My experience with delivering Top level Net Research Seminars in US

[david at spireproject.com]

David Novak here of the Spire Project.

I again forge ahead with seminars on Exceptional Internet Research in 
WA,OR, CA,AZ and TX this year, but for those involved in internet training 
and internet research, I wanted to share some of the challenges I am 
having with delivering these seminars.

It is too early to declare but I am detecting a very low interest in a 
seminar on internet research. I am predicting sizes now of perhaps 40 
people in all of Seattle/Tacoma. This has confused me since just a year 
ago I was delivering to groups of and 80 in Auckland and 60 in Brisbane. 
It points in two directions: a general saturation of interest in internet 
research, and a greater challenge in the US in reaching the people who 
undertake internet research.

Let me address each in turn. My vehicle is a 3hour seminar on Exceptional 
Internet Research that builds on and visualizes content described on 
SpireProject.com  Essentially I stand on a stage for three hours with 
webpage after webpage shown on a screen, teasing out search techniques 
like Url interpretation, Search Engine bias, Context/Format/Source and 
Anticipating information on the Internet. Its good stuff and its not being 
taught in other seminars. (described more at <a 
href="http://spireproject.com/seminar/">http://spireproject.com/seminar/</a
> ) I am fairly well known as the founder of the Spire Project. Certainly, 
those I can convince to look at SpireProject.com tend to attend. I like to 
think that if it is possible for a seminar of this nature to succeed, then 
I will see this in attendance numbers.

My primary marketing tool is a brochure posted to libraries and on 
occasions, other segments of the community. Yes, the seminar is primarily 
aimed at researchers with library experience or internet research 
experience. The latest version is at <a 
href="http://spireproject.com/pdf07.pdf">http://spireproject.com/pdf07.pdf<
/a>

This has worked well in Australia and New Zealand. I could count on 
delivering the seminars and gathering attendance of 1 to every 10 to 15 
brochures I posted out for the first trip to city. Unfortunately, you tend 
to run out of Australia after a time.

Here in the US, I quickly ran into trouble with the post. Serious trouble, 
but suffice to say I have been able to stop and start a second time on my 
plans to visit several cities. Earlier responses alluded to a possibility 
of limited numbers, but it will become apparent only over the next month 
to six weeks.

I am currently promoting a seminar in Seattle, Tacoma and Portland (see <a 
href="http://spireproject.com/seminar/">http://spireproject.com/seminar/</a
> ) and while it is too early to be certain, I suspect I will see 
attendance at a rate of 1 in 40 from the library community. I have dropped 
the price and promoted to a wider community of government agencies, other 
searchers, economic development staff and even some business consultants 
and school districts, hence the lower price, but I am not seeing the 
interest I presumed was there.

Why? I am guessing there are three reasons. 1) The library community has 
become saturated with internet research, in part as each has an expert who 
watches lists like these and in part because internet research is 
presented at library conferences. Without major advances, it is perhaps 
likely these skilled internet searchers find diminishing returns from 
attending advanced research seminars. I doubt such a story may affect non -
librarians though.

2) The library community is less pervasive as in a more socialist country 
like Australia. Many organizations may not have designated libraries, or 
have people within organizations with the role of helping people find 
information. It is less 'integrated' perhaps. Consequently, there is less 
opportunity for people needing research assistance and internet research 
assistance in particular, of having a librarian they can call on.

3) The non-library community is uncertain about how to proceed, and need 
more hand-holding and personal invitations than can be provided in this 
style of seminars. Where as each government agency in Australia has a 
library - and we have so many government staff in Australia - perhaps here 
it is not so easy to reach the attention of people doing internet research.

It is a simple matter to say I need to be more famous, or give much more 
advance notice, or should speak as a free guest lecturer at more 
conferences, or sell these seminars in person. There are some truths to 
these comments. But as I come from a position outside the library 
community, and bring with me experience not fully understood by the 
library community, there are business considerations that limits my 
actions. I can not give two seminars in each town if I have very few 
people attending. I can not fly in and personally speak to library 
directors if my time would be better spent delivering a seminar in another 
city.

So, as I proceed with a leaner trip through California to Texas, I wonder 
what this trip will bring. I shall complete these seminars at $140pp and 
will cut back on sending brochures to less responsive segments of the 
community as I strive to find those ready to learn more about internet 
research. I have long been passionate about internet research, and I am at 
the top of my form at the moment, merging ideas of library science with 
internet research.

For all those who wonder if there was a way to speak to a larger US 
audience directly and speak to them about something more than Boolean and 
field searching, my experience will interest you. I hope there is, though 
there may just not be a market in this country.

As before, I sorely need perspective and welcome comments.

Sincerely,

David Novak   david at spireproject.com
The Spire Project  - better ways to find information
SpireProject.com
Tel while in US:  509 879 9464.