Key Takeaways:

1. Local business partnerships drive library engagement: By collaborating with local businesses during Library Card Sign-up Month, St. Johns County Public Library expanded its reach and boosted card sign-ups, proving that community-driven campaigns can significantly increase library visibility and impact.
2. Simple tools and clear communication fuel success: The library’s use of a streamlined online sign-up form, ready-to-use promotional materials, and consistent email updates made it easy for businesses to participate and promote the initiative.
3. It led to year-round advocacy from partners: What began as a one-month campaign evolved into a lasting network of support.

Alex Barr and Hana Tucker grew up in Florida, about 55 miles from one another.

“One of my favorite places was the library,” recalls Alex. “I have so many fond memories of going there with my mom, then wandering over to the used bookstores on Beach Street to see what treasures we could find. Those visits really shaped my love of libraries and books from an early age.”

“In middle school, I joined the Turtle Patrol through the library with my mother, and it turned out to be a lot of fun,” says Hana. “That experience wouldn’t have been possible without the library.

Now, both women work at St. Johns County Public Library. Alex as Community Engagement Coordinator and Hana as Marketing Coordinator. The duo manages partnerships, campaigns, print promotions, digital marketing, and more. Along with a third coworker, they form the Marketing and Engagement Department at the library, helping with promotions at six branches and two bookmobiles.

“We’re a very community-driven organization, and I believe all of us genuinely see our community members as partners,” says Alex.

I reached out to Alex and Hana because of their unique approach to Library Card Sign-up Month. They go a step beyond the usual “sign up for a library card” campaign and get local businesses to throw their support behind the library by offering discounts to library card holders all month.

Alex and Hana confess they got the idea from the North Little Rock Library System in Arkansas, which helped them figure out the logistics of the campaign before they tried it for the first time in 2024. 

“It took us a little over two months to bring in all of the participating businesses for this year’s Community Connections,” explains Alex.

“Our approach was straightforward: we reached out by email, phone calls, and in-person visits, and we leaned on relationships our staff already had with local business owners. We also made it as easy as possible to sign up by creating a simple online form.”  

“It also creates a win-win. Our cardholders discover great local spots, and businesses get extra visibility. It’s about extending the library experience beyond our buildings and into everyday life.”

The campaign took a lot of coordination. Hana laid out the full plan, channel by channel:

1. Social Media: “We focused heavily on social media, especially Facebook and Instagram, because we knew that is where much of our audience already spends time. We highlighted both the value of a library card and the benefit of supporting local businesses through Community Connections.”
2. Ads: “To build awareness, we launched a month-long ad campaign and distributed printed flyers to participating businesses and community organizations. We also used Peachjar to reach families directly by sending digital flyers to parents of Pre-K through 5th-grade students across the county.”
3. Local media: “We sent out two press releases in partnership with our Office of Public Affairs team. One encouraged businesses to join the Community Connections program, and the other, during Library Card Sign-Up Month, highlighted the campaign and featured our partners.”
4. New cardholders: We also created a welcome campaign for new library cardholders, which included a full list of participating businesses as a thank-you and an incentive to explore their community.”
5. Local officials: “We held a proclamation ceremony and shared updates with our local officials to amplify awareness and community pride.”

Hana says that to keep communication smooth and consistent with their many business partners, she and Alex send regular email updates with key dates, promotional materials the partners can share, and reminders about ways to get involved. Many of the businesses also helped spread the word through their own social media and storefront signage.

The library proved you can build momentum with a campaign like this, year over year. In the first year, the library had 34 businesses on board. This year, that number doubled to 68 businesses. The library also saw an 8.5 percent increase in card sign-ups over the first year of the campaign.

“From the first year to this year, the main change was confidence,” reflects Alex. “In year one, we were pitching a brand-new idea and asking businesses to take a chance. This year, we could point to the success of the program, share the number of partners from last year, and show how much visibility participating businesses received. That made the ‘ask’ more compelling and helped the program grow.

“We also noticed that the businesses were much more engaged this year. One of the big differences was that we created a digital folder with ready-to-use social media images and sample copy. That simple resource made it easier for businesses to spread the word, and we saw them sharing and promoting the partnership more actively than before.”

But great campaign success is measured in more than just concrete numbers. Hana says they used several success measures when reflecting on the success of the campaign, including feedback from businesses and patrons.

For example, a local ice cream company said, “We are thrilled to partner with the St. Johns County Library and to tap into the creativity of their incredible staff! Just like books spark joy and imagination, we can’t wait to bring their flavor ideas to life with an ice cream collaboration the entire community can celebrate and enjoy!”

If you’re thinking this might be something you want to do next year for Library Card Signup Month, Alex advises you keep the process simple for the businesses that partner with you.

“A short online form and clear instructions go a long way,” says Alex. “Also, don’t be afraid to make the ask! Many businesses are excited for opportunities to connect with the community; they just need to know how.”

“The program has deepened our relationships with local businesses. It’s not just about September anymore. Many of them have told us they feel more connected to the library and want to partner in other ways throughout the year. That kind of ongoing engagement is exactly what we hoped for.”

“This initiative has created a network and year-round advocacy for both the library and local businesses to support each other,” adds Hana.

And if they could do anything differently? “It would be to set earlier deadlines for print materials and communicate those clearly from the start,” confesses Alex. “Last-minute details are always tricky to manage. But overall, the program works because it’s a true win-win: libraries promote local businesses, and businesses help celebrate the power of a library card.”

Need more inspiration?

Here’s a 12 Month Promotional Campaign Plan To Skyrocket Database Usage at Your Library

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