Start a Revolution: Stop Acting Like a Library
Language: English
Pages: 208
ISBN: 0838912672
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
But this is how we've always done it! Objections to taking a fresh tack are about as common as budget shortfalls, and the two are more closely related than you might think. At the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library in Arkansas, Bizzle and his colleagues defied common practices by using creative risk-taking in marketing and outreach to transform their library into a dynamic institution that continues to grow and thrive. Here they recount their story, sharing techniques for success alongside a provocative marketing philosophy that will spur libraries to move beyond their comfort zone. Focusing on creative ways to pull patrons in rather than just push the library out, this book
- Steers libraries towards defining their brand, explaining why it is crucial to meeting the needs of their users and potential users
- Offers strategies for getting stakeholders on board and engaged, including how to address budgeting concerns
- Demonstrates the importance of the library's website as the digital main branch of the library, with guidance for creating and promoting it
- Details the systematic marketing campaign undertaken at the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library, encompassing both traditional and new media channels such as billboards, posters, newspapers, TV and radio, and mobile technology
- Takes the mystery out of how to use social media platforms as public awareness tools, complete with detailed strategies and step-by-step instructions
- Shows how to pull it all together into a manageable campaign through strong leadership and teamwork
By the time readers have finished this book, they'll have a roadmap for revolution at their own institution.
library. They don’t have to go anywhere. All they have to do is log on. The marketing strategies discussed in later chapters cover the importance of encouraging users to visit the library’s website. When they get there, they need to find an easy-to-use, visually appealing site which shows that the library understands the value of its online presence and strives to provide a quality online experience for its patrons. SUMMARY POINTS ▪ When seeking approval for a new website, avoid technical
once doesn’t mean they can correctly build a website for a library. I know some libraries have a professional web developer, or even a web development team, on staff. They are the exceptions. I strongly suggest that your library hire a web development company to build your site. Use the information in these chapters to help guide them through the process of delivering the site you want. I know it can be intimidating for libraries to determine whether a web developer is good or not. Look at their
exponential return each time someone shares that goofy little cat picture. (See figure 3.6.) NOTE: For me, the best example of how to manage a Facebook page is the actor, George Takei, of Star Trek fame. Takei’s postings on Facebook are the master’s approach to social media. He knows his audience and knows exactly how to engage them. You can visit his page at www.facebook.com/georgehtakei. If you want to be successful on Facebook, make the library’s Facebook page the George Takei of your
strategies mentioned in this book. Decision makers may be intimidated by technology, unfamiliar with social media, or consider marketing a waste of library resources. The details presented in this book are specific to the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library. However, the concepts themselves are universal. If you build a more user-friendly website, your patrons are more likely to use it. If you develop a successful social media presence, you can reach out to an ever-growing segment of your
determining the starting boards and pinning strategy, setting up the account is straightforward. While you can simply sign up the library as an individual account, Pinterest has a special account option for businesses and nonprofit entities called Pinterest for Businesses. Pinterest for Businesses offers the same Pinterest experience as an individual account but offers a variety of extra tools to help you integrate Pinterest into your library’s website and get the most return from your account.