Marketing

The Wyoming Libraries Campaign features several catchy images, including a certain iconic silhouette -- in this case, reading a book. Some listservs are aflutter about the graphic, complete with straw men and all but pulling a Goodwin in a call to ban it. What do LISNewsters think?

Remember those long-gone days when you opened a new bank account and you got your choice of a lovely folding rain-hat or some other goodies? Well, when you sign up for your first library card at the Greenwood Public Library you will once again get a free gift! Here's the newsflash from the Indianapolis Star, but they do not reveal the super special secret gift (could it be a rainhat?).

Anonymous Patron writes "Walt Crawford, over at Web Junction, postulates that libraries are in the business of providing primarily stories, and not information, and that we should bear this in mind as we market ourselves. It's an appealing notion, but I'm not entirely sure it holds water. Thoughts?"

The opposite of school library is...: A neat post by Christopher Harris inspired by Seth Godin. "What is the brand, i.e. the identity, of your school library? If you had to define your school library through that classic SAT example of selecting its opposite, could you?" He suggests the opposite of a School Library could be Public Libraries, Classroom Libraries, The Internet, or Google. In the end his choice for "opposite of the school library" is... well, it might just suprise you!

CandiC writes "The University of Rochester Library hired an anthropologist to get to the bottom of how students really live and conduct research. Details about their study and some of their conclusions are shared in the Chronicle of Higher Education's article, "An Anthropologist in the Library: The U. of Rochester takes a close look at students in the stacks" by Scott Carlson (On Chronicle.com for subscribers, or in the August 17, 2007 edition). Their findings include: not all millenials are technically-inclined; students work at night often because they're over-achievers with little free-time, not slackers; and college students still turn to parents for helps with assignments. "The results of the study, which will be published in a book due out next month from the Association of College and Research Libraries, helped guide a library renovation, influenced a Web-site redesign, led to changes in the way the library markets itself to students, and, in some cases, completely changed the image of undergraduates in the eyes of Rochester librarians." But U. of Rochester librarians warn against applying their results to your library. Instead, they recommend doing your own market research."

The Washington Post reports on sales of a new edition of an old book that's now helping local libraries in the DC area. The book, "300 Years of Black Cooking in St. Mary's County Maryland," was first published in 1975. But it has been enjoying a revival of sales since the St. Mary's County Library system reissued it in September 2005.

Recipes include traditional African American recipes, such as dandelion wine, hog brains and eggs and possum.

"They're recipes that parents had, and grandparents had, that often the children didn't write down," said Janice Walthour, who lives in Lexington Park and wrote a poem for the book.

The book can be purchased for $15 at any St. Mary's County library, or online at St. Mary's County (MD)Library.

Libraries have long struggled with a stuffy reputation, but on the UW-Madison campus and in some public branches, librarians are taking a decidedly fresh approach to attracting patrons by using social networking sites.

Sites, like Facebook, MySpace and Friendster, are wildly popular among students as a way to connect with friends and socialize online. People can personalize their own Web page with pictures, notes and music, and link to their friends' pages. Fledgling bands have used MySpace to promote their music.

Seth Godin the author of All Marketers are Liars speaks at Google. The ideas that he gives to Google should be considered by librarians. .Here are some questions. To understand these questions you will need to watch the segment.
Do libraries have the blue box problem?
What story can libraries tell? (Focus on the discussion about Fancy Feast cat food and bottled water to understand this idea)

Morgan Kelly, University of Pittsburgh writes "Projects by students in Pitt's School of Information Sciences work to present libraries as free resources of education and entertainment PITTSBURGH-Students in the University of Pittsburgh's School of Information Sciences (SIS) fanned out across the country and the world to help promote National Library Week, which was held from April 15 to 22. By working with libraries in Pennsylvania, other states, and other countries, students sought to showcase the resources available in a community's respective library and present the library as an entertaining and educational destination. Each year, SIS students in the Marketing and Public Relations for Libraries graduate course plan and implement a promotional campaign to celebrate National Library Week.

Filipino Librarian writes "They're not quite as well-known as the YouTube Video Awards, but the first winners of the Infotubey Awards, given to libraries that used YouTube 'to market their library or its services or enhance the standing of the library in the community,' have just been announced:

• Arlington Heights Public Library
• MacCracken County Public Library
• New Jersey State Library
• Seneca College Markham Library (see video above)
• Williams College Libraries

Congratulations to all the winners!"

The Portsmouth Herald News - Portsmouth,NH - is running a wonderful series of monthly installments of "Heroes of the Library," a column to commemorate the Kennebunk Free Library's Centennial. In 1904, responding to the undeniable need, George Parsons offered to build a library for the town.

Here's an article (Librarians Yellow Pages) from Chris Rippel, Central Kansas Library System, Great Bend, Kansas on how libraries can apply what bookstores have learned to draw in customers. The place should feel, sound, look and even smell appealing. Suggestions on how to do it are abundant, but not all necessarily practical, for example, how do you make a library smell like ...

Cinnamon, coffee, apples - homecooking, warm, family, cozy or

Orange - healthy and bright
or

Lemon - fresh, clean
or

Wood - general country hardware store

...and not like mold or mildew?

Filipino Librarian writes "JM Kearns, the author of Why Mr. Right Can't Find You, recommends that women be more proactive: 'Beyond chance encounters, women should venture into the real world to broaden the net, he says. Kearns suggests hanging out in bookstores and libraries, and if you see a prospect, smile. "Even Mr. Right needs encouragement. Your smile can be any smile. I don't care if it is nervous, pale or twitchy. If it is a smile, he will know he is allowed to interrupt your reading and speak to you' (Macleans, 29 January 2007). More..."

Anonymous Patron writes "One library in Australia is taking a "novel" approach to love." A 150-year old Australian public library has a new true-romance section after introducing speed-dating nights for lovers of classic texts.

JET writes "Hachette Book Groups is having a contest where the grand prize is a trip to Washington DC (airfare and two nights hotel accommodations). #1 Best-selling author David Baldacci and John Y. Cole, the Director of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress/Historian of the Library of Congress will give the winners a very special tour that includes the Rare Books and Special Collection Division, Conservation, the refurbished Jefferson Building, the office of the First Librarian of Congress which now serves as a private foreign dignitaries' office, and several exhibition halls. For more details, visit this link"

Anonymous Patron writes "In an attempt "to make kids more aware of what the community has to offer," "patrons of the Lucy Robbins Welles Library in Grades 6 through 12 will have the opportunity to enjoy a live show and learn the art of hip-hop dance. From the New Britain Herald."

Infomancy writes "Dr. Roger Schank, writing in the new District Administration blog, The Pulse, shares his view of "The Library Metaphor."

In the old days, when people actually went to libraries, there were card catalogues, which were created with arcane notions such as the Dewey Decimal System that helped searchers find books that had been properly catalogued. But we don't need that stuff anymore, because we have Google. [Schank]

"

CandiC writes: "OCLC promised to sift the Perceptions data from college students out into a new report and they've delivered with the College Students' Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources report.

Even if you've examined the original Perceptions report in detail, it's worth checking the new report out because OCLC promises there are 'all-new graphs and additional analysis of how college student data compare to that of total respondents.'

(via the It's All Good Blog)"

Anonymous Patron writes "This contest says it all. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a caption contest. Caption Contest 25, had an intellectual/motorcycle theme, and includes a biker at the reference desk.

Big Nick was installed at the Reference Desk after the millionth student came in and asked: "Is it true that scientists have discovered rings around Uranus?"

That was third place."

Libraries of all sizes and types.... here's your chance to gain national recognition for your great PR efforts!

Enter the ALA LAMA Annual 2006 Swap and Shop Best of Show public relations competition by submitting copies of your library's best public relations materials from 2005 (for example: brochures, annual reports, summer reading programs or newsletters).

Hurry up, as entries must be postmarked no later than May 1, 2006.

Entry forms are available here and an information sheet with FAQ about the competition is available here.
The winner will be anointed, celebrated and congratulated at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans. Laissez les bontemps roulez!

Good news! For all of you who have gone 'paperless', the Best of Show Competition has added a home page category this year.
Good luck!