Tip Sheet #13
Publicizing ACRL Programs
You've planned a great program. Now you need to tell the world about your dynamic topic and speakers. You don't have to be a professional in the public relations field to develop a positive public relations campaign for your program, but you do need to plan the publicity carefully and well in advance.
Content
Your publicity information should inform, outline the benefits of attendance, build a base of support from target audiences, and provide visibility for the group sponsoring the program.
Publicize the date, topic and location early and often. When speakers are confirmed work with the ACRL staff to prepare an announcement to the academic library community.
Where To Publicize
ALA Conference Preliminary Program provides an opportunity for you to reach a broad audience about your program. The description should be as complete as possible and must be submitted to the ACRL Program Coordinator before the mid-January deadline.
- C&RL News —Your program will be announced in the insert of the May issue (the Preliminary Program form will be used to prepare this).
- Section newsletters —Your section newsletter is an excellent opportunity for you to expand on the program description to your membership and why they should attend. Also, ask other sections to list your program in their newsletter.
- Chapters Topics —ACRL Chapters Council publishes a newsletter twice a year. You should consider announcing your program in one of its Chapters Topics issues.
- Newsletters —Most chapters, states, individual libraries, and library schools have newsletters or discussion lists that may consider announcing your program information.
- ACRL Web site —All ACRL programs will be mounted on the ACRL Web site.
- Word of mouth —Tell your colleagues.
After The Program
Do not forget that publicity does not stop with the conclusion of the formal program. Use this opportunity to communicate the success of the program to various audiences through follow-up articles to newsletters, discussion lists, etc. Widely distribute the results of your program evaluation and ask your members for feedback on how you can provide an even better program next year.
C&RL News is pleased to include brief summaries of your programs in the September issue. Contact David Connolly at dconnolly@ala.org to obtain guidelines for reporters. These summaries are due in late July.