The November 1 issue of Library Journal has a great article about what Academic Libraries are doing to draw in first year students. Some of the tips would be applicable to public libraries as well.
MIT used a puzzle advertising campaign (drawing on its reputation as home to the oldest and largest puzzle hunts in the country). University of Illinois Undergraduate Library is using Twitter to reach users and Penssylvania State University Libraries used interatctive games instead of the traditional open house to introduce students to the library. Read the full article here.
The Moline (Ill.) Public Library won the grand prize in Wiley’s 2009 Frommer’s Library Display Contest. The library transformed itself into a train station, complete with a cardboard Arthur Frommer as the train conductor collecting tickets (right) and Pauline Frommer waiting next to the “Frommer’s Express” train. Watch the video (4:57) or view more photos.
From the M Word blog comes this information shared by Tom McNamee of the Chicago Sun Times at the ALA Annual Conference:
The term “op-ed” means opposite the editorial. In newspapers, an op-ed piece is usually placed on the page opposite an editorial.
Keep them to 400- 500 words ( I suggest you call your editor and ask them or do a word count in the paper you are sending it to.)
Have something worth saying
Tell a story
No matter how important your story is, remember that people will only read it if it entertains them
We’ve also learned that you need to plan your op-eds because chances are your paper isn’t going to publish your op-ed every month (they call those columns). My departments plans on two op-eds a year and try to connect them to both a major campaign we’re running and larger issues facing communities. Our larger papers want responses or solutions to problems and won’t even go near anything that sounds like an infomercial, even for National Library Week.
Make sure the topic is relevant to the paper’s readers. A great place to start is by reading the the headlines, knowing what discussions are taking place at council meetings or just listening to what your customers are talking about when they come to the library.
Keep your op-ed customer centric
Tom talks about incorporating stories in your op-ed. I couldn’t agree with him more. Make sure your are writing about your customers and how your library is solving problems for them. Be sure to stay away from stories that simply praise your library like, “I couldn’t live without my library!” Instead find stories about your customers where the library has solved a problem like “I lost my job and the new career center helped me fill out applications online.”
There’s an interesting discussion on Jessamyn’s librarian.net blog about her (bad) experience taking photos at the Des Moine Public Library.
Also, David Lee King of the Topeka and Shawenee library writes an interesting post about their new photo permissions policy. I think this is a great example of adapatablity and flexibility. I know this issue of photo permission has come up many times on the PRTALK listserv.
At the ILA Session, Small Opportunities Big Returns, it was pointed out that how many of our regular customers don’t know the other services or programs we offer?
So let’s not forget to market to them, we often have a relationship with them and can easily in conversation point out a service they might not be aware of.
The American Library Association (ALA) is working with Safeway Inc., on a roll-out of the first two of five Safeway-brand cereal boxes with back-panel content about libraries and librarians. The boxes will launch this October and will be available at Safeway’s 1,500 stores across the nation.
” We are proud to partner with the American Library Association and collaborate in the creation of educational panels for our line of Safeway Brand cereal. This is a way we can support the efforts of the ALA and bring education and enjoyment to our consumers,” said Mike Minasi, Safeway president, marketing.
“We want to thank Safeway for presenting us with a unique opportunity,” said ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels. “The cereal boxes will bring information about some of the exciting ways to enjoy libraries – and about the value of libraries — straight into people’s homes.”
The first boxes to feature the library-related content are Toasted Oats and Honey Nut Toasted Oats. There will be a staggered launch for the rest of the panels.
The panels focus on five content areas:
Get rich @ your library lists free resources available at libraries and encourages readers to add up how much they save by using the library’s resources;
Learn for a lifetime @ your library features the ways that school and public libraries encourage lifelong learning;
Great mysteries answered @ your library contains fun facts about libraries, including the number of questions answered weekly by reference librarians at our nation’s academic and public libraries;
Discover the world @ your library positions a library card as a passport to the world; and
Discover your family tree @ your library encourages readers to go to the library to research their family tree.
All feature the @ your library® brand of ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries and links to resources available at www.ilovelibraries.org, ALA’s advocacy and public awareness Web site for the public. The first panels focus on genealogy and international libraries.
Illinois libraries are invited to share their success stories by sending an email to one of the Blog Editors.
Alissa Williams - Pekin Public Library
awilliams @ pekinpubliclibrary.org
Denise Raleigh - Gail Borden Public Library
draleigh @ gailborden.info
for Halloween.
