One of the unique user groups I've been thinking a lot about recently is visitors from outside of Canada. This group of patrons contains a variety of users but in my case the group is made up of academics from foreign universities, tourists, and international students.
Visiting academics from afar are often undertaking directed research and may require assistance in making the most of their time in the area. Conversely, tourists and international students often know little about the institution or local history. Tours and basic public programming should be expanded to explain the significance of the heritage held by your institution. You may also need to incorporate some broader Canadian or regional history into your tour for the information to make sense.
For example, a group of international students receiving a historic site tour of a former residential school may have little understanding of colonialism in Canada. It would make sense for the tour introduction to include an explanation of the residential school system, the factors that contributed to the creation of such a system, and a general overview of Settler-First Nation relations. It is also crucial that staff are using language appropriate to the group - using Canadian-ism and jargon isn't going to be helpful to most international visitors.
Thoughtful planning and tailoring tours to specific groups help enhance visitor experiences. Feedback from visitors and experimenting with different formats can help you decide what outreach methods work best.
What types of targeted user group programming does your institution offer?
Photo Credit: Ed Yourdon
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