Marketing Your Library

Concise, how-to case studies from practicing public, school, academic, and special librarians provide proven strategies to improve brand management, campaign organization, community outreach, media interaction, social media, and event planning and implementation. Intended for the novice and the old hand, individuals and large staffs, this valuable guide provides librarians with the effective marketing tools necessary to help their libraries thrive in these challenging times.

A Michigan resident, Carol Smallwood has practiced in school, public and special libraries. Her primary interest is practical librarianship, and she is the author of journal articles and editor of numerous books.
Vera Gubnitskaia has worked as a library manager, consultant, and reference librarian in public and academic libraries in Russia and the United States. During her career as a writer and editor, she contributed chapters to several professional publications, edited multiple anthologies, and published book reviews. She is currently an art fellow at Crealde School in Winter Park, Florida.
Kerol Harrod, Denton, Texas, librarian, is the creator, writer and co-producer for the children’s television show Library Larry’s Big Day.

Edited by Carol Smallwood, Vera Gubnitskaia and Kerol Harrod
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 231
Bibliographic Info: 5 photos, appendices, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6543-9
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8995-4
Imprint: McFarland

Foreword      1

MICHAEL GERMANO

Preface      3

CAROL SMALLWOOD, VERA GUBNITSKAIA and KEROL HARROD

Part I. Fundamentals

1. The Art of Personal Selling: Techniques for Library Marketing

WAYNE E. FINLEY      7

2. Brand Management Strategies for Information Services

CHRISTINE A. OLSON      15

3. Developing and Launching a Successful Library Messaging Campaign

CHRISTINA STOLL      24

4. Marketing Principles: School Libraries and Beyond

LESLEY S. J. FARMER      32

5. Marketing Public Libraries: An International Perspective

DEBORAH LINES ANDERSEN and DAVID F. ANDERSEN      39

Part II. Strategy

6. Growing a Culture of Marketing: The Smith Library Experience

ROSALIND M. RAM, BECKY LYNN DEMARTINI, and ZOIA ZERESA

ADAM-FALEVAI      49

7. Establishing the Library in the Cultural Fabric of the Community:

Ten Tips for Linking the Library to the World

BARRY K. MILLER      56

8. Community Outreach at the Goddard Space Flight Center Library

KATHLEEN MONAGHAN, ANN MARLAND DASH, and BRIDGET BURNS      63

Part III. Finding Resources

9. Low Cost/No Cost, High Reward: Successful Programming in a Difficult Economy

PAUL S. EDWARDS      73

10. Marketing Small and Rural Public Libraries

MICHELLE A. MCINTYRE and MELINDA TANNER      80

11. Marketing Our Library Through Charitable Causes

ANNA ERCOLI SCHNITZER      88

12. Local Heroes Storytime Generates “Marketing Gold” in Community Partnerships

ELISABETH NEWBOLD and JUNE ENGEL      95

Part IV. Getting Recognized

13. Flaunt It If You’ve Got It!

KAREN J. WANAMAKER      107

14. Your Own Best Advocate: How to Justify a Media Specialist’s Position

MELISSA PURCELL      113

15. Successful Publicity for the 21st Century Library: Blending Traditional Library Marketing with Recruitment to the Profession

SHEILA SMYTH      120

Part V. Media Matters

16. Gaining Coverage: Connecting and Communicating with the Media

ANNA CANGIALOSI and SARA WEDELL      129

17. Interacting with Other Entities Using Social Media

MICHAELA D. WILLI HOOPER and EMILY SCHARF      137

18. Blinding Glimpses of the Obvious: The Simple Things That Will Unleash Your Library’s Star Power

JOANNE KING      144

Part VI. Using Community Partnerships

19. Community Outreach: Downtown Scavenger Hunt and Business Holiday Discounts

MARY LOU CAROLAN      153

20. The Why, What, Who, When, and How of Library Community Partnerships

JENNIFER L. HOPWOOD      159

21. Reaching Out to the Campus Community Through a Student Advocacy Group

CYNTHIA M. AKERS and TERRI PEDERSEN SUMMEY      166

Part VII. Event Planning and Implementation

22. Library Services Fair: Putting Friendly Faces with Valuable Services

KALEY DANIEL and KIMBERLY VARDEMAN      175

23. Selective (and Subtle) Marketing of Library Instruction

MARK AARON POLGER and KAREN OKAMOTO      183

24. Lions and Tigers and Fairs, Oh My!

RAMONA LUCIUS      191

25. The Crabby Librarian: Community Icon and Social Media Star

MELANIE A. LYTTLE and SHAWN D. WALSH      201

About the Contributors      209

Index      215

“valuable”—Australian Library Journal; “value”—ARBA; “invaluable…well organized…excellent”—Canadian Library Association; “Marketing Your Library provides the tools required to make your library’s message a front page story. Implementing these strategies, your news will dodge the recycle bin and make it to print!”—Flo Caddell, Arts Director, Frankfort Community Public Library, Frankfort, Indiana; “This crucial guide outlines the tools unique to libraries to market themselves and their services. Innovative and creative, these measures don’t cost a fortune and ensure that libraries can and will continue to grow, develop, and thrive.”—Mary Jo McKeon, Librarian, The Sage Colleges, Albany, New York; “Marketing Your Library is a must-have book for all types of libraries large or small, giving new ideas at little or no cost for obtaining community involvement and generating interest in your events from the press. A crucial tool for new or experienced library staff which includes step by step instructions for the newest PR person and provides fresh ideas for the library staff member who has done it all.”—Linda Burkey Wade, Digitization Unit Coordinator, Western Illinois University Library, Macomb, Illinois; “Provides insight into a variety of marketing strategies from the fundamentals of selling to strategy and partnerships.”—Heather Zabriskie, Orange County Library System, Orlando, Florida.