HomeMarketing Public Libraries Meeting Highlights
Marketing Public Libraries Meeting Highlights
ALA Midwinter Meeting 2007, Seattle, WA
Bonnie Young - January 21, 2007
The group first answered the question: Why do you consider marketing public libraries important? Everyone agreed that marketing/promotion is most crucial to the continued success of the public library. Many said we must “market or die.”
Young asked the group for volunteers for the preconference and session at the ALA Conference in Washington D.C. The following people volunteered to help for both:
• Barbara Peterson – will be the tech expert to ensure equipment works properly before the program starts
• Jennifer Owens – will be the hospitality person to care for presenters needs (water) and to ensure the coffee break is available at the appropriate time
• Regina Greer Cooper – the timekeeper who will time of the presenters on the panel
• Theresa Bigelow – will develop an evaluation form and submit it to PLA by May 11
• Laura Best – will ensure the printed handouts are on site for the program
• Bonnie Young – will get bios from presenters for introductions
The following volunteers offered to help for either the preconference or the session:
• Janet Van DeCarr – will get electronic copies of the handouts from presenters for the preconference for printing and to send them to PLA by May 11
• Pam Jaskot will do the same for the conference session
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The details worked out above were in reference to the following preconference and session to be held at the 2007 ALA Annual Conference:
“Extreme Makeover: Redesigning Your Library to Promote Usage and Circulation
PLA Preconference, held on Friday, June 22, 1:00-5:00 p.m., in Washington D.C.
Presenters:
• Joan E. Bernstein, Director of the Mount Laurel (NJ) Library, well known for its successful library makeover.
• Ruth Barefoot, Manager, Libraries, The San José Way, renamed from the earlier Innovative Library Services, follows in the footsteps of Dave Genesy, long-time promoter of merchandising library collections.
• Ruth Herzberg, Library Services Project Coordinator of the Queens Library. The Queens Library has undertaken an aggressive schedule to renovate and update (based upon several key elements, such as RFID technology) all 62 branch libraries over the next 3 years.
• Peter Magnani, AIA, Director of the Capital Program Management Department, Queens Library
As Libraries face ever-increasing competition from retailers, web-based information sources and changing customer’s expectation including limited time, business world strategies must be employed if we are to remain viable in our communities. This humorous and practical presentation offers crucial insight for librarians on changing how we do business without sacrificing our traditions. Library zoning, including vibrant children’s areas, customer-centered collections, and policies and merchandising will be addressed with one over riding theme: libraries do not need a lot of money to remodel and retool.
In merchandising the collection, library staff at all points on the change-oriented and traditional scale can thrive in a library where the collection and services star. Customers can see the difference when they walk in the door and they love it!
Space matters. Environment matters. Service matters. Collection matters. The customer experience is the sum of environment and customer service and libraries need to take the necessary steps to ensure that we are destinations of choice and centers of our communities.
Word of Mouth Marketing: It’s Everybody’s Job
Program Session, held on Saturday, June 23, 2007, 10:30-noon, in Washington, D.C.
Presenters: Peggy Barber, Consultant, Library Communication Strategies,
and Pam Jaskot, Library Consultant for Communications, State Library of North Carolina
Learn about the importance of word of mouth marketing, based on the premise that all of us who believe in libraries can help get the message across and can, by our own enthusiasm, inspire others to use and support this unique resource. In this age of dot.coms, cell phones, and road rage, caring and conviction still rule. It's time to get passionate about "selling" libraries. Learn about the most powerful form of advertising of all: What it is/Why do it/ Who will do it/How to do it/ and Where customer service fits in.
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Kathleen Reif then spoke about the upcoming Advocacy @ Your Library Preconference and Program proposal for Minneapolis, MN. (The name will most likely be changed, but had not yet at this meeting.)
Young asked for program suggestions for the 2008 ALA Annual Conference, held in Anaheim, California, June 26-July 2, 2008. Completed proposal forms are due May 1, 2007. The suggestions included:
1. Changing services responses placeholder (talking new service initiatives – what the user receives and what the library offers)
2. Innovative ideas from libraries of all sizes (include small libraries) from those using the PLA toolkit
3. Small library recipients of the John Cotton Dana Award share their experience
4. Programs that work
Finally the committee discussed the idea of meeting virtually rather than in person to do committee work and that the committee would become rather a discussion group. Many thought this would be a fine idea. Some said they wouldn’t be able to attend the conferences without the justification of meeting as a committee. One (the chair) said she had more confidence in knowing that volunteers would follow through with program planning when we met in person. All thought we would “go with the flow” if ALA decided to make changes.
Next meeting we will follow through with program planning for future conferences.
Members present: Bonnie Young, Janet Van DeCarr, Ruth Herzberg, Laurel Best, Larry White, Regina Greer Cooper, Therese Bigelow, Pamela Jaskot, Barbara Peterson, Jennifer Owens and Kahleen Reif, ALA liaison.
Members absent: Joanne King
Visitors: Brian Soneda, Director of the Mount Vernon Library in Mount Vernon, Washington
ALA Annual Conference 2006, New Orleans, LA
Mary Fran Bennett - June 25, 2006
-We reviewed the evaluations of our 2006 conference program. The average rating of the program was 4.5. The presenters received very favorable ratings. Fred Gitner was the most favorable, reviewed with mostly 5 out ot 5's. Pam Jaskot also received mostly 5's. Ken Warren received about a 4.5. Unfavorable comments were the lack of handouts. Participants mostly enjoyed the examples of success stories.
-We discussed our proposals for the pre-conference based upon the extreme makeover program we offered in 2005.
-We discussed our annual conference for 2007 and we will be proposing a title change: "WOrd-of-mouth marketing is everybody's job."
-Ideas for 2008 that will be firmed up at the Midwinter Meeting. We will be doing something related to the Smartest Card Tool Kit- in particular, success stories of libraries using the tool kit.
Members present: Janet Van de Carr, Ruth Herzberg, Kathleen Reif, Bonnie Young, Laurel Best, Larry White, Mary Fran Bennett, Regina Cooper
Members absent: Joanne King
Annual Conference 2005
PLA COMMITTEE NAME: Marketing
CHAIR OR REPRESENTATIVE: Mary Fran Bennett
DATE(s) OF MEETING(s): June 26, 2005
Please provide a one or two paragraph report on the activities of your committee during the Midwinter Meeting or Annual Conference and what you expect to accomplish prior to your next committee meeting.
We discussed the evaluations of our 2005 Conference Program – “Extreme Makeover: Redesigning Your Library to Promote Usage and Circulation”. Regina Cooper reported on our evaluation forms. We had 65 responses. All of our speakers got very high marks. Under “5” on the form, which was very knowledgeable, Ruth Herzberg and Peter Magnani received 27 responses, and Joan Bernstein received 33. No presenter received a lower rating than 4, indicating very high audience satisfaction. 49 of the 65 respondents were public librarians. There were a lot of requests for more programs on libraries with major renovations and building projects. All of our speakers had more material than they could cover in our allotted time. It was the consensus of the committee that we should explore offering a pre-conference all day workshop on this subject in 2007. Joan Bernstein and Dave Genesy, who worked with her on her building project, will be doing a program at PLA’s Conference in Boston in March. Other feedback indicated our audience wanted more information on managing change and staff involvement with major building projects.
Our 2006 Annual Conference Proposal was discussed. Linda Bostrom from PLA visited our meeting and asked Mary Fran to attend the PLA Program Committee to answer some questions. After meeting with them, the program title has been changed to Changing Demographics: Marketing to Communities in Transition. Mary Fran has also re-written the program description so it more clearly reflects the subject of our program. The good news is that the program was approved.
We briefly discussed that the PLA Marketing Committee agreed to co-sponsor a program with PLA’s Research and Statistics Committee at the 2006 Annual Conference. When I spoke with the chair, Rochelle Logan, they were waiting to hear if their program was approved. The title of the program is Can You Hear Me Now? Real Librarians Using Numbers to Have Their Story Heard.
We discussed ideas for a 2007 Annual Conference Program. In addition to an Extreme Makeover Pre-Conference Program, in which Joan Bernstein said she would be interested in participating, the topic which most interested our committee was Marketing is Everybody’s Job. Among the potential speakers for this program who were interested are Linda Wallace and Peggy Barber, who did a program on Word of Mouth Marketing at PLA’s Spring Symposium, Joan Bernstein and Karen Hyman of the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative. Other possibilities include getting a bookstore perspective.
Members present (please name):
Mary Fran Bennett, Marilyn Barr, Joan Bernstein, Regina Greer Cooper
Members absent (please name):
Visitors (please name):
Please attach relevant documents, i.e.:agenda, work completed, etc. THANK YOU!
Midwinter 2004, Sunday, January 11, 2004
Richard Sweeney spoke to the committee about the upcoming program in Orlando that we are sponsoring "Creating WoW!". The need for committee members to assist at the program. The committee discusses libraries of the future: merchandising, self service and cafe facilities. Suggested Program for 2005 "Extreme Makeover: redesigning your library to promote usage and circulation." Would involve the libraries in Queens, NY, San Jose Project, Ironwood Br. and Mt. Laurel, NJ. Possible future program topics: Too many databases not enough usage. Public relations staff vs. Public Service Staff. Human aspect the floaters, Progessional staffs the Non professional.
Suggested that if any committee members would like to submit articles on marketing to Marketing Library Services or Library Journal. Need to discuss by e-mail the @your library campaign and how this committee can promote the campaign.
Members present: Marilyn Barr, Mary Fran Bennett, Joan Bernstein, regina Cooper, Jane Gottfried, Ruth Herzberg.
Members absent: Richard Chartrand, Joanne King, Deborah Mazzolini (unable to attend). Also Neal Ney, Sarah O;Neal and Steve Seale.
Visitors: Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin, Richard Sweeney, Jennifer Bartlett, Melissa Carr, Rhea Lawson, Gene Hainer
Midwinter Meeting 2003, Sunday, January 26, 2003
Program suggestions for Orlando and San Diego: Richard Sweeney and the Wow effect. Christine Koontz presenting 2 programs (1)Bottoms Up Approach using a digital base map and (2) Comprehensive and Integrated National Database for Public Library Decision making. Christine shared a newsletter - Marketing Library Services, which could easily be part of another program on promoting your websites. We will look into the NC system that promotes this service.
Committee members suggested a program originated in Vancouver on Planning and Designing your library to increase usage and circulation by using the Express checkout and self service systems. Other systems in Queens and San Jose will be discussed at the next meeting for a possible program.
Members Present: Marilyn Barr, Mary Fran Bennett, Jane Gottfried, Ruth Herzberg, Christine Koontz, Deborah Mazzolini
Absent: Kevin Barron, Donald Leslie, Barbara Sanford (unable to attend), Steve Seale
Visitors: Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin (liaison), Karen Temple, Elena Tscherny
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