Help with Library Activities
Volunteer in the Library
Post flyers related to events
Donate money or books
Inter-Library Loan
Access to Library
Community Involvement
Advocates of the school library
Community Improvement Activities
Guest Speakers and Lecturers
Sense of community belonging
Support from Public Library and Parents/ Community members
.....VIPS, PENCIL foundation, Appleton Reads program
Community Improvement Activities
Guest Speakers and Lecturers
Sense of community belonging
Support from Public Library and Parents/ Community members
.....VIPS, PENCIL foundation, Appleton Reads program
10 Tips for Marketing Library Media Center
The Tips
Treat your services like commodities. Support them with appropriate budget and staffing for both developing and marketing "the product."
Have a communications plan. This plan should complement and extend your library's overall marketing plan. The look, tone and voice should be consistent with the image of your library.
Don't forget your most important audience. The most important audience when launching any new service is staff. All frontline staff need to be up to speed, know the lmc/it's resources and be able to answer questions.
Remember you're only new once. The launch of a service or program, is newsworthy because it is new and unique to your community and lmc. Be sure to take advantage of it. Get out those news releases. Call those radio and TV stations!
Focus on what's unique. Reference and other services provide an opportunity to focus on what people say they like best about libraries—the expert, personalized service that librarians provide.
Have a clear and consistent message. One that you use over and over again in all publicity materials, e.g. "Get answers in... Send your questions to…" Make sure your "sales force" (the whole staff, Board, Friends, etc.) understands the message and is prepared to answer questions. Remember, simpler is better.
Harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Prepare and encourage all frontline staff to put in a plug for the lmc at every opportunity. "Have you tried our new Ask a Librarian service? Let me give you one of these bookmarks with the our research tips." Ask 10 satisfied customers to tell 10 friends. Also encourage Friends and trustees to spread the word.
Track positive feedback. Provide an interactive form for customers to give feedback. Collect testimonials to use in your next wave of publicity. (Use names only with permission.) Remind your "sales force" to forward any positive comments they hear to the LMS.
Work the Web. Seek links with other Web sites of schools, government and other organizations to bookmark or link from their homepage. Offer an e-mail newsletter to keep customers informed of developments.
Evaluate. Evaluation is critical to any marketing effort. Provide an interactive form for customers to give feedback. Collect testimonials to use in your next wave of publicity. Track your publicity. Watch to see what works and what doesn't. Aim to do it better next time.
These tips were adapted from Linda Wallace and Peggy Barber
Library Communication Strategies
1830 N. Fremont
St., Chicago, IL 60614
Tel: 773-989-4514.
mailto:Librarycomm@librarycomm.com
Librarycomm@librarycomm.com.
Treat your services like commodities. Support them with appropriate budget and staffing for both developing and marketing "the product."
Have a communications plan. This plan should complement and extend your library's overall marketing plan. The look, tone and voice should be consistent with the image of your library.
Don't forget your most important audience. The most important audience when launching any new service is staff. All frontline staff need to be up to speed, know the lmc/it's resources and be able to answer questions.
Remember you're only new once. The launch of a service or program, is newsworthy because it is new and unique to your community and lmc. Be sure to take advantage of it. Get out those news releases. Call those radio and TV stations!
Focus on what's unique. Reference and other services provide an opportunity to focus on what people say they like best about libraries—the expert, personalized service that librarians provide.
Have a clear and consistent message. One that you use over and over again in all publicity materials, e.g. "Get answers in... Send your questions to…" Make sure your "sales force" (the whole staff, Board, Friends, etc.) understands the message and is prepared to answer questions. Remember, simpler is better.
Harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Prepare and encourage all frontline staff to put in a plug for the lmc at every opportunity. "Have you tried our new Ask a Librarian service? Let me give you one of these bookmarks with the our research tips." Ask 10 satisfied customers to tell 10 friends. Also encourage Friends and trustees to spread the word.
Track positive feedback. Provide an interactive form for customers to give feedback. Collect testimonials to use in your next wave of publicity. (Use names only with permission.) Remind your "sales force" to forward any positive comments they hear to the LMS.
Work the Web. Seek links with other Web sites of schools, government and other organizations to bookmark or link from their homepage. Offer an e-mail newsletter to keep customers informed of developments.
Evaluate. Evaluation is critical to any marketing effort. Provide an interactive form for customers to give feedback. Collect testimonials to use in your next wave of publicity. Track your publicity. Watch to see what works and what doesn't. Aim to do it better next time.
These tips were adapted from Linda Wallace and Peggy Barber
Library Communication Strategies
1830 N. Fremont
St., Chicago, IL 60614
Tel: 773-989-4514.
mailto:Librarycomm@librarycomm.com
Librarycomm@librarycomm.com.
Inside the Library
Inside the library
Produce window clings for glass doors or restroom mirrors.
Set up a hammock—or a piece of furniture that is not likely to be in a library—and advertise lmc resources or services.
Trim off the tape edges on the table tents, cut into sections and make a hanging mobile.
Place a map on the wall and use pushpins to mark all the locations in the world that a person can access from the lmc collection.
Make computer monitor crowns that highlight books/resources/services of the lmc and use them throughout your library—customize each crown to reflect a subject in your collection.
Make a poster with a giant X and the headline "Books Available Here" and secure it to the floor in front of computer terminals.
Outside the library
Do chalk drawings in the parking lot.
Add a sign to your library hours placard that says: "Even when we're closed, our resources are still available through our Web site."
Add a message to your library website.
Add a message to your book availability notification system.
Add a copy message on your checkout receipts.
Include a copy message on overdue notices.
In your community
Place flyers at area coffee shops.
Make sandwich boards that say "Available Here" and post them in community hot zones.
Offer public demonstrations about how easy it is to use emerging technology.
Around school
Make cafeteria tray liners.
Place table tents in the student union.
Give demonstrations to students and staff about research tools.
Hang flyers on exercise equipment at student health centers.
Set up signs in the park or commons.
Inside the library: www.oclc.org/netlibrary/marketingkit/marketingideas.htm
Produce window clings for glass doors or restroom mirrors.
Set up a hammock—or a piece of furniture that is not likely to be in a library—and advertise lmc resources or services.
Trim off the tape edges on the table tents, cut into sections and make a hanging mobile.
Place a map on the wall and use pushpins to mark all the locations in the world that a person can access from the lmc collection.
Make computer monitor crowns that highlight books/resources/services of the lmc and use them throughout your library—customize each crown to reflect a subject in your collection.
Make a poster with a giant X and the headline "Books Available Here" and secure it to the floor in front of computer terminals.
Outside the library
Do chalk drawings in the parking lot.
Add a sign to your library hours placard that says: "Even when we're closed, our resources are still available through our Web site."
Add a message to your library website.
Add a message to your book availability notification system.
Add a copy message on your checkout receipts.
Include a copy message on overdue notices.
In your community
Place flyers at area coffee shops.
Make sandwich boards that say "Available Here" and post them in community hot zones.
Offer public demonstrations about how easy it is to use emerging technology.
Around school
Make cafeteria tray liners.
Place table tents in the student union.
Give demonstrations to students and staff about research tools.
Hang flyers on exercise equipment at student health centers.
Set up signs in the park or commons.
Inside the library: www.oclc.org/netlibrary/marketingkit/marketingideas.htm
Market Your Staff
By Janice Marsh, Public Information Coordinator Warren-Newport Public Library District
Besides the obvious, I think it's important to market our staff. Below is a paragraph I wrote for our summer newsletter which piqued lots of interest. It turned out that our patrons were very interested to learn more about the people that make the library tick. Any library could come up with fascinating profiles of their staff.
Do You Know Me?
Your library staff is as varied and deep as the collection itself. Where else could you find a group with such passionate interests and diverse experiences? For instance, staff leisure pursuits range from fishing, sailing, curling, softball and triathlons to artistic endeavors in classical and bluegrass music, oil painting and caricature art, jewelry making and quilting. Travel has taken us on the Lewis and Clark Trail, transatlantic crossings on the Queen Elizabeth, and as far as Africa, Europe, India , Japan , China , and South America . One staff member has visited most U.S. major league baseball parks. Besides degreed librarians, our accomplished staff includes teachers, a biologist, engineer, weekend farmer, and published writers. And of course we all love to read!
Besides the obvious, I think it's important to market our staff. Below is a paragraph I wrote for our summer newsletter which piqued lots of interest. It turned out that our patrons were very interested to learn more about the people that make the library tick. Any library could come up with fascinating profiles of their staff.
Do You Know Me?
Your library staff is as varied and deep as the collection itself. Where else could you find a group with such passionate interests and diverse experiences? For instance, staff leisure pursuits range from fishing, sailing, curling, softball and triathlons to artistic endeavors in classical and bluegrass music, oil painting and caricature art, jewelry making and quilting. Travel has taken us on the Lewis and Clark Trail, transatlantic crossings on the Queen Elizabeth, and as far as Africa, Europe, India , Japan , China , and South America . One staff member has visited most U.S. major league baseball parks. Besides degreed librarians, our accomplished staff includes teachers, a biologist, engineer, weekend farmer, and published writers. And of course we all love to read!
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