Email and social media can help you introduce Lean Library to students, highlight its benefits and provide timely reminders throughout the academic year.
Keep messages short, benefit-led and focused on one clear action.
1. Lead with a familiar research problem
Capture attention by starting with a challenge students recognise, such as:
- Struggling to access an article off campus
- Repeatedly signing in through different platforms
- Reaching a paywall while researching
- Searching for an open-access version of a resource
- Moving between multiple research tools
Then introduce Lean Library as a simple way to make online research quicker and easier.
2. Focus on one or two key benefits
Avoid explaining every feature in one message. Highlight benefits such as:
- Accessing library resources wherever students search
- Finding subscribed content more easily
- Discovering legal open-access alternatives
- Saving time on institutional logins
- Avoiding unnecessary paywalls
- Supporting research and referencing workflows
Use clear, student-friendly language and avoid technical terms where possible.
3. Include a clear call to action
Every email or social post should direct students towards one next step, such as:
- Download Lean Library
- Install Lean Library today
- Make online research easier
- Get started with Lean Library
Link to your Branded Download Page or Lean Library download webpage. For social media, place the link in the post, profile or accompanying call-to-action button.
4. Make content easy to scan and share
For emails:
- Use a short, benefit-led subject line
- Keep the main message concise, see our templates here
- Include the call to action near the top
- Add our "Lean Library Extension explained" support articles
- Repeat the download link at the end
For social media:
- Keep copy short and focused, see our templates here
- Use an eye-catching image or video
- Demonstrate one practical use case
- Add relevant hashtags and accessible alt text
- Adapt the message to each platform
5. Promote at key moments throughout the year
Schedule messages around times when students are most likely to need research support, including:
- Welcome and orientation
- The start of each semester
- Assignment periods
- Dissertation and thesis preparation
- Examination and revision periods
- Library campaigns and research-skills events
Repeat the message using different benefits and examples. Students may need to see Lean Library several times before deciding to install it.