Library Marketing Resources

Kimberly CollettWendy CoolidgeKirsten DeMoss

Judith JonesKim McGrath

Jill Morse O’Rourke

February 14, 2011LIS 2830: Marketing & Public Relations for Libraries

What are Library Marketing Resources?

Library Marketing Resources are tools that a librarian can use to learn ways to

engage the community; to create programming; and to promote that

programming, staff, and other resources and services.

Key Issues in Library Marketing Resources:

The differences in resources are minimal between different types of libraries. A

librarian needs to tailor the information found in a resource to fit his or her

particular library’s needs.

“The key is to make our library services relevant to each group of potential users.”

http://www.infotoday.com/mls/apr98/howto.htm

A Good Marketing Resource will Include Information on …

• Gathering community Data by doing an Environmental Scan; surveying patrons and the community at large; SWOT Analysis

• Items included in a Marketing Plan such as Executive Summary; Environmental Scan; Marketing Goals and Objectives; Marketing Strategy; Action Plan; a Budget; and an Evaluation

A Good Marketing Resource will Include Information on …

• Relationship Marketing: building relationships between the library and its community

• Donor Marketing• Voter Marketing

A Look at Our Resources:The Accidental Library Marketer by Kathy Dempsey

Includes information on assessments, using community demographics, and everyday promotions versus marketing.

http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/Library-Marketing.html

This resource shows how a library can market the building and resources to make it more pleasing for patrons.

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/advocacyuniversity/toolkit/index.cfm

This resource talks about how a librarian can do outreach and talk to the media or government officials to help boost funding during these tough economic times.

http://www.olc.org/marketing/index.html

This resource from the Ohio Library Council offers information on creating a marketing plan and marketing the library’s products.

http://www.gale.cengage.com/power/marketing

Offers great “how-to” materials such as press releases, publicity guidelines, print/design production guidelines, and mail house guidelines.

Library Marketing That Works! By Suzanne Walters

Includes information on fundraising concepts, web marketing, market research, and basic marketing plan elements.

Bite-Sized Marketing: Realistic Solutions for the Over-Worked Librarian by Nancy Dowd, Mary Evangeliste,

and Jonathan Silberman

This book covers many concepts of marketing but stresses the importance of word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM).

http://themwordblog.blogspot.com/

Marketing blog with almost daily posts on a variety of topics.

http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/toolkits/marketingtoolkit.html

Offers information on all stages of marketing from the pre-planning to the evaluation.

Building a Buzz: Libraries & Word-of Mouth Marketing by Peggy Barber & Linda Wallace

Another resource that stresses the importance of WOMM.

One More Reason Why Marketing is Important …

“Effective marketing of excellent library services leads to better library

support.”

http://www.skyways.org/KSL/development/marketingthesmalllibrary.pdf