Creating New Traditions in Public Libraries and Marketing to a … · 2018-09-12 · Creating New...

Creating New Traditions in Public Libraries and Marketing to a Community 1

Creating New Traditions in Public Libraries

and Marketing to a Community

Alison Leonard

San Jose State University

Library 200-17

Tash

May 7, 2008


Abstract

Increasing numbers of patrons are leaving libraies behind for the Internet. Libraries need to

follow marketing strategies that give customers what they want to get them to return. A changing

world requires a changed library. This paper presents concepts the library can adopt successfully

now.


Introduction:

While many writers and scholars have paid lip service to the subject of migration from the

traditional use of libraries to the Internet few have presented solutions to sustain current library

users and provide new reasons for previous patrons to return. Instead of addressing the loss of

library users (as so many writers and researchers have) this paper intends to provide solutions.

Solutions are the process of solving problems; this paper will provide solutions in two ways.

First, by suggesting that libraries use business-model marketing concepts that work, and

secondly, by presenting new uses for the library that create new cultural traditions in how

libraries can serve community members going forward.

Creating New Traditions in Public Libraries and Marketing to a Community

Problems:

Our society contains marketing specialists who pursue cliental in the business world

wishing to increase business in any number of ways including capturing a new demographic,

increasing perceived demand, creating a need where one did not exist before or attempting to

make an emotional, feel-good sale when a product or service is not truly needed. Many, many

more ways to market products and services exist. Businesses hirer marketing firms or have in-

house marketing staff to keep revenues high, design and shift messages to a changing market and

to make money over and over again so a company stays in business.

On the other end of a career spectrum is the humble (stereotype) public librarian. Most

often he or she is employed through a city or county and a finite set of duties is clearly defined.

If a community suffers economic cutbacks it could affect his or her job, but solutions are outside

his or her scope of responsibility. Additionally, responsibilities to find new users and create new


reasons to come to the library and almost all things marketing related are not a part of his or her

skill set, and in the often-seen hierarchical world of the public library the suggestion of solutions

may be uninvited and present sensitive issues regarding boundaries. If you are a librarian, do

what a librarian does, and do not worry about promoting use and future trends, you are a city

employee and “know your place” is the accepted way of thinking.

So the marketing workforce think like marketers and go after businesses fairly

exclusively and librarians think like librarians and tend the library they are responsible for while

users drop out.

However, librarians possess excellent skill sets that would allow them to become

marketing savvy since they are both educated and resourceful and could therefore explore

marketing options themselves. But in a perfect world, librarians would be taught marketing

fundamentals while still students at university. In addition, they could share best marketing

practices with fellow public librarians nationwide that have resulted in increased users.

Information sharing could happen in any number of ways including blogs, newsletters and

library association memberships. However, most universities are currently stuck in traditional

formats for earning an M.L.I.S. degree. Universities are adaptable to changing technology and

teach well in that category but most M.L.I.S. programs do not address marketing and outreach to

potential library patrons.

A current cause for crisis in libraries presented by Ken Chad and Paul Mill in their White

Paper Do Libraries Matter? The Rise of Library 2.0 states:

The question of relevance is perhaps the biggest challenge facing libraries today.

While there’s no doubt that people value traditional library services, does the rise


of Internet services, such as Google, Amazon and their like, present a huge

challenge? Let’s face it. These internet-based services offer high quality, easy to

use, methods for finding information. A person could easily be forgiven for

believing that ordering a book from the comfort of their own home, and having it

delivered straight to their door within just a few days, is less hassle than a trip to

the local library. With information now so freely available, particularly through

the Internet, do libraries really matter?

In his paper The Library versus the Internet: Literary Studies Under Siege? David Miall

writes:

The Internet will play an increasing role in literary studies, replacing or

supplementing many of the functions of the library in a process driven by

escalating library costs, by the new information media, and by students (who are

often more at home on the Internet than many faculty members).

Now that the concerns have been presented let’s look at basic business marketing

principles then think of applicable ways to deliver solutions to the library. The Marketing 101

Web site describes marketing in the following way:

Marketing is the set of activities used to:

1. Get your potential customer's attention

2. Motivate them to buy

3. Get them to actually buy

4. Get them to buy again (and again…)

Marketing is how you define your product, promote your product, distribute your

product, and to maintain a relationship with your customers.


Libraries, as we know, are not selling a particular item and but they are providing a

service and just as number four above states, you want your user base to come back again and

again. Without continued users libraries face closing or downsizing. The Internet will continue to

build its catalog of information in every way and libraries must now pioneer new ground by

providing new reasons for patrons to come to the library. So do just it says above: Get their

attention, give them what they want, and the result will be repeat users.

Libraries can look to the silver screen to see innovative ways to drive business since

fewer and fewer people are going to the movies. In the 1950s before televisions were common,

Americans went to the theater about 20 times per year. That number is down to five times per

year today because people have more at-home choices including Netflix, X-Box, and on-demand

television. To change things theater owners are getting creative. One theater offers live

performance before the show, another offers childcare, and another created a “Dive-In” where

you can watch the movie from a pool. To date the most popular has been “Cinebarre” where

waiters serve drinks and a three-course meal. Their slogan is “Eat, Drink, Watch Movies”.

Businesses are proactive and responsive about promoting use. Libraries should be too.

Solutions:

The following concepts are marketing opportunities to reach out to a community in a cost

effective way for local public libraries. All these suggestions follow business-model marketing

concepts. To repeat they are: Get their attention, give them what they want, and the result will

be repeat users.

• Set up a blogs

Blooger.com describes blogs as:


A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit, A collaborative space. A political

soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. Al collection of links. Your own private

thoughts. Memos to the world. Your blog is whatever you want it to be. In simple

terms, a bog is a web site, where you write stuff on an ongoing basis. New stuff

shows up at the top, so your visitors can read what’s new. Then they comment on

it or link to it or email you. Or not.

An article by Darlene Fichter entitled “Why and How to Use Blogs to Promote Your

Library's Services” provides several ways to use blogs to market a local library’s services

including promoting library events and programs through e-mail subscriptions on the blog site

that sends library news to the user’s inbox. This is an opportunity to invite visitors to come back

to the library or its Web site over and over again, she states.

“Make your blog stand out from the crowd by including some special content that

captures readers' interest. For example, include a "quote of the day" from a

famous literary work, run a trivia quiz each Friday, or share an interesting fact

about your community each week. “Do not be afraid to develop a unique voice for

your blog”.

A great way to use blogs is to list new books, videos, magazine subscriptions, CDs, or

DVDs that are added to a collection. Fichter suggests setting up topics on your blog such as

mysteries, horror, science fiction, romance, and so on. “In an academic library, prepare special

alerts about new resources and Web sites for particular departments or colleges” she says.

Another way to engage at the community level is to post book reviews and book award lists and

also create book discussions. Fichter suggests adding local election news, nominations and

council agendas and minutes to library blogs. Library blogs are a great place to link to


candidate’s websites. Blogs also serve to reach a new segment of your community. No one

marketing theme will capture every potential audience, but since blogs are inexpensive you reach

out to many groups. Fichter suggests reaching out to teachers to see if school visits were

effective. What is most important to remember with a blog is that it should be kept current,

topical and interesting.

• Write newspaper articles- I wrote about the El Segundo Public Library for the

local newspaper The El Segundo Herald published February, 2008.

• A newspaper article led me to the Pasadena Public Library. A tiny column

appeared in “The Guide” in the Los Angeles Times earlier this year with a

headline that read “Feel Like a Parisian Intellectual. The deep wood hue, hushed

tone and wide-ranging titles of the Pasadena Public Library reminds me of my old

library at the Sorbonne,” says French immigrant Corinne Simon-Duneau. After

reading the article I called Catherine Haney, Public Relations Manager, and

arranged for a personal tour of the library. Public libraries should contact all large

newspapers in their region and invite an article on their library. The LA Times

drove me to the Pasadena Library.

I submitted an article I wrote about the El Segundo Public Library to the local newspaper

and I was surprised how easy it was to get published. Local newspapers are always looking for

articles.

So rather than waiting for articles to be written about the library, library staff should

proactively approach local newspaper and ask for a weekly/monthly column. Many small, local

newspapers are hungry for articles to fill space. Perhaps you can also get space to promote

events. Try for articles and an events section.


• Set up a coffee shop in the library or in a courtyard of the library weather permitting.

(Photo by Alison Leonard: The coffee shop and café at the Pasadena Public Library).

• Set up a theater company to be housed in the library or invite a current theater company

to perform in the library or invite a new group to start and meet at the library.

• Create a marketing slogan for your local library or one for an organization like American

Library Association that could be used for a poster or advertising campaign:

Go to the Library. Where it’s All About You!

• Invite writers to read to older children and develop programs for older children. Many

children’s reading groups target only the very young child.

• Provide a one-on-one tour of the library when a new library card is issued. After having

served as a library page at my local library for three months, I learned about all of the

classifications and locations of books at my library. I found many users in the children’s section

choosing picture books to teach children to read rather than Easy Readers. Every new library

patron should be given a complete tour of the library (approximately 10 minutes) to include:


Fiction, Non-fiction (point out where cookbooks, diet, history, biographies are located on

shelves), Mystery, Spanish language, Reference (point out maps, encyclopedias, phone

books, career resources), Internet stations and how to sign up, Rooms to use for quiet

rooms or groups-provide rates for use, Books on tape/CD, DVDs, CDs, Best sellers/New

Release area

In the children’s section explain layout (whether they have children or not) including:

fiction, non-fiction (point out where books on animals, astronomy and history are located),

science fiction, fantasy, fairy tales, board books, picture books, biographies, mystery, easy

reader, intermediate reader, Books on tape/CD, reference (pointing out encyclopedias) and fairy

tales, best sellers for children.

• After a library tour provide new patrons with a calendar of events on paper that also

contains the calendar Web site. Ask the patron to add the calendar to their favorites page and tell

them that it is updated regularly. Asking people do something is extraordinarily powerful. Rather

than just providing them with the Web site, it is far been to ask them to add the library calendar

to their favorites page on the Internet. This will increase hits dramatically.

• Ask patrons for their email address and ask for permission to send them email alerts on

events.

• Do not construct a new library in any community without designing space for large

conferences, catering areas, stage and performance areas. There are considerable costs to

building and maintaining structures. The library should be incorporated into community and

recreations centers going forward or should exist all on one campus or in one building. When

more events take place under one roof you naturally have more users. I arranged for a tour of the

Cerritos Library with Marie Furrows for this research paper. They have spacious conference


rooms to rent with a separate outside entrance. Even weddings were held at the library and

although it all took place in the same structure, no guest to a wedding would have to enter the

library; they could take the elevator from outside the building to the upstairs conference center to

attend weddings. Kitchen quarters were adjacent to conference rooms for events. This results in

revenue for the library when rooms are rented.

Ms. Furrows promoted events at the Cerritos library by placing an insert into the monthly

newspaper the Cerritos News entitled Cerritos Library News. Every single public library should

have a relationship with the local newspaper in their community.

• Museums and even European castles provide audio tours. Why not have large libraries

provide audio tours also such as the New York Public Library, etc.

• Keep animals (such as fish in aquariums) that are easy to care for in the children’s

section, and on historically slow night’s hold a “Feed the Animals” or “Pet the Animals” event.

• Important libraries such as the New York Public Library, presidential libraries, historical

New England libraries and libraries that hold special art collections should promote more

aggressively to travel guides and on city web sites that promote tourism to include the library as

an important sites to visit. Be proactive in writing a draft for a travel publication and follow up

with phone calls to host a tour for travel writers and important editors of established travel guides

and travel Web sites.

• Have library staff host and attend community Chamber of Commerce events. Invite

community business members to use library-meeting rooms for various needs. Encourage library

staff to serve as guest speakers to tell the services the library provides. Give a PowerPoint

presentation if possible. Most Chamber of Commerce events are looking for speakers at mixers

and new places to hold mixers.


• People like to associate with others in their own age group so set up a designated time for

teens to use the library in a certain area between the hours of 4:00 PM-5:30 PM or 7:00 PM to

8:30 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays and promote it as “Study Hall”.

• Set up an event for singles and designate an area of the library one night a week or

monthly on a Saturday afternoon for an hour and call it, “Singles Read”. Invite a monthly

speaker to discuss a controversial topic. Groups can be formed and come up with a rebuttal.

• Set up a “Cult Classics” and “Criterion Collection” section for DVD rentals. (The

Criterion Collection describes itself as a continuing series of important classic and contemporary

films).

• Have a teen movie night, a singles movie night and a senior citizens movie night. Pull

books and movies from the shelf that have something in common with the movie and place them

on display to loan after the film airs. Chose books by the same author and films by the same

director. Serve popcorn.

• Set up a Teen Center within the library with a room for drinks, computer games, sofas, a

“Young Adult” new release section, suggested readings, and classics including for example:

Tarzan of the Apes, Dune, The Bad Seed.

• Have libraries work with educators to reevaluate required teen reading. Huckleberry

Finn, Treasure Island and Moby Dick are not interesting enough to be required reading in

today’s world, especially when certain students read infrequently. Modern literature may serve to

solidify readers for life. Required teen reading could include: The Bad Seed by William March

and The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski. Include high-adventure reading such as Shackleton’s

Ataractic adventure Endurance by Alfred Lansing or Into Thin Air by John Krakauer about the

day eight people died on Mt. Everest. Trade Huckleberry Finn in for Tom Sawyer. Intriguing


literature read at an early age makes readers for life-thus return patrons to the library. If

educators will not update lists then libraries can set a new standard of required reading outside

school systems.

• Many individuals in a community never enter a library during the year until tax season

when they come to pick up tax return information. This is an excellent opportunity to display

latest best sellers and new release DVD’s next to tax materials to reach new users.

• Partner with local art organizations to showcase artwork and host “art openings”.

If you are in a small enough community hire local teens to stuff mailboxes with flyers of special

library events or a calendar of upcoming events three or four times per year.

• Sadly Alzheimer’s disease is on the rise, sometimes called the “silver tsunami”. That

said, the Alzheimer’s Association has developed a seven-week program called Memory Club that

takes place at large facilities around the U.S. The follow up to these sessions are called the

Graduation Club where caregivers and early stage Alzheimer’s patients meet and stay in touch.

Libraries and the Alzheimer’s Association can work together to identify libraries across America

to host these follow up Graduation Clubs. Libraries would greatly benefit from increased use

from caregivers as this disease is rapidly on the rise.

Other diseases are on the rise too such as diabetes. The library usually has small rooms these

groups can use and is a wonderful place for support groups to meet either free or inexpensively.

• The largest weight loss group nationally is the non-profit group Take Off Pounds

Sensibly (T.O.P.S.). This group has local chapters through out the country that meet weekly.

They could meet in small rooms available at a public library either free or inexpensively.

Libraries should reach out to the national chapter to promote use.


• Homework Clubs-library staff and/or community volunteers could lend a hand to school

students at certain hours. Promote the project at schools and in school newsletters to parents.

Survey Says!

Any reputable marketing firm would start with an open forum to brainstorm ideas for a

new business client. I did the same by designing and conducting a survey of over 60 people with

the following question:

I'm writing a research paper for my library studies class and I have a question that

should be fun to answer. Let me know your thoughts. Here it is:

What would drive you to go to the library more often? What do you wish were

happening at your local library in the way of services or meetings that may make

you want to use it more?

Here are some of the more interesting responses I received:

• I think a nice coffee or juice bar in the public library would be fantastic. It should be run

and staffed by the local school/organization that educates and teaches life skills to the

physically and mentally handicapped. This would provide an opportunity for the

handicapped folks (who might not otherwise be able to find meaningful work) to sustain

themselves partially and encourage those who frequent the larger bookstores to go right

to their local library!

• Our library here offers a lot of great programs such as gardening seminars, tax

workshops, crafts for adults, etc. The problem is that all of the programs are offered

during the day to target retired senior citizens. How unfair! Why can't they offer evening

programs once in a while for the rest of the working world?


• A lot of libraries I've visited need friendlier librarians. One day, a librarian actually

fussed at my daughter for looking at books written in Spanish. I think many librarians

get caught up in their daily to-do list and forget that they are there to serve the public.

• Larger libraries could post more maps of where to find items/genres. Sometimes I would

rather look for something online than spend half the day wading through the great library

maze.

• Free wi-fi

• One individual said that he continues to use the library because “there is something more

satisfying and cerebral with the text in your hand versus on a screen.”

• . Two hour “Get to Know Your Library” cocktail party

• I wish my local library offered more French movies and author book talks. My old

library in Indiana used to have Friday night at the movies screenings of new DVD's with

popcorn, cookies and beverages. They offered films that seldom if ever made it to our

area of NW Indiana. Sadly a major funding shortfall caused them to eliminate this very

popular event.

• Are you on Facebook? I am and am enjoying exploring the social software scene, which

some academic and public libraries are using for patron outreach.

• Wine, cheese, live music for adults, teens, and children - specialize event to the age

group.

• Book clubs and book chat groups, photo exhibits, video screenings, writing workshop,

mardi gras party with historical talk/ photo show about the tradition and live music.

Happenings!


• I think letting the community know about the availability of the library as a community

center, get them involved with a board, organizing events, i.e. - "lets do it at the Library!"

• More interesting free lectures, i.e. learning conversational Spanish.

• Turn librarians into true information specialists. Change a community’s culture by

teaching classes to better surf the Internet, use databases, and research on the Internet and

library by these trained professionals at classes conducted in the library.

• When thinking about the library - my thoughts are similar to that of thinking about the

post office. The post office provides a great service, but I do not plan a visit to the local

office to enjoy my Saturday. I realize that the library is convenient, knowledgeable,

accessible, and affordable. However, I find it’s offering irrelevant, as the Internet is far

better source for information.

• In terms of changing my personal view on the potential experience of a library visit, this

would be very challenging. However, if I am the primary target demographic (Single, 41,

Male, Six Figure Salary); there is plenty of advertising available to learn from to assist in

creating the paradigm shift required by upper library management. The results of a

similar paradigm shift can be witnessed from major corporations such as General Motors,

Pepsi, Nissan, Harley Davidson, etc. These giants have all updated their marketing efforts

with new and effective campaigns that are appealing to my demographic.

• I think that talks/presentations by experts on fields of interest to me would get me to the

library. Interesting stuff, cutting edge stuff, and maybe even controversial stuff. But it's

got to be marketed, or I'll never even hear about it, as happens often with Redondo Beach

library.


• If you had a guest chef come and do a class on their cook book with food tasting or a

biographer come and tell why they wrote about that person, what was their journey.

• Parents might enjoy having parenting groups or people guiding them on the greening of

the home.

• You could get local newspapers and neighborhood bulletin boards to advertise for free or

very little.

• I would love to see libraries become the meeting place for like-minded individuals

instead of a coffee house. Get a cart with coffee, tea and goodies to set up in front of the

library and give Barnes and Noble or Borders some competition.

• More listening stations for audio

• Sofas to sit on and read

• Book clubs for singles

• Red Hat Society Book Club

• Gay and Lesbian Book Clubs

• Poetry reading to the elderly and visually impaired

• Hold theme events such as black history, World War II events with related readings.

• Insert a 3x5 card into new books for reader comments when the next patron picks up the

book.

• Have library staff conduct “how to” research seminars and resources available.

• Invite local filmmakers to screen films and conduct an introduction and a question and

answer session afterwards. Invite local film festivals to air films in the library.


• Work with other businesses in town to have a cross promotion. Example: If you check

out six or more books you get free tickets to the local movie theater.

• “If it felt more like Barnes and Noble I'd go all the time.”

Conclusion

The world changed quickly with the Internet. Increasing numbers of potential library patrons stay

home and surf the Internet for reading material and the kind of entertainment the library once

provided. People changed so libraries much change. People want different experiences from the

library in addition to services they have come to depend on. The librarian still serves as the

information specialist, but now potential patrons need a reason to leave home for the information

and entertainment they seek. Libraries need to follow marketing strategies that give customers

what they want. A changing world requires a changed library.


References

20 tips. (2008, May). Budget Travel, 11, 14-20.

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http://www.determan.net/Michele/markethome.htm

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http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/sbeder/children.html

Berry, A. (1999, April 21). Promoting special library services. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from

Web site:

http://www.libsci.sc.edu/bob/class/clis724/SpecialLibrariesHandbook/promoting.htm

Best children’s books. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2008, from http://www.best-childrens-

books.com/childrens-literature.html

Cerritos Library news. (2008, March). The Cerritos News, insert.

Chad, K. & Miller, P. (2005, Nov). Do Libraries Matter? The Rise of Library 2.0. Retrieved

April 20, 2008 from

http://www.talis.com/applications/downloads/white_papers/DoLibrariesMatter.pdf

Chowdhury, G., Poulter, A. & McMenemy, D. (2006) Public Library 2.0: Towards a new

mission for public libraries s a ‘network of community knowledge.’ Online Information

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Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films on DVD.

(n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2008, from http://www.criterion.com/asp/


Fichter, D. (2008). Why and how to use blogs to promote your library's services. Retrieved April

27, 2008 from Online, Inc Website: http://www.onlineinc.com/mls/nov03/fichter.shtml

http://slisgroups.sjsu.edu/lissten/events/lib_tours/2008/chino_recap.html

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Internet public library. Reference. (2008). Retrieved April 22, 2008, from

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Know your customer. (2007, July 27). Retrieved on April 22, 2008, from BizRave! Website from

http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/sbeder/children.html

Leonard, A. (2008). California Institution for Women library tour. Retrieved April 21, 2008,

from SLIS LISSTEN Web site:

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Leonard, A. (2008, February 14). Big changes and upcoming events at the El Segundo Public

Library. El Segundo Herald. p. 11.

Los Angeles: A truly global city. (2008, January 24). Los Angeles Times. p. 2.

Malkin. W. Make way for Wi-Fi and lattes. (2008, March 13). The Oregonian. Retrieved from

Proquest database.

McKenzie, J. (1993). Libraries of the future. Fno.org. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from

http://fno.org/libraries.html

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(5), 1405-1413. Retrieved April 9, 2008 from

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Online literature library. (2005, May 25). Retrieved April 12, 2008, from

http://www.literature.org/

What’s a blog? (n.d.) Retrieved April 29, 2008 from blogger.com Website:

http://www.blogger.com/tour_start.g

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