Have you ever looked at your library marketing calendar and said to yourself, “I have to promote story time again. What on Earth am I going to say this time?”
Your library’s evergreen services are really valuable, but it can get tedious promoting them over and over again.
So, how do you do it in a way that keeps that content fresh and interesting, and perhaps brings new people to your library? We’re going to talk about it in this episode of The Library Marketing Show!
Plus, kudos go to a library that combined a pop culture moment with a popular book series for timely, authentic marketing magic.
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
When we think about library marketing, we usually think about patrons. But every great patron experience starts with staff who know what’s happening.
That’s why I recently spoke with Nina Kenney, Head of Communications at Lake Villa District Library in Illinois, about how her library transformed internal communication.
The project was a way to strengthen culture, improve workflows, and help every employee, from part-time shelvers to department heads, feel connected.
“This project shined a light on the importance of internal communication. You can’t underestimate it.”
-Nina Kenney
The Problem: A Bigger Building Created Bigger Communication Challenges
When Lake Villa District Library moved into a new 66,000-square-foot building in 2019 — double the size of its previous location — communication became more difficult.
The old building naturally encouraged casual conversations. The new three-floor building meant staff rarely crossed paths, making it much easier for information to stay inside departments.
At about the same time, the library welcomed a new director, launched strategic planning, and created a Learning & Development Coordinator position. That is a lot of information to be shared!
Suddenly, email became the default communication channel for everything. Staff quickly became overwhelmed. It’s no wonder that when the library surveyed employees about their biggest frustration, the answer was clear: Too many emails.
That’s a tough piece of feedback. As library marketers, many of us are tasked with communicating both internally and externally. Half of our job is to make sure all staff have the information they need to do their jobs every day.
So if you can’t send an email every time you need to communicate with staff, what do you do?
The Goal Was About Communication… and So Much More
As the team evaluated intranet platforms, they realized they wanted to:
Reduce email overload
Create a single source of truth and information
Streamline marketing and service requests
Build community across departments
Make part-time staff feel just as connected as full-time employees
That last goal became especially important.
“We really wanted everybody to feel like they were part of the team,” says Nina.
What They Built
Lake Villa eventually settled on a staff hub, which became the “one source of truth” location for staff.
Their staff hub includes:
A personalized dashboard
Marketing request forms with automated tracking
Learning & Development resources
Policy documents
Board packets
Leadership notes
Knowledge base articles
Project workspaces
Team collaboration areas
Staff recognition
Birthdays
Social groups like “What Are You Reading?” and “What Are You Watching?”
One feature Nina especially appreciates is the marketing request tracker. Instead of chasing down emails or worrying about forgotten requests, every project automatically enters a queue.
“I used to miss jobs because requests got buried in email,” laments Nina. “That doesn’t happen anymore.”
Building Community Matters to Staff
So many of us think of internal communication in a very formal, business-like way. I love that Nina’s library took staff communication to the next level, intentionally building spaces where staff could simply connect.
Employees share what they’re reading. They recommend television shows. Birthdays are celebrated. Staff can publicly recognize one another for great work.
Those little interactions help replace the spontaneous conversations that disappeared after moving into a much larger building. And they create a culture that keeps staff feeling engaged, informed, and connected to the library’s overall mission.
Did It Work?
According to Nina, yes! Staff engagement has been strong, although adoption wasn’t immediate.
The team involved employees throughout development, asked them to help name the platform, and even introduced it with a fun “infomercial” during Staff Development Day.
That investment paid off. Today, staff know where to find updates, training, forms, policies, and project information without digging through overflowing inboxes.
A Surprise Takeaway About Email
One insight from our conversation surprised me. Even after building an impressive employee hub, Nina doesn’t think email should disappear.
When I shared that the library where I work sends a daily staff email, I admitted I initially assumed employees would find it overwhelming. Instead, staff told us they appreciate it. Nina wasn’t surprised.
“Say what you will about email, but it does create community. If people don’t feel engaged or they don’t feel they belong, everything else becomes harder.”
-Nina Kenney
That’s an important reminder. Internal communication works best when you choose the mix of tools that works for your staff. And that’s going to be different for every library.
Final thought
If, like me, you are trying to improve internal communication, here are some questions you can ask yourself, according to Nina.
Where do staff naturally look for information?
Are we creating unnecessary email?
Can employees easily find policies and forms?
Are project requests getting lost?
How do we help part-time staff feel included?
Are we creating opportunities for staff to connect with one another?
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When your library promotes a book, what benefit do you usually talk about?
Maybe it will help you learn something new. Build a skill. Expand your knowledge. Improve yourself.
Those are all good reasons to read, but what if we’re missing the reason people actually want books in their lives? We’ll get into it in this episode of The Library Marketing Show.
Plus, see how one Michigan library got a ton of fantastic publicity for two amazing programs.
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
Photo courtesy of Cincinnati & Hamilton Public Library
For years, library staff and library marketers have worried about reaching Generation Z, the generation roughly born between 1997 and 2012. Currently, this group is between the ages of 14 and 29.
We’ve been asking ourselves the same questions (myself included): How do you reach people who have grown up with smartphones? How do you compete with TikTok, YouTube, streaming services, AI, and an endless supply of digital entertainment? Does this generation have attention spans so short that nothing we create will stick with them?
New research suggests we may have been worried about the wrong thing.
A Library Journal analysis of nationwide survey data contains encouraging news. Public library use among Gen Z has increased significantly since 2022, and many of the assumptions we’ve made about young adults simply aren’t true.
This study shows that Gen Z cares deeply about libraries. (Hooray!) They also reveal several opportunities for library staff and library marketers.
Here are the top five takeaways from the analysis.
Gen Z use of libraries is increasing
I think we should print this statistic out and put it in every staff workroom in every library!
67 percent of Gen Z respondents reported visiting a public library in the past year. That’s a dramatic increase from 54 percent just three years earlier.
That’s pretty amazing. Let it soak in for a second.
This is the first generation raised entirely in the digital age. They have instant access to entertainment and information. Yet more than two-thirds are still visiting and using the public library.
Books are still the gateway
One of my favorite findings from the research is that books remain central to the relationship between Gen Z and libraries.
Libraries ranked just behind bookstores but ahead of Amazon(!) as one of the primary ways Gen Z gets books. Librarian recommendations are also increasingly influential, with more than one-third of Gen Z saying they discover books through librarians.
For years, library marketers have felt pressure to market everything except books. But this research reminds us that books are still one of our strongest brand assets. Instead of treating books as “just another service,” we should recognize them as our biggest marketing opportunity.
Every book recommendation, staff pick, reading list, and display becomes a chance to build trust with a young audience actively looking for guidance.
Discovery doesn’t always happen where we think
The study also reinforces something I’ve written about before. People don’t simply wake up and decide to visit the library.
Discovery happens through many different touchpoints. Sometimes it’s BookTok. Sometimes it’s a friend. Sometimes it’s attending one event and falling in love with the library.
Marketing doesn’t create library users overnight. Marketing creates hundreds of small moments of awareness that eventually add up to a visit.
Gen Z users have one thing in common with older generations of library users
The report also uncovered a familiar problem. Even among Gen Z library users, awareness of other services offered by the library besides books remains surprisingly low.
That means the phrase that’s the nemesis of every library marketer, “Wait…the library has that?” may also be uttered by this young generation.
I know this can feel like a marketing failure. But here’s how I look at it: Do you know everything that your local grocery store carries? Probably not! And that’s okay.
You go to the store to buy the things you want or need. And when you want something new or different from your regular order, you likely search by asking an employee or pulling up the store’s app or website.
It’s unrealistic, in my opinion, to expect the public to know all your library’s services. So, let’s work on making the search element as good as possible.
Can folks easily find things on your website or app? Does your staff know about all the things available at your library? (The answer you get from staff might surprise you!)
Gen Z wants authenticity, not perfection
While the survey focused on library use, it aligns with broader trends we’ve seen in digital marketing.
Gen Z responds to authenticity. They value recommendations from real people. They appreciate transparency. They trust creators more than institutions.
Fortunately, libraries have something most brands would love to have: Humans who genuinely love helping others. That’s your competitive advantage.
Instead of relying exclusively on polished graphics and promotional language, show off your staff.
Film a librarian recommending their favorite mystery novel. Record someone unpacking new books. Capture genuine moments during programs. Introduce the faces behind your services.
People connect with people. Libraries just happen to employ a lot of wonderful ones.
What library marketers should do now
Reading this research, it’s clear that to win with this generation, we should double down on what already works.
That means:
Keep marketing books. They’re still one of your strongest draws.
Make librarian expertise visible through videos, blogs, newsletters, and social media.
Look for opportunities to explain your other services and don’t worry if library users can’t name everything you offer.
Show real staff interacting with real patrons.
Remember that one promotional piece rarely changes behavior. Consistent storytelling does.
Final thought
Every generation wants to belong somewhere. Every generation wants recommendations they can trust. Every generation wants spaces that feel welcoming
Marketing is constantly evolving, but human behavior doesn’t change nearly as much as we think.
That’s why I think this study is so encouraging. It reminds us that libraries remain incredibly relevant even to the generation that grew up with the internet in their pocket. And that’s something we can build on.
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I have a small scheduling change to share for Super Library Marketing and The Library Marketing Show.
Over the past few months, I’ve settled into my role as Brand and Communications Director at Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library.
I’m loving the work. But it’s also a big role, and I want to make sure the content I create for you continues to be thoughtful, practical, and worth your time.
So, I’m making one small change. I explain in the video.
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
Photo courtesy Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library
This week, I got to participate in an informal, impromptu awards ceremony for one of my coworkers.
Andy is a quiet, unassuming guy who loves to fish and has worked for the library longer than I have. He’s one of the people who really make a difference at the Library (so much so that we profiled him on the blog!)
The ceremony took place on the Social Stairs, a colorful event and gathering space in the Atrium. Our director read the award nomination in her trademark booming voice (no mic needed), and the customers around us (who likely came in to cool down in the heat or charge their devices, or have a moment of peace) got a chance to hear about how Andy’s work added value to the library.
Libraries are full of stories like that… stories of how lives are changed within its walls. The problem is that we often tell them one at a time, and they don’t relate to one another at all.
Think of how disjointed this might appear to your community⬇️
This week, we’re promoting Summer Reading.
Next week, it’s a job search workshop.
Then a makerspace program.
Then a new branch.
Then a database.
Then an author visit.
No wonder you and your audience are exhausted.
Granted, individually, each promotion makes sense. But collectively, they can make the library feel like a random place where a bunch of unrelated activities take place.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
I’m only four months into this job but… what ifsomeone sees a year of our marketing and never grasps why the library matters?!
That question led me through a messaging exercise that eventually became the foundation for a new communication strategy. In this post, I want to walk through the process.
Step 1: Stop Thinking About Marketing Channels
Most messaging discussions start in the wrong place. Teams start talking about:
Social media
Emails
Billboards
News releases
Videos
None of those things are messaging. They are delivery methods.
Before you decide where a message should appear, you need to decide what you want people to believe. That’s a much harder question!
Step 2: Define the Beliefs You’re Trying to Build
Every marketing message either strengthens public understanding or leaves it unchanged. So start by identifying the beliefs you want your community to hold about the library.
Examples might include:
The library is essential.
The library improves lives.
The library creates opportunity.
The library strengthens communities.
The library deserves support.
These beliefs will be your “north star.” Every future communication will be evaluated against these beliefs.
If a message didn’t help reinforce one of them, you’ll need to ask whether it deserves space in your marketing calendar.
I know that sounds bananas, but you only have so much time in the day. This messaging makes your work matter.
Step 3: Look Beyond Services
Next, make a list of programs, collections, and services. Then ask yourself:
What happens because this service exists?
Not “What is it?” Not “How does it work?”
But why is this service so important? What change does it make?
For example, a storytime isn’t a storytime. It’s an opportunity for early literacy and school readiness.
A job-search class isn’t a class. It’s greater economic stability.
A makerspace isn’t a room full of equipment. It’s skill development and creativity.
This sounds simple, but it dramatically changes how you talk about your library.
Step 4: Search for Common Themes
After examining enough services and outcomes, patterns emerge.
You will begin to notice that the library contributes to the community in several consistent ways. Dozens of seemingly unrelated services begin clustering around a much smaller set of themes.
The details may vary, but the impact is the same.
This step is critical because most organizations have too many messages.
I do not want you to do more work. I do not want you creating more messages. I want you to find the handful of ideas that can connect everything.
Then, brainstorm a phrase that connects the value of those outcomes emotionally. I’m not asking you to find a perfect slogan. But you do need some language that can showcase the impact, simply and clearly, for everything from storytimes and workforce programs to branch renovations and digital access.
Here are some examples you can steal.
Building Stronger Communities.
Where Possibility Begins.
Helping People Thrive.
Opening Doors Every Day.
Connecting People to Possibility.
Turning Curiosity into Opportunity.
Helping Communities Grow.
The Center of Community Life
This part may take a while, because many messages work well for one type of service but become difficult to apply consistently across the entire organization.
A good messaging platform has to work equally well for a child attending storytime, an entrepreneur researching a business idea, a resident borrowing Wi-Fi, or a customer preparing for a job interview.
Step 5: Make It About People
The strongest messaging isn’t about the library. It is about what people accomplish because the library exists.
Libraries often center themselves in their communications. Community members are not as obsessed with us as we are! They’re thinking about their goals. Their challenges. Their children.
They are the center of their universe, not us. (Sorry!)
The most effective messages create a bridge between what the library offers and what people are trying to accomplish.
Step 6: Commit to Repetition
A message doesn’t become powerful because it’s clever. It becomes powerful because people hear it repeatedly, over time, across channels.
Repetition makes your message familiar. People will understand and believe it. They will begin to trust your library because of the consistency. And you’ll change the way the community thinks about your organization!
Final Thought
Libraries often assume they have an awareness problem. I really don’t think that’s the issue.
Most people know the library exists. But what people don’t understand is the role the library plays in helping people learn, work, connect, create, and thrive.
That’s why messaging matters. We can use it to build and shape public belief. We can start making people value the library. And people protect what they value!
Subscribe to this blog, and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the “Follow” button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:
As libraries create more content on Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, many marketers are asking the same question: How will new ADA accessibility requirements affect short-form video?
It’s an important question, and one that goes beyond simply adding captions.
In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I answer a viewer’s question and explore what these accessibility requirements could mean for your video strategy, along with practical steps your library can take now.
Plus, kudos go to a library that has won multiple awards for its marketing!
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
I had a very different email planned for you today. I’d recorded and edited a video explaining how libraries could change a setting on Instagram to help protect photos of patrons and community members from being used by Meta’s new AI image feature.
Then Meta reversed course. (!!)
Just days after launching the feature, and following widespread criticism from users, creators, privacy advocates, and libraries, Meta announced it was removing the feature entirely.
That means the advice in the video is no longer relevant, so rather than publish outdated information, I decided to scrap the episode and give you a quick written update instead.
What happened?
Last week, Meta introduced a feature that allowed people to generate AI images by pulling images from public Instagram accounts. The feature immediately raised concerns because it relied on an opt-out model rather than asking people for permission first.
Within days, Meta announced that the feature “missed the mark” and removed it.
What does this mean for libraries?
For now, you don’t need to make the Instagram profile changes I was planning to recommend in this week’s episode because the specific feature has been withdrawn.
But I don’t think this story is over.
If there’s one lesson for library marketers, it’s this:
Social media platforms are changing rapidly, especially when it comes to AI.
Features can appear with little warning, disappear just as quickly, and affect how we manage photos of our patrons and communities.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to:
Regularly review your library’s social media privacy and account settings.
Stay informed about platform updates that could affect patron privacy.
Be prepared to adapt your social media practices as new AI features are introduced.
One encouraging takeaway
There’s another lesson here that’s worth celebrating.
Many people felt this feature crossed an important line. They spoke up, and Meta responded by removing the feature.
It’s a reminder that feedback still matters. (I am as shocked as you, but we’ll take the win!)
As library marketers, we’re often helping our communities navigate new technologies. Sometimes that means explaining new tools. Other times, it means asking thoughtful questions about privacy, consent, and trust.
This week, those questions made a difference.
I’ll keep watching this space, and if Meta or any other platform introduces similar AI features in the future, I’ll be sure to share what libraries need to know.
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
Super Library Marketing: Practical Tips and Ideas for Library Promotion 