tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76318856601137930592024-02-18T18:44:01.551-08:00Marketing the Public LibraryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-8579888984147838312009-10-23T11:08:00.000-07:002009-10-23T11:12:42.281-07:00follow up to "discovery your library" post.<a href="http://www.gettingattention.org/my_weblog/2009/10/13-nonprofits-honored-for-outstanding-taglines-nothing-stops-a-bullet-like-a-job-pulls-top-honors-for-homeboy-industries.html">Getting Attention's list of the 13 most outstanding nonprofit taglines</a>.<br /><br />Three of my favorites:<br /><strong>International, Foreign Affairs & National Security: </strong><em><br />Send a Net. Save a Life.</em> —Nothing But Nets<br />Short, punchy and laser-sharp, the Nothing But Nets tagline connects the action with the outcome. It’s inspirational in the simplicity of its message and its reason for existing. The kind of tagline nonprofits should model.<br /><br /><strong>Religion & Spiritual Development: </strong> <em><br />Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.</em> —The people of The United Methodist Church<br />The work of religious organizations often operates on several planes at once — a challenge for any organization and its messaging. Here, The people of The United Methodist Church delivers a tagline trinity that supports its applied faith mission and is warm, enthusiastic and embracing.<br /><br /><strong>Other:</strong> <em><br />A head for business. A heart for the world. </em>—SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise)<br />If an organization’s identity contains within it a distinct contrast between its key characteristics, that’s often good tagline material. Here, SIFE surprises with its crystal-clear tagline that not only conveys what’s unique about it but also capitalizes on the contrast between profit and compassion.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-40268294345084158332009-10-22T12:22:00.001-07:002009-10-22T12:26:12.210-07:00favorite library websites.Have you seen <a href="http://www.davidleeking.com/">blogger David Lee King</a>'s work on the <a href="http://www.tscpl.org/">Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library website</a>? I think it's pretty great. What are your favorite library websites?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jkzSPrbVipWOrU4skfvL8qOuNP4i3MbHTKYCkKH1qsbrQ3sOCNcvHpvTVd_fxjRLTYZzIESHl-EFEClV4OK2HlzSuKUgugR7kJqF3bva8r90UTvZAvRsIkcrXS_4McqXzKHJp9PaHb_O/s1600-h/untitled.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jkzSPrbVipWOrU4skfvL8qOuNP4i3MbHTKYCkKH1qsbrQ3sOCNcvHpvTVd_fxjRLTYZzIESHl-EFEClV4OK2HlzSuKUgugR7kJqF3bva8r90UTvZAvRsIkcrXS_4McqXzKHJp9PaHb_O/s640/untitled.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395507553736301986" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-74387245994408474262009-10-01T06:11:00.000-07:002009-10-01T11:11:51.567-07:00don't have a website? you best get a blog.I manage a blog for a state gov subcommittee of cultural institutions working to promote the census. If you're not already aware, the Census = money. For example, the amount of Library Services and Technology Act funds Indiana receives for library services is based on a population formula. So make sure your people know that their count matters. Also it's confidential and safe, blah blah blah. If you want more info, <a href="http://indianacompletecountcultural.wordpress.com/">read the blog</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfaNpATCWx658Q54xpyzJtCJDpSLa61sMBKEmWDlmFMoCq1c0LQRCTBmEpBRGbE-t67NkhFbbO1BEH9le-Y_qQdkyDhiY3kUGRPoZ50l9ByDyNFk9rLfeqIXEuDcF3PEYULD2_BHDjLnS/s1600-h/banner.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfaNpATCWx658Q54xpyzJtCJDpSLa61sMBKEmWDlmFMoCq1c0LQRCTBmEpBRGbE-t67NkhFbbO1BEH9le-Y_qQdkyDhiY3kUGRPoZ50l9ByDyNFk9rLfeqIXEuDcF3PEYULD2_BHDjLnS/s640/banner.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387694989260449010" border="0" /></a>The other subcommittees apparently weren't jumping on the blog bandwagon and I don't blame them. The point of a subcommittee blog wasn't immediately clear to me. But one of our roles is to recruit other organizations willing to promote the Census. I found that recruiting and getting buy-in over e-mail (e-mail because this is low on everyone's priority list) was going to be difficult. Even straight-up communication was going to be tough. Because once I'd recruited an organization (thank you, friend!) I didn't know how to get them all the information they needed - that is, without an annotated list of 15 links that she was either going to ignore or kill me for.<br /><br />Hence <a href="http://indianacompletecountcultural.wordpress.com/">the blog</a>.<br /><br />If your group or whatever doesn't have a website, you damn well better get yourself a blog. And you best start categorizing your posts so it can be navigated at least a little like a website. Because people don't want information at any time other than when they want it. An e-mail that has to be filed away in an endless log of Outlook inbox folders is not awesome. A link to your blog is so much easier.<br /><br />That's what I did. I scrapped my awful e-mail and threw together a (readymade) Wordpress blog. It's really kind of pretty. The posts are tagged by category. And what's most awesome about Wordpress (as I type on Blogger) is it has PAGES. These are permanent links at the top of the page that make the whole thing much more like a website. I put our most crucial info here.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3eEfNzFgbsl3A6ZC2LqjBd5mREflGp4eB92hKrZd8fqldQHNOS3pMxWZ-acLR0djDNqohc0GWOqbGMj_mlqtKnm61Sto8A2exo7FtjsSjPed1iJRIxOKWhsPLKQay2RGqgYY28nQt3Ml/s1600-h/pages.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3eEfNzFgbsl3A6ZC2LqjBd5mREflGp4eB92hKrZd8fqldQHNOS3pMxWZ-acLR0djDNqohc0GWOqbGMj_mlqtKnm61Sto8A2exo7FtjsSjPed1iJRIxOKWhsPLKQay2RGqgYY28nQt3Ml/s640/pages.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387694995519963954" border="0" /></a>Yes, in a perfect world, we'd have an awesome wiki that everyone in the subcommittee would understand how to use and then make use of to share information. For now, it's enough that one of us has uploaded the resources we'll all need at some point and set up the blog to make the recruitment pitch for us. The blog isn't going to win any awards but it beats the hell out of an e-mail folder.<br /><br />The next time you're working with a low-key or low-funds group of people/committee/community organization/campaign, consider throwing together a blog. They're designed to be user-friendly. Just because you can't put together a website doesn't mean you can't take advantages of having a central online presence for information sharing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-57367892640432734102009-09-30T12:36:00.000-07:002009-09-30T12:45:55.160-07:00why are we marketing?<div style="text-align: center;">By all accounts, we are not having trouble getting people in the door.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_PEo-GxbJThnMlU2JNeNQEGU8ZXxRoZtCKXC6VZMEMUy7ho-5yQWUKkAbQ2VnLldUSbM9GMR0FFNevm6lk5nERdfjoeMDNVwzQF8X3V5ngKjh0kgdUyfRSumVLsv1z4d195mjFZXYd-A/s1600-h/2984108662_99552a53fc_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_PEo-GxbJThnMlU2JNeNQEGU8ZXxRoZtCKXC6VZMEMUy7ho-5yQWUKkAbQ2VnLldUSbM9GMR0FFNevm6lk5nERdfjoeMDNVwzQF8X3V5ngKjh0kgdUyfRSumVLsv1z4d195mjFZXYd-A/s640/2984108662_99552a53fc_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387346772822137618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">photo by <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wackelijmrooster/">Marcel Oosterwijk</a></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">For example: "Public library use in the United States is growing. Circulation and visits to US libraries are increasing and a wide range of services, such as literacy classes, teen programs and public access computing are also experiencing strong demand." <a href="http://www.oclc.org/reports/funding/default.htm"><span style="font-style: italic;">From Awareness to Funding: A study of library support in America</span></a>.<br /></div></div><br />That's a rather interesting situation when you think about the role of a library marketer. It turns out that my interest in public library marketing as advocacy (it seem like each of my posts ends up there) is just reflecting this. Branding is not so important to get our "numbers" up. It is important to help our users understand that the individual parts of the library that they love are part of a larger whole - X Public Library. When we really need them, we want our taxpayers to be able to remember the X Public Library brand, what it stands for, and all its wonderful parts.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.oclc.org/reports/funding/default.htm">"From Awareness to Funding: A study of library support in America"</a><br />OCLC Report</span><br />Dublin, OhioUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-45196319347251315112009-09-29T12:31:00.000-07:002009-09-29T12:51:25.803-07:00geeking the library.Hmmm. More on the promotional toolkit/ready-made marketing front. From OCLC comes "<a href="http://www.geekthelibrary.org/">geek the library</a>" - "a community-based public awareness campaign designed to highlight the vital role of public libraries for individuals and communities, and raise awareness about the critical funding issues they face."<br /><br />I first heard the term at the National Book Festival in D.C. this past weekend. Iowa's booth at the Pavillion of the States featured a lot of glossy print promo with the geek slogans. When I got back to work this week, , I received a press release over the inpublib listserv from the <a href="http://www.sscpl.lib.in.us/library2005/">Shelbyville-Shelby County Public Library</a> (Indiana) that they have been chosen to participate in the pilot. This must mean that they're in they're second stage of the pilot. OCLC says that in early 2010 "OCLC will disseminate the awareness campaign materials and messages, along with information from the pilot campaigns, in order to support libraries across the country in their own community awareness efforts."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKe6ZXP2EwAKQeRmOzG4Fu8xHotyNXjvmlEyIM3j9IvCOQ_-ILb2KVgPd5OBJ1mNdKNWpJ0xvBFea51JQ_1vBd8IiQoW6eT4TNzFKWfMdbqXF0kV0z464qUNaoD2IpnOjXYy7OztLiVNC/s1600-h/home-schooners.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKe6ZXP2EwAKQeRmOzG4Fu8xHotyNXjvmlEyIM3j9IvCOQ_-ILb2KVgPd5OBJ1mNdKNWpJ0xvBFea51JQ_1vBd8IiQoW6eT4TNzFKWfMdbqXF0kV0z464qUNaoD2IpnOjXYy7OztLiVNC/s640/home-schooners.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386978269927157698" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ubfy9w-3x2_fmdl7FR9UZH5XfBavNJ34pGLKSgdv7PNx3vdrAPbKO8xyRvFhXNs9DrQJDrVate-g-GphQmGntYAyzMnJGNyrrQHB6TuOSFop3lM2vS-ALqYZMUzv4uLEdrC0glRqebFF/s1600-h/home-football.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ubfy9w-3x2_fmdl7FR9UZH5XfBavNJ34pGLKSgdv7PNx3vdrAPbKO8xyRvFhXNs9DrQJDrVate-g-GphQmGntYAyzMnJGNyrrQHB6TuOSFop3lM2vS-ALqYZMUzv4uLEdrC0glRqebFF/s640/home-football.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386978260476449506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DOir2mBrVSlM71uJI5jfHPiosutSJXYgokyrpMPh7uXa8x_OZHCPGa9Rg9ACBrD9L384w4RX1XIsDm1vJ1tgVA5VmplLeqg3tkuFNNA9OE_JnzrUlFq09dyQcDAVOfaWD-133ynypc0j/s1600-h/home-definition.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DOir2mBrVSlM71uJI5jfHPiosutSJXYgokyrpMPh7uXa8x_OZHCPGa9Rg9ACBrD9L384w4RX1XIsDm1vJ1tgVA5VmplLeqg3tkuFNNA9OE_JnzrUlFq09dyQcDAVOfaWD-133ynypc0j/s640/home-definition.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386978253527143538" border="0" /></a>The awareness campaign <a href="http://www.oclc.org/us/en/advocacy/">was apparently supported by the 2008 OCLC report "From Awareness to Funding," which is on my reading shortlist now</a>.<br /><br />I'm excited that an Indiana library is participating; I hope we get lots of opportunities to see this program in action. Collaborative promotion is increasingly hot right now and libraries, with their limited budgets and yet penchant for sharing, might do really well with this.<br /><br />Of course, there's the question whether this type of standard (i.e. not tailored) messaging is more powerful than our need to brand. Are marketing materials developed for mass use (like all the libraries in a state, for example, or all public libraries in the US) are powerful enough to overcome the fact that they don't incorporate an individual library's brand. Would my public library benefit from a <a href="http://www.thetruth.com/">Truth-type campaign</a> or is it too general to mean anything for my users and our library funding?<br /><br />I ask because I'm very interested in somewhat localized collaborative promotions, like the effort in <a href="http://wyominglibraries.org/">Wyoming</a> and <a href="http://www.friendsofthelibraryofhawaii.org/">Hawaii's current advocacy effort to save public libraries from closing</a>. Maybe these are the happy medium between mass and localized awareness campaigns? Dunno.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-30830686388298947032009-09-23T05:11:00.001-07:002009-09-23T05:20:07.804-07:00free banned books week promotional materials.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQiwnA7bMIB85lGmvXM2TmPzqTkhU0L47tai9OsN7TSMiAYf5ues-8TosNdVQgT9OZgidt5RZ6W0jbxGMlOY38OC71TDl3sKMXhRcYcqOpSjpUSqiRls5GFM5FVJg18FugBGksadP86ID/s1600-h/bbw_mockingbird_lg.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQiwnA7bMIB85lGmvXM2TmPzqTkhU0L47tai9OsN7TSMiAYf5ues-8TosNdVQgT9OZgidt5RZ6W0jbxGMlOY38OC71TDl3sKMXhRcYcqOpSjpUSqiRls5GFM5FVJg18FugBGksadP86ID/s640/bbw_mockingbird_lg.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384634860644917282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">These Banned Book Week posters are pretty great, yes? <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/free_downloads/index.cfm">Download these and more here</a>.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94JRoVP67NvG1YeXyNXmHNqKI70tiF77bX9HsxEwKQrRVXNWXshNAtgmIHSWiaSag0QFpJMvul78PvoHIBl7XzZsdgwCvJfnu4E6N_SvPMOlN_5Fa7kQdpUXuvdfwjSfhH0dK9_lzpHSi/s1600-h/bbw_lorax_lg.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94JRoVP67NvG1YeXyNXmHNqKI70tiF77bX9HsxEwKQrRVXNWXshNAtgmIHSWiaSag0QFpJMvul78PvoHIBl7XzZsdgwCvJfnu4E6N_SvPMOlN_5Fa7kQdpUXuvdfwjSfhH0dK9_lzpHSi/s640/bbw_lorax_lg.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384634851846080066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">PSA Scripts</span><br /></span><p><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>(:10)</strong> ALA BBW Radio PSA - 10 sec. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">Reading - it's good for you!<br />Celebrate YOUR freedom to read during Banned Books Week, September ____ to ____. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ala.org/bbooks/">http://www.ala.org/bbooks</a>.</span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>(:15)</strong> ALA BBW Radio PSA - 15 sec. </span><p><span style="font-size:100%;">Free people read freely.<br />Celebrate Banned Books Week, September ___ to ___, with a visit to your local library or bookstore. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ala.org/bbooks/">http://www.ala.org/bbooks</a>.</span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>(:20)</strong> ALA BBW Radio PSA - 20 sec. </span><p><span style="font-size:100%;">Catcher in the Rye . . . Of Mice and Men . . . Harry Potter . . .<br />What's your favorite book? Chances are good that someone has tried to ban it. Celebrate YOUR freedom to read during Banned Books Week, September ___ to ___. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ala.org/bbooks/">http://www.ala.org/bbooks</a>.</span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>(:20)</strong> ALA BBW Radio PSA - 20 sec. </span><p><span style="font-size:100%;">Catcher in the Rye . . . Harry Potter . . . Captain Underpants . . .<br />Every year, there are hundreds of attempts to remove books from schools and libraries. Celebrate YOUR freedom to read and right to choose your book during Banned Books Week, September ___ to ___. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ala.org/bbooks/">http://www.ala.org/bbooks</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;">More resources! <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/letter_to_the_editor/index.cfm">Letter to the Editor</a>. <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/display_ideas/index.cfm">Display ideas</a>. <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/activity_ideas/index.cfm"> Activity ideas</a>. <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/first_amendment_film_festival/filmfestival.cfm">Film screening recommendations</a>. Great job, ALA!</span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-43096629260924634532009-09-22T06:35:00.000-07:002009-09-22T08:45:56.369-07:00free advocacy tools for young adult librarians.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDkMWsrirf1ak664EKbhmY26PK0PzA-W0jc3tczqXoI6r5HNi4IcZTAHOkNC7uQrOGum632uhMf00k5cmGhMjdmnRN-PWDLXFw9GNa2oxl8w244s6_x7pUBLUK6f3JLA5Qnn7StVVIZt4/s1600-h/Picture1.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 430px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDkMWsrirf1ak664EKbhmY26PK0PzA-W0jc3tczqXoI6r5HNi4IcZTAHOkNC7uQrOGum632uhMf00k5cmGhMjdmnRN-PWDLXFw9GNa2oxl8w244s6_x7pUBLUK6f3JLA5Qnn7StVVIZt4/s400/Picture1.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384318228506020626" border="0" /></a>Paging through the Summer 2009 issue of <em>Young Adult Library Services</em>:<span style="font-style: italic;">The Official Journal of the </span><a href="www.ala.org/yalsa/"><em style="font-style: italic;">Young Adult Library Services</em><span style="font-style: italic;"> Association</span></a>, I came across these free advocacy tools for young adult services:<br /><a href="http://yalsa.ala.org/presentations/AdvocacyWorkbook.pdf"><br />The YA Advocacy Plan Workbook</a> (PDF)<br />"Ready to advocate? Plan your approach using this downloadable workbook..."<br /><br /><a href="http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Advocating_for_Teen_Services_in_Libraries">The YALSA Advocacy Wiki</a><br />"An advocacy campaign can help ensure that all teens have access to great libraries! Why advocate? Because you are the voice for the teens! Help ensure that 100% of libraries have the staff, budget and resources needed to serve the nation's 42 million teens. <a href="www.ala.org/yalsa/">YALSA</a> has put together a member taskforce to help plan and implement the campaign."<br /><br /><a href="http://yalsa.ala.org/presentations/YAadvocacy.ppt">Dipping Your Toe in the Advocacy Pool</a> (PPT)<br />"This downloadable PowerPoint presentation, developed by <a href="www.ala.org/yalsa/">YALSA</a>, can be used as a presentation to colleagues or coworkers at library workshops or conferences."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-28322302713629091982009-09-01T06:33:00.000-07:002009-09-01T08:38:51.130-07:00branding equipment.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9cnzmwdi9jN5o2O67jlCwg6-zGxfPHjcSRSHZAf3P-waw62WrHxxcz1ssKno4-NpfrE9Fuh-YegaMGQPcUuA8rUlma0VhCXkHv57iw5gGCEgAaZhBPMJQgigSpmqLKrJhs3klgPZ_alX/s1600-h/FlipSJPL.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 386px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9cnzmwdi9jN5o2O67jlCwg6-zGxfPHjcSRSHZAf3P-waw62WrHxxcz1ssKno4-NpfrE9Fuh-YegaMGQPcUuA8rUlma0VhCXkHv57iw5gGCEgAaZhBPMJQgigSpmqLKrJhs3klgPZ_alX/s400/FlipSJPL.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376523572025387714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/2009/08/customized-flip-mino-cameras-for-the-san-jose-public-library.html">This is awesome!</a> Like the <a href="http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Librarian in Black</span></a>, I love cheap branding and marketing. Her library, the San Jose Public Library, had the wherewithal to customize the look of their new digital video cameras. They look fabulous. Apparently, this was free to do. Great work!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-76730898548219412822009-08-28T06:25:00.000-07:002009-08-28T11:47:36.985-07:00"discover your library."Slogans are easy. But it may take a little more work to develop one that really communicates something to your audience. Example: last weekend, we drove down south and passed through Columbus, Indiana. They have a lovely red bridge and over the side, you can see down to the city below and a sign carved into hedges that reads <span style="font-weight: bold;">DISCOVER COLUMBUS</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">um. ok. <span style="font-style: italic;">But why?</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZfCVi9kST6VgogjOOB7sLfNeCVThwd8pD-xIPZgS_ZgryBKxrLvMYhtaNQDg-NSOVbucBTRX_KT-PZkesQqwGAstW1CG0op2CERE0EG0DPrRK18eyW-gHmsc_sUPsUJT08YClKtH_Dki/s1600-h/2806217040_0c0eb054ed_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZfCVi9kST6VgogjOOB7sLfNeCVThwd8pD-xIPZgS_ZgryBKxrLvMYhtaNQDg-NSOVbucBTRX_KT-PZkesQqwGAstW1CG0op2CERE0EG0DPrRK18eyW-gHmsc_sUPsUJT08YClKtH_Dki/s640/2806217040_0c0eb054ed_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375084381308557122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">by <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sombraala/">sombraala</a><br /></span></div>At first I was struck with some kind of momentary rebellion at the directive, like "Why should I?" or worse, "You're not the boss of me!" Days later I realized it's probably a play on words - like how Columbus "discovered" America? But at the time, I was worried that this was the town's entire pitch and it made me think of library slogans I've seen that don't actually offer the audience any incentive.(I later found that Columbus <a href="http://www.columbus.in.us/">has an excellent visitor's website</a> and slogan that's not so bad:<span style="font-style: italic;"> columbus, indiana: unexpected. unforgettable</span>.)<br /><br />It seems to me a good slogan for any product is just like <a href="http://marketingthepubliclibrary.blogspot.com/2009/08/branding-your-library.html">a good "brand" - distinct, consistent, easily understood, and at its best, memorable</a>. Take for example the world's best (and most overplayed, making it in some ways the world's worst) city slogan:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What happens here, stays here: Las Vegas. </span><br />(Also known as "What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.")<br /></div><br /><a href="http://www.brandchannel.com/features_profile.asp?pr_id=292">Read more here about the success of the Vegas slogan and the failures of other city slogans</a>. For example: Baltimore's "Get in on it," and New Jersey's "Come see for yourself." For one thing, these slogans need to stop telling me what to do. But if they insist on ordering me around, they've got some 'splainin to do. Get in on what, exactly? Why? Come see what for myself? New Jersey? Why would I want to?<br /><br />Here's a <a href="http://www.taglineguru.com/citymottosmonikers.html">quick list of some successful location taglines</a>.<br /><blockquote>The Sweetest Place on Earth. <span style="font-style: italic;">Hershey, PA</span><br />Rare. Well Done. <span style="font-style: italic;">Omaha, NE</span><br />Keep Austin Weird. <span style="font-style: italic;">Austin, TX</span><br />Where the Trails Start and the Buck Stops. <span style="font-style: italic;">Independence, MO</span><br />The City That Never Sleeps. <span style="font-style: italic;">New York City, NY</span><br />Lose Your Heart to the Hills. <span style="font-style: italic;">Kerrville, TX </span><br />Where Horses Have the Right of Way. <span style="font-style: italic;">McKinleyville, CA </span><br />Only in San Francisco. <span style="font-style: italic;">San Francisco, CA </span><br />Where Nature Smiles for Seven Miles. <span style="font-style: italic;">Spring Lake, MI </span><br />People Say We’re Old-Fashioned. We Hope So. <span style="font-style: italic;">Virginia City, MT</span></blockquote>But enough about cities: how about libraries? A lazy Google search <a href="http://www.ckls.org/Printing/slogans.html">retrieved just one list</a>, from which I pulled a few I think are pretty good -<br /><blockquote>Info to Go.<br />Passport to anywhere - your library.<br />Knowledge is free at the library.<br />Save money - spend time at the library.<br />Re-cycle your reading - Use your library.<br />Borrow our books and keep the knowledge.</blockquote>- and then some not-so-good, like this one, reminiscent of Columbus - <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Discover your library."</span> Again, why should I? What's in it for me?<br /><br />As we brainstorm and select our library slogans, we've got to imagine our audience's reaction. Are we actually saying something? Is our tagline at all compelling? What negative connotations might it carry? What resistance might our audience have to our message? Are we being so vague that our message will inevitably get lost among competing slogans?<br /><br />Unfortunately, another quick Google search shows that a LOT of libraries use the "discover your library" tagline, including one of the libraries of our state's community college system. At first glance, the slogan seems A-OK, and I'm sure a week ago I, too, wouldn't have questioned its use at my own library. But to compete with all our competitor messages, we will have to take the time to learn a thing or two about marketing and put real energy into creating campaigns that mean something - and speak to our users.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Note: I didn't find much online about library slogans, but the ALA does have </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/publicawareness/campaign@yourlibrary/schoollibrary/schoolslogan.cfm">a list of school library slogans here</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-87240005375251685632009-08-24T06:40:00.000-07:002009-08-24T11:29:46.385-07:00branding @ your library.<span style="font-size:85%;">Frustrated by a newspaper headline that mistakenly referred to our library as a museum, I told my husband I thought we needed a rebranding. He asked what I thought "branding" a library really meant. I believe it goes something like this: crafting a mission for your library that describes what you do and why, then communicates the message to users in a way that is distinct, consistent, easily understood, and at its best, memorable.<br /><br />Obviously, I have some independent study to do, probably outside of the library literature. But <a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6663754.html?q=the+house+brand">"The House Brand,"Alison Circle and Kerry Bierman's 6/15/2009<span style="font-style: italic;"> Library Journal</span> article</a> describes a brand as <span>"a promise you make to your customer, and a promise that is unified, consistent, and believable can help ensure that the library thrives.</span>" "The House Brand" </span><span style="font-size:85%;">is a thorough read that presents the Columbus Metropolitan Library's strategic rebranding, down to their research and survey methods, the process of defining their "identity", struggles with staff buy-in, and preliminary results.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The article describes the strategic rebranding of the <a href="http://www.columbuslibrary.org/">Columbus Metropolitan Library</a> as "<span>a critical business decision to articulate the unmistakable value of libraries." (This is just the thing Francine Fialko called for, as described in my last post.</span>) They sought to counter circumstances to which all public libraries can currently relate: "<span>flat funding, a struggling economic climate, and a pending levy in 2010."</span> The work is inspiring and <a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6663754.html?q=the+house+brand">I highly recommend you read the full article, which provides photos of their new logos, signage, bookmobile, etc</a>. </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfAaKsLpfLtN8tLSJ66j2Loaw5jmcNO4b2ksM58aYcVKuXUQg_U63cDPYhPpViz8kXACWVCxSyzG1bCVDaBpDAsTq3XKVdxXXeHcqhoo6XeaIRnI3YQGBOebxmr3kmFBtGQ5sGHAZf8eV/s1600-h/c5.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfAaKsLpfLtN8tLSJ66j2Loaw5jmcNO4b2ksM58aYcVKuXUQg_U63cDPYhPpViz8kXACWVCxSyzG1bCVDaBpDAsTq3XKVdxXXeHcqhoo6XeaIRnI3YQGBOebxmr3kmFBtGQ5sGHAZf8eV/s640/c5.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373596465928167810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqA-7twvZ66ZTcLpkzLw5rIKDGkqXnNja6IKv9zQhVjmEQJgO5AWzNrwNsNLAYjtfy7_AZtxxb8WmaFAr7JzHfvtc5lZTryen1R918pP2A5sS9WKHqvH5Th6m9nIdFs7Z8zmnHEoBjZkZ/s1600-h/c4.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqA-7twvZ66ZTcLpkzLw5rIKDGkqXnNja6IKv9zQhVjmEQJgO5AWzNrwNsNLAYjtfy7_AZtxxb8WmaFAr7JzHfvtc5lZTryen1R918pP2A5sS9WKHqvH5Th6m9nIdFs7Z8zmnHEoBjZkZ/s640/c4.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373596453651179618" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqQp5ceDOnbL_7njg38xZRPhWVLmj1Q4jgwMq66oYHgnKfZ0xqQSbuu-eEVDFdPvANlEQm8GnV7Qhk5MdL36vsgGkLtb_S635DXqD29uagqWIpMum84RhfdggHEAo6VczKCZFpIMmw8hW/s1600-h/c3.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqQp5ceDOnbL_7njg38xZRPhWVLmj1Q4jgwMq66oYHgnKfZ0xqQSbuu-eEVDFdPvANlEQm8GnV7Qhk5MdL36vsgGkLtb_S635DXqD29uagqWIpMum84RhfdggHEAo6VczKCZFpIMmw8hW/s640/c3.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373596446754855634" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VHy5PCuwlXLwEGFZbagLsph1hF39qFaL6dezvP4zUl9_pSFvnmPcrjeV7BZypPVDDR-aLku4-lcqZSFMHZK8CwHydV0hPhiRv3yG_yBo-Dv0GGOHnpr15exD-rY_WdS4BIpqD15MNZ7D/s1600-h/c2.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VHy5PCuwlXLwEGFZbagLsph1hF39qFaL6dezvP4zUl9_pSFvnmPcrjeV7BZypPVDDR-aLku4-lcqZSFMHZK8CwHydV0hPhiRv3yG_yBo-Dv0GGOHnpr15exD-rY_WdS4BIpqD15MNZ7D/s640/c2.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373596439022228370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzn7lahhKqUez9klZpmFIb4_enPxMNVlQWXIx0u9knav1pJlb1hgTwWQngAGIU1OwOhaAv3CPQvQrTUMubQQqGU_0_Xp5WslZ3vdXwsMB8uAtRlso50dPTI1NOdlxikTcadY3mbbKmiqql/s1600-h/c1.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzn7lahhKqUez9klZpmFIb4_enPxMNVlQWXIx0u9knav1pJlb1hgTwWQngAGIU1OwOhaAv3CPQvQrTUMubQQqGU_0_Xp5WslZ3vdXwsMB8uAtRlso50dPTI1NOdlxikTcadY3mbbKmiqql/s640/c1.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373599182555963202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >though it was imperative they lose their "house of brands" approach, the Columbus Metropolitan Library created 35 templates for their house brand to provide flexibility</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The House Brand</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">How giving up many brands in exchange for one created a marketing plan with a big impact</span><br />Library Journal June 15, 2009 Vol 134 No 11<br />By Alison Circle and Kerry Bierman at Columbus Metropolitan Library in Ohio</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">*Note: the article's resource list is limited to non-library marketing sources. I wonder if this was an editorial choice or just more evidence of the lack of marketing-related library literature, websites, and blogs.</span></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-86042544556494734742009-08-19T19:14:00.000-07:002009-08-19T19:45:46.229-07:00"we are all ohio"...and we need to find our voice.<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Library Journal</span>'s Francine Fialkoff's July editorial "We Are All Ohio: The problems posed by our economy won't disappear" is chiefly concerned with responding to Ohio governer Strickland's at-the-time proposal to cut state support to libraries by 50 percent but at the heart is this important message: <span style="font-style: italic;">"leaders like the Ohio governor still fail to see libraries as integral to both education and economic development."</span> I love, love, love that she outright states that libraries need to get into traditional promotion: "<span style="font-style: italic;">For that to happen, the library profession...must add the </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://queenslibrary.org/index.aspx?page_nm=PressRelease_campaign">kind of marketing done by Queens Library, NY (with ads on buses)</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, and Columbus Metropolitan (with bookmobiles as rolling billboards) to our advocacy efforts. We can all learn from the fierce response of Ohio librarians to mobilize citizens via their blogs, tweets, and web sites. Those sites shout SAVE OUR LIBRARY and tell citizens just what to do.</span>"<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq79pKN_GaftpCxxYgqr7Lt_N79QHKffRq2eNoTV3KMudsK_L6TwN9l7oAS51NJeylIIy2nJARuyKSWZNYnmn5NQ440bTzQYTjx9T0H_RGw9Ur0sLJzHvy54X12ZuuwflWmv3fA5NQ69QG/s1600-h/cml_bus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq79pKN_GaftpCxxYgqr7Lt_N79QHKffRq2eNoTV3KMudsK_L6TwN9l7oAS51NJeylIIy2nJARuyKSWZNYnmn5NQ440bTzQYTjx9T0H_RGw9Ur0sLJzHvy54X12ZuuwflWmv3fA5NQ69QG/s640/cml_bus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371867486119182274" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.columbuslibrary.org/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Columbus Metropolitan Bookmobile</span></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDmeoghyq3z1o8eFzB3C2SSzgOxrmAN7DQ0DkvfH7Yx-6PbHwSZuSq-m5KgT7frA9m4gFsuYjcv_3Krp259TTEfuEfE43OhTjwW3j7SUnLYSvRHSCHvzBewp7KAh3fH6AcuOqV4FpFa_3/s1600-h/Captain-Ahab-Johnson-County-Library.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDmeoghyq3z1o8eFzB3C2SSzgOxrmAN7DQ0DkvfH7Yx-6PbHwSZuSq-m5KgT7frA9m4gFsuYjcv_3Krp259TTEfuEfE43OhTjwW3j7SUnLYSvRHSCHvzBewp7KAh3fH6AcuOqV4FpFa_3/s640/Captain-Ahab-Johnson-County-Library.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371867474784860050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.jocolibrary.org/templates/JCL_NewsListItem.aspx?id=13642">Johnson County Public Library delivery truck designs</a><br />(more on these another time)</span> </div>She warns<span style="font-style: italic;"> "the problems posed by our economic distress won't go away until we convince all of America, including our politicians, that libraries are a key resource for recovery. So far, we haven't done that strongly enough."</span> What the heck are we doing? Or rather, why the heck aren't we doing more about this? Is it that it's just not in our nature to make ourselves heard - to speak loudly without apology? Or are we apathetic? So adverse to change?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">If we want to help the rest of the nation understand the value of the public library, WE are going to have to speak. It would be foolish to expect anyone else to come to our rescue and who better to speak about our value than the library community? It seems to me every other field has recognized that marketing is essential to their organizations' well-being. It's time for libraries and librarians to leave the stacks and find a voice.<br /><br /></div></div><a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6668175.html?q=we+are+all+ohio">Read the full July 09 <span style="font-style: italic;">Library Journal </span>editorial here</a>.<br /><a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6668175.html?q=we+are+all+ohio" target="_blank"></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">"We Are All Ohio: The problems posed by our economy won’t disappear"<br />Editorial by Francie Fialkoff<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Library Journal</span> July 2009 Vol 134 No 12</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631885660113793059.post-75198655130477492632009-08-17T19:11:00.000-07:002009-08-19T19:44:15.591-07:00the need to know more.<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >A recent library school grad entering the field as a true librarian for the first time, I was surprised to find that many of my friends and colleagues outside the profession were uninformed or undereducated about the public library model in general. Few know how the public library is funded. Even regular online shoppers have never searched for or reserved a book online from their local library. My peers - highly educated young professionals who are beginning to vote regularly and participate in their local politics - know surprisingly little about the public library. A friend and recent MBA graduate once asked me how much the public library charged for its book borrowing privileges.<br /><br />Though a so-called "information" field, we are failing to close a critical information gap. True, we compete in an increasingly information-overloaded society where it's not always easy to reach and leave a lasting impression on our target audiences. But by failing to do so and, in some cases, failing to try we have put the future of the public library in jeopardy. "Promotion" as a tax-supported library budget item is still under scrutiny. We must work to change this perception and in some cases, policy. If it is acceptable to spend money to provide a service to the public, it should be equally acceptable to market that service in order to improve the return on investment.<br /><br />As I bookmark articles and bend my husband's ear about the need for better marketing of the public library, I find that I have a need to share my thoughts and findings on the topic.<br /><br />My experience with my nonprofessional blog, <a href="http://www.voughtsathome.blogspot.com/">Where You Hang Your Hat</a>, make this blog the obvious solution. I've decided to devote just a bit more time to blogging to create a space for readers interested in the increasing importance and acceptance of marketing the public library. Through this blog, I hope to learn more about marketing for public libraries, including the challenges, best practices, and innovations. I also hope to meet like-minded library professionals and members of other industries. I welcome and encourage your comments!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thank you for joining me!</span><br /><blockquote>About Me:<br />I received my Bachelor's degree in English from Indiana University in 2005. I worked as a writer in Los Angeles before returning to Indiana University to obtain my Master of Library Science degree from the <a href="http://www.slis.indiana.edu/">School of Library and Information Science</a>. I graduated in December of 2008 and have since worked as an adult services librarian and currently as the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)* Grant Consultant for the Indiana State Library*. I coordinate and oversee statewide LSTA projects and initiatives and consult with libraries regarding LSTA programs, applications, and grant writing.<br /><br />My special interests in the library field include library communications and promotion, public library management, public library service to adults, information privacy, young adult literature, and grant writing.</blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >*The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), a section of the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003, promotes access to information resources provided by all types of libraries. Through the legislation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services provides funds to state library administrative agencies, such as the Indiana State Library. To help meet the goals and objectives outlined in our five-year plan, the Indiana State Library offers libraries in the State of Indiana the opportunity to apply for grants that meet their own individual needs and the overall objectives of LSTA funds.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >*The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect the opinions of the Indiana State Library.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0