vacation. Each person starts their turn with “Yes, the _______ (repeating what their partner said)” and then adding to the story.

Resources

http://lifeplays.com/ -- The people who trained us.

https://sites.google.com/site/lglimprov/ -- Our internal improv sharing site.

Plenty of great articles about improv in libraries and lots of sites with other improv exercises. Google it, or feel free to contact one of us.

Contact Info

Henry Bankhead -- hbankhead@losgatosca.gov

Heidi Murphy -- hmurphy@losgatosca.gov

Jenn Laredo -- jlaredo@losgatosca.gov

Melissa Maglio -- mmaglio@losgatosca.gov