Published by the State Library of
PART
TWO: THE HUMAN SIDE OF MARKETING
INTRODUCTION
Traditionally,
when librarians have talked about marketing, they have talked about public relations.
They have talked about ways to use publicity and programming to make the
library’s services more visible in the community.
In
recent years, there has been a change in the way librarians approach marketing
and many of these changes have come from the business world. There has been
more emphasis on:
-
studying the needs of library users
-
communicating with library users to find out what they want
-
studying the ways in which library collections and services are offered
to the
public.
-
customized customer service.
There
has also been increasing emphasis on building influence in the community.
This can include:
-
making local government and funding authorities aware of what the library
does for the community
-
getting community leaders to believe that the library is important to the
community’s quality of life
-
getting local educators to understand what the public library does for
school-age residents
-
getting parents to understand how critical library services are to their
children
-
convincing the media that events at the library are worth covering
-
offering library users and influential citizens opportunities to support the
library through financial help and contributed services
- increasing
the library users’ enjoyment of the library
-
connecting non-users to the library in various ways so they can discover the
library’s services.
One
of the keys to building influence is personal contact. The librarian meets with
people in the community both formally and informally. Quite often these
meetings are both face-to-face and one-on-one.
Some
librarians in small communities find that one obstacle to networking with the
community is the difficulty of getting away from the library facility. A
one-person library has a critical need, not only for one paid substitute, but
for one or two high quality volunteers that can give the library director some
mobility.
The
library board needs to understand that networking with the community is a very important
part of the director’s job. Some rural library directors have needed to call a
library consultant to help explain why this is so critical.
Many
rural librarians, trained in the marketing aspect of their jobs, have a first
reaction: 'I can’t do that.' Once they commit to working with people as an
absolutely essential component of their position, they find that they are doing
it and doing it very well. One library presenter has pointed out that 'I don’t
like politics' can be translated as 'I don’t like people.'* And that, for a good library director, is
simply not true.
A
critical thing to remember is that a wide variety of personal styles and skills
have been successful in rural library administration. In fact, no one
personality type can claim success in every situation.
*
Pat Wagner, Building Effective Supervisory Skills, North Central System,
2000.
MARKETING TO
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
BUILDING A
RELATIONSHIP
It
is very hard to build effective long-term support for the public library if the
library has no relationship with local government. Rural decision makers
usually have a big say in whether the library gets an increase in its mill levy
or an allocation of financial support beyond the collected library taxes.
It
should never be assumed that local officials understand what the public library
is doing. Many are not library users. Many are carrying outdated perceptions of
public libraries and do not have an awareness of how the library’s role is
changing.
Some
awareness of the library can be built indirectly. Local officials should
receive newsletters, brochures, program publicity, short and pithy annual
reports. They should also be made cardholders of the public library and sent a
library card. Local officials can usually be met, in a preliminary way, at
community events.
Local
officials usually read the local newspaper with some care but it doesn’t hurt
to send them a clipping of major stories about library achievements.
Once
this indirect relationship is established, there is no substitute for building
a personal relationship.
Librarians
can learn about officials and what they care about by attending regular
meetings of the local government. These meetings are open to the public and
they are an opportunity to gather very valuable information.
The
librarian should plan personal meetings with key officials. It is wise to
request an appointment when budget negotiations are not active so that the
focus can be on the library’s achievements and what the library needs to
accomplish in the future. Such a meeting should be carefully prepared for so it
will present the library in the best possible way. It is also very wise to
leave a handout that reiterates the major points in simple, bulleted form.
Early
meetings should usually take place on the local official’s home ground and at
his convenience. But if he seems receptive and interested, he can be invited
for a tour of the library. This can be used to market both the library’s assets
and its liabilities. For example, it can be beneficial to show a library that
badly needs a building program.
Whatever
shape the library is in, the staff should be cordial and welcoming and prepared
to offer coffee and refreshments.
BUDGET
PREPARATION
Annual
budget preparation is an important opportunity to market both the library’s
needs and the library’s accomplishments. Obviously, a line item budget should
be presented but more and more libraries are also preparing a program budget.
The
program budget allows the staff and board to highlight how different elements
of the community will be served during the coming year. A program budget will
show how library funds will be spent for:
- children
- young adults
- senior citizens
- residential centers
- recreational reading
- programs
- access to electronic information
- computer training for the public
- interlibrary loan
- videos, audiotapes and other
nonprint collections.
A
program budget gives information on how the library is actually impacting the
quality of life in the community and how it is actually meeting the information
and recreation needs of the residents. It is a terrific tool for marketing the
library to the people whose support is critical.
If
it is feasible at all, a verbal presentation should accompany the budget. The
presentation should not be a
review of figures but a short, personable, interesting review of the past year
plus a look ahead at the library’s future priorities. If other municipal
department heads make such a presentation, the library director should
certainly make a request to do the same.
CONCLUSION
An
adversarial relationship with local government is never acceptable, even though
the provocation sometimes exists. Both the library staff and the library board
should present an impeccable courtesy to local government. If one local
official is totally uninterested in the library, marketing attention should be
turned to another, but without acrimony.
Always
take the opportunity to thank officials for their support, even if it is
considered inadequate. Emphasize that you are looking forward to continued
support in the future.
MARKETING TO
COMMUNITY LEADERS
INTRODUCTION
In a
small town or rural community, the best way to market the library to community
leaders is to know the community leaders and be known by them. Some of this is
probably already taking place through the librarian’s normal involvement with
the life of the community. A librarian who is active in a church, in local
clubs and in community organizations can hardly help getting to know people. If
the librarian is well-known and well-liked, community leaders will pay more
attention to library issues.
The
library director should make a special effort to be at the table whenever
planning for the community’s future is taking place. Often, community leaders
do not think of the library as being vitally involved in economic development,
or even in information access, but this perception can be changed by the
library director’s persistent presence.
Since
rural communities are notoriously short of meeting space, many librarians have
found an opening by offering their facility. Others have simply explained to
someone they know well why the library should be involved. One
While
there is no substitute for developing both formal and informal relationships
with community leaders, these leaders can be kept aware of the library through
written and online communication as well. Community leaders should see the
library covered in local media, they should receive library newsletters,
meaningful annual reports, publicity about library programs and even appeals
for financial help. If an individual is a visible community leader, they belong
on the library’s mailing list or distribution list.
* Marketing
Manual for Public Library Funding. Written by LevLane
Advertising
and Public Relations and the
MARKETING
TO COMMUNITY LEADERS: CLUBS AND
ORGANIZATIONS
Many
small public libraries develop excellent relationships with local clubs and
organizations. These can include Chambers of Commerce, Rotary, Lions, Shriners,
Municipal Leagues, Garden Clubs, Federated Women's Clubs, 4H, Scouting and many
other groups.
Clubs
and organizations are often receptive to supporting the library with a specific
project, especially if that project has some relation to the goals of their
organization. It is necessary to have
some knowledge of the organization and its members before choosing an
appropriate request.
When
staff members or trustees are respected members of an organization, they can
often spot a way in which the library can help the organization. But they have
to be ready to think in terms of the library’s role.
Many
local groups are in need of programs. By asking for a chance to tell the
library’s most interesting stories, the librarian can help meet this need. An
entertaining speaker almost always gets further invitations to speak. If the
speaker can market the library’s accomplishments and needs with humor and with
lively vignettes, the audience will laugh but they will remember the points
that are made.
Even
if nothing else comes of it, a program gives a few more community residents
information about the library and the librarian learns a little more about the
community.
Public
speaking is a skill that gets much easier with practice and many librarians who
would test as introverts have learned to do it very well. But if the library
director strongly feels that this will never be a forte, he should conduct a
search for someone who can speak easily and happily for the public library.
This may be another staff member, a board member or an active library user who
really cares
about
the library.
MARKETING TO
COMMUNITY LEADERS: THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Rural
library directors often feel intimidated about marketing to local businessmen.
They are very well aware that they don’t have the funds to develop a
sophisticated business collection. However, there are still things that an
alert librarian can do. Brief lists of library purchases and Internet sites of
general interest to business people are often welcome.
An
Internet site of specific interest to a business can simply be commented on in
a verbal or written communication. It should be tactfully assumed that the
businessman does know about Internet sites in his own field. The librarian can
simply comment on discovering the site and finding it very interesting. But
since librarians are among the most sophisticated Internet users, the response
is often: ‘I didn’t know about that. Thanks.’
Many
rural librarians have found that offering classes in building Internet skills
has been appreciated by the business community. Rural librarians have also
offered to maintain community homepages, giving local businesses some welcome
extra exposure on the Web.
If
resources are identified that would be of real value to the business community
but too expensive for the library budget, the library can try some community
fundraising. A business, or several businesses together, might have an interest
in strengthening the library’s collection.
Actually,
the better the library staff knows local business people, as individuals, the
more likely they are to discover some way to help them. But business people can
also become library supporters when they are asked to advise or help the
library. This marketing relationship should always be studied as a two-way
street.
MARKETING TO
COMMUNITY LEADERS: EDUCATORS
In
small towns, public librarians have often fostered relationships with the local
schools by getting to know the school librarians. If any good projects result
from these relationships, these should certainly be publicized to teachers,
principals and school superintendents.
Like
other community leaders, school officials should receive regular communications
about the library. One
Both
educators and public librarians will want to be active when the community is
trying to plan or upgrade information access. Some rural public libraries have
partnered with school systems to get the best possible electronic information
access. These projects have also led to shared access to catalogs, which gives
better service to students and teachers. Technology has sometimes fostered
relationships between schools and public libraries where they had not existed
before. Such projects should be effectively publicized to the community, since
they often strike taxpayers as a good use of public funds.
If a
small community is fortunate enough to be home to a community college, the
public library should foster a positive relationship with the college library.
Again, developments in information technology have often facilitated positive
working relationships. Also, public libraries and community colleges have often
served as co-sponsors of programs and projects.
A
college library greatly expands the information resources of a small community
but the residents often have to be reminded that the resource is there. The
students can be invited to regard the public library as an additional resource
and a recreational facility. A positive relationship between the town and the
college is good for both sides but it doesn’t happen automatically. It needs
publicity to both sides. This can be done both through online resource sharing
and through joint publicity.
CONCLUSION
While
they don’t call it marketing, many small library directors have done an
excellent job of networking with their community. They have developed friendly
relations with a wide variety of community residents. They are well-known and
well-liked in the community. Marketing strategy simply takes this happy state
of affairs and makes it a more conscious part of the library’s plans for the
future.
MARKETING TO
LIBRARY USERS
Librarians
have been taught to respect the privacy of library users. Perhaps that is why
many librarians do not actively market to the heavy library users. Library
users certainly have a right to be left in peace but the patron who is eager to
talk is a potential gold mine for reviews, programs and support.
Librarians
should never forget that the library users are the library’s customers. It is
impossible to offer excellent customer service to faceless customers. This is
another place where rural libraries have an advantage. Getting to know library
users as people is not invasive and is frequently delightful.
People
who read a lot are usually proud of the fact and pleased to be acknowledged as
one of the library’s most active users. They are often willing to chat about a
special interest or favorite genre and can sometimes make very valuable
suggestions. Library users will often give permission to quote their
appreciation of a particular collection or service.
Parents
or teachers who make heavy use of youth services should be encouraged to make
suggestions for the collection or to participate in the reading programs.
People
who like films and watch a lot of videos are often willing to share their
interest and to recommend purchases for the library. If they are interested in
a particular genre of movies, they may be a potential source for reviews and/or
programs.
The
library staff should also get to know the heavy computer users and most active
Internet users. They can make very valuable suggestions on improving the
library’s use of electronic information. As volunteers or advisors, computer
buffs can be a priceless asset for the library.
A
rural businessman regards his most regular customers as very important people.
Librarians should view their most regular customers in the same light. Both the
businessman and the librarian try to offer excellent service as a matter of
professional pride. But building community support is more complicated and more
subtle than building a profit profile.
Library
users are often so absolutely basic to the library’s service that, paradoxically,
they become almost invisible. This is a major mistake, especially in a small
town.
Marketing
to library users as very important people leads to many of the same steps as
marketing to community leaders. In both cases, the librarian should seek to cross
paths; to know and be known. The library should seek ways to share information
with these people, using the same tools of newsletters, media coverage, annual
reports.
Library
users also appreciate posted reviews and annotated reading lists targeted at
their special interest. This is most often done with genre fiction but can be
expanded to subject lists for new nonfiction as well.
A
librarian with a flair for advisory service can make both the collections and
the staff more visible and more appreciated.
Small
public libraries often have a ‘suggestion box’ where library users can suggest
purchases. But many small library directors hesitate to solicit suggestions too
aggressively. They fear that people will be offended if the library is unable
to purchase what they want.
An
alternative that brings in a lot of information is a ‘Tell Us What You Enjoyed’
form that can be distributed widely. Such a form allows people to list a title
and briefly explain why they enjoyed the book, film, magazine or computer
program. Users who relish this library
service are a potential source for reviews and programs.
Patterns
of circulation and use offer extremely valuable information about the
community’s interests. If the town has a lot of mystery readers, or if videos
send library circulation through the roof, or if the library desperately needs
more Internet access stations, the library staff should know it and discuss it
at staff meetings. It will affect both acquisition and programming.
One
of the major values of library programs is that they offer an informal chance
for library staff to know library users and learn more about their interests.
Turning
regular library users into a cadre of active library supporters will pay off if
the library’s support is threatened. They can and will speak for the library.
Citizens who make it clear that the library is important to them have more
impact on local government than librarians who understandably support
libraries.
MARKETING FOR
A TARGET AUDIENCE
INTRODUCTION
Librarians
have a tendency to think that excellent library service will be rewarded by the
community. The truth is that excellence in library service is only half of the
equation for a successful library. The library must be perceived by the
community as being essential to the quality of life in the community. The
library staff and board must work to make the library and its services visible
to the community.
Keep
in mind the fundamental principle of influence. “Influence is derived from
the perceptions of the person to be influenced, not from the perceptions of the
person doing the influencing. The key to building your influence lies in your
ability to shape the perceptions of others.”*
In
other words, the staff and the board must shape the perceptions of the
community leaders and the community residents so that they understand the
benefits of having a good public library.
Many
librarians work hard to develop programs and services but they neglect the work
it would take to make the target audience aware of the value of these programs
and services.
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE ONE:
Suppose
the library wants to have an outreach program to the community’s long term care
facility. Library staff communicate with residents to learn about their needs.
Materials are delivered to the home, requests are solicited and filled. Some
residents read regular books, some read large print, some listen to audiobooks
or music. The service becomes a good one and it is valued by the residents of
the facility. Public relations for this service would mean that the
library staff maintains good relations with the residents and understands what
they need and want.
*
Gary Hartzell, Building Influence for the School Librarian. Linworth
Publishing 1994.
But marketing
this service would mean making the facility administrator aware of the value
placed on this service.
The
director or a designated staff member has circulation statistics for every type
of material plus comments from the residents that indicate they are genuinely
grateful to have this service available.
An
appointment is made with the administrator, the service is described briefly
but effectively and a one-page flyer repeating the most important points is
given. The administrator is also asked if they have any suggestions for improving
the service.
There
are no guarantees on the outcome of such a meeting, but the librarian has just
dramatically improved the chances that support for this service will be
continued and that the facility administrator will retain the belief that the
library is significant to her chosen work.
This
is only a likely outcome if the librarian does believe the service is important
and wants it to continue. If service to the long-term care facility has been a lackluster
project, this kind of marketing will not be a good use of staff time.
EXAMPLE TWO:
Many
small libraries have effective publicity connected with their summer reading
program and most communities consider it a pleasant service to have available
for children. It is often sufficiently colorful and photogenic to attract the
local media. This is good public relations.
Marketing the critical importance of this program
would include finding ways to make more serious points:
-
The development of language skills is critically important to the development
of young children. If they are frequently involved with reading and verbal
exchanges and encouraged to express feelings, imagination and ideas, they will
develop the language skills they will need when they start school.
Many
small libraries are sponsoring reading programs in the fall and winter so they
can concentrate some attention on the preschool children. This is an excellent
chance to make this point through special publicity and programs.
- Research
has indicated that the biggest single predictor of success in school is whether
the children are read to when they are young. To librarians and heavy library
users, this is so obvious as to be a truism. But the point is only beginning to
gain force with the general public. It needs to be made as often as possible.
- Research has also indicated that
children who read for pleasure over the summer retain their reading skills and
continue to build their vocabulary. They have a large advantage when they start
the new school year. Publicity for the summer reading program can make this
point.
Children should not be taught that public library
reading programs are anything but fun. It is when they are having fun that they
learn readily and happily.
Adults should be taught that these fun programs
are building reading and verbal skills that will help their children succeed in
school.
EXAMPLE
THREE:
Some
rural library staff have taken the lead in offering small classes on Internet skills
to members of the public. Public relations for this program would
involve making sure that the public really is aware of it and that the
classmates feel comfortable and welcome when they attend class.
Marketing for this program would involve making
sure that the community leadership and local government become aware that the
library is making this contribution to the community. This can be done through
media coverage or through the library newsletter or through more informal
communications.
Feedback
from the participants should be gathered as part of the evaluation for the
project. Favorable comment can be used very effectively if the library offers
Internet classes again.
If
the participants are enthusiastic and good teachers are available, the library
should very seriously consider continuing the project. It can be a very
valuable community service. But it is also a very modern, very polished role
for a rural public library to take in the information society. The effort it
represents should not be wasted but should be used to benefit the total image
of the library.
EVALUATION
WITH MARKETING IN MIND
Any
project the library implements should be evaluated. If the project has not been
a success, the library has two choices:
1.
They can improve the service or,
2.
They can eliminate it.
Improving
a project might involve better communication with the target audience, better
funding, better publicity, better procedures, better record keeping or better
materials.
A
service should not be eliminated unless the library staff can articulate the
reasons why it should not be a library priority:
-
Perhaps it is not needed or wanted badly enough to justify what it costs the
library. - Perhaps the service is outdated and should no longer be a priority.
-
Perhaps there are obstacles that the library staff cannot overcome with their
available resources.
If
the project is considered very successful, the evaluators should ask this
question: What kind of communication or
publicity does this project need to be perceived as important by:
1.
the target audience?
2.
those relevant community leaders who should know about this particular project?
Many
librarians work hard to develop programs and services but they neglect the work
it would take to make the community aware of the value of these programs and
services.
The
value that the public places on library service can translate into support for
the library by community leadership. There have been cases where local
government has been genuinely surprised and impressed at the groundswell of
public support the library can muster when its support is threatened. The
threat was decreased or even reversed as a result. But that kind of support
only results from a public that knows what the library is doing for the
community.