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Your Website is the MOST Important Gateway to Your Library Right Now. Here Are Eleven Quick Design Tweaks to Make It Amazing.

Photo courtesy Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

Your library website is getting quite the workout right now. In fact, during this pandemic, your website is the most important connection between your patrons and your services. It’s your digital doorway. It’s your news center. It’s a promotional tool. So, it needs to be welcoming and easy to navigate.

When the pandemic is finally over, your website will still be your most valuable digital asset. In fact, the design and layout of your library website is critical to your library’s ongoing success. Bad web design will make your library look outdated and inefficient. Good web design will keep people coming back. (Scroll down to see some examples of great library websites.)

You don’t have to completely overhaul your website to improve the user experience. There are 11 easy ways to improve your website.

First, you need to enlist the help of people who actually use your website.

Get input from patrons

Create a small focus group. You can do this remotely. Ask for patrons to join your focus group by email or on social media. Set up an email box where they can submit their request to join. Ask them to include their age, their comfort level with technology, and their need for accessible website features. This will ensure you have a well-rounded sample of patrons from different age and ability groups. Choose a larger sample than you will need, keeping in mind that there will be people who will want to join the focus group but won’t complete your feedback survey.

Once you have decided which patrons will be part of your focus group, create your feedback survey using a free platform like Survey Monkey or using a Google Form. Ask your focus group to take a close look at your website and answer these six questions:

  • What is the first thing your eye is drawn to?
  • How easy was it to find the items you want most at the library?
  • Does our current color scheme to draw attention to important services or detract from your experience?
  • Do the images we use cause you to feel any certain emotions? Do they make you want to use our services?
  • Do our web pages feel crowded or do they contain the right amount of information?
  • Can you easily read the text on our website?

Once you compile their feedback, you’ll have a clear picture of what changes you’ll need to make to ensure people keep using your website. And you’ll be ready to make your first six tweaks.

Create a focal point. Identify your library’s number one priority. Make that the first thing people notice when they log onto your site.

Identify the landing pages your patrons most frequently visit on your site. Put links to those pages in the header navigation bar or in a layout that makes it easy for your patrons to find.

Adjust colors to make sure patrons can find what they need. Make sure your website color palette is in line with your brand.

Adjust the images on your website. Do a diversity audit to make sure the images you use accurately represent your community. Look for images that evoke positive emotions like joy or surprise.

Reduce the amount of text, particularly on your homepage. If a service requires a longer explanation, direct patrons to a service landing page with more information.

Increase the font size on your homepage and make sure the font and the colors are accessible. I use this website to check color contrast for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. And here is the Bureau of Internet Accessibility’s guide to picking an accessible web font.

Five more ways to optimize your library website

Prominently feature your e-newsletter opt-in and social network icons. Email and social media play a critical role in engaging your library patrons. Make sure your community can easily find how to connect with you.

Use easy language. Are you using a lot of library jargon or professional terms on your website? One word can make a huge difference. For example, a simple change from “periodicals” to “magazines” may help many people to find your downloadable magazine collection, which will increase circulation and engagement. So take the time to evaluate what you call things on your website.

Make a landing page for each of your services.  Many visitors will not see your home page. They’ll come to your website straight from a Google search or a link you provide on social media or in an e-newsletter. So group your services and create landing pages for each category, like workforce development or educational help.

If you do a good job with your landing pages, you’ll increase the chances that your library will be found in Google search. You’ll also increase the chances that a patron searching for services will find exactly what they need quickly. That’s good customer service! And as you create those landing pages, consider this next step.

Have a domain strategy. A good URL structure is short and includes a target phrase. For example, my former employer, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County,  created a page for their summer reading program, CincinnatiLibrary.org/Summer. This URL makes promotion easy (people can remember that URL when they see it on print materials or digital signs) and ensures the site is search engine friendly.

Get rid of all your dead-end pages. Make sure that every page leads to an action that takes a cardholder to another page. This increases the chances that someone will spend more time and take more actions on your website.

Great examples of library websites

Saint Paul Public Library: The colorful, clear images and simple text make navigation easy. Notice they’ve placed the things most library lovers search for–catalog, events, and the calendar-right at the top. I love that their FAQs are right on the homepage.

Clinton Macomb Public Library: A great example of how to position your social media icons in a prominent location on your homepage.

Prince George’s County Memorial Library: Icons draw the eye to key areas. Their most important service areas are filed like cards on the homepage, making it easy for users to find exactly what they need.

Ann Arbor District Library: A modern design with friendly, casual language and easy-to-spot newsletter signups and social media icons.

Kalamazoo Public Library: Their community clearly values the collection, and Kalamazoo has put the best titles in all formats front and center on their website.

Qatar National Library: This library’s website reminds me of Pinterest, with their top features displayed in easy-to-navigate squares. Their use of images is top-notch.

You might also find these posts helpful

How Your Library Can Use Google Ad Grants to Supercharge Your Website and Reach a Huge Untapped Audience

Four Instant Ways to Improve the Most Valuable Page on Your Library Website

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2

Why Libraries Lost HUGE Parts of Their Patron Base During the Pandemic and How to Fix It

WATCH NOW

The Library Marketing Show, Episode 53.

Angela issues a call to action to libraries to join in the movement to create a new utility… one that will ensure everyone in your community truly has access to library.

Also Kudos to the Nashville Public Library for their incredibly creative curbside video. You just have to watch it!  Nominate someone to receive kudos by commenting below or on SuperLibraryMarketing.com.

What did you think of this episode? Are you struggling with marketing and promotion right now? Do you have an episode suggestion? Let me know in the comments.

And subscribe to this series on YouTube to get a new video tip for libraries each week! Thanks for watching.

1

Four Important Project Management Lessons You’ll Need to Survive the Next Year of Library Work

Photo Courtesy the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

I’ll never forget the day.

It was hot and bright, the sun warm enough to leave no doubt that summer was here but not hot enough to melt the makeup clear off your face. I had been back from vacation for about a week. School was out. I had time to enjoy long walks and read.

My husband came to me with a look of curiosity on his face. He had just received an email from the school district superintendent. She asked if we would lead the school’s bond issue campaign.

“She knows we have no political experience, right?” I said.

“Yes,” replied my husband. “But she also knows we’re both in marketing and actively involved in the school. Anyway, I can’t do it. I’m too busy. Can you do it?”

“Okay,” I said. “How hard can it be?”

If you are laughing so hard right now that you are at risk of falling out of your chair, I wouldn’t blame you. I have always been naive. But never more so than in that moment.

I had absolutely no idea how to run a campaign. I only knew that, as long as we had lived in our school district (22 years), we had talked about the day when the district would finally build new schools. They are desperately needed. Our buildings are between 50 and 90 years old and lack the technological capabilities for today’s students.

And that’s how I landed myself the hardest, most stressful, most rewarding, most frustrating volunteer role I’ve ever had. My husband did end up helping me. And the bond issue did pass, with 70 percent of our community voting “yes”.

It’s been one year since I took on this monumental task. I learned a great deal about project management while I was campaign chair. And the other day, I was reflecting on those lessons as I considered the stress libraries are under to reopen or provide service to their communities amid a pandemic.

It’s very clear, in every conversation I have with library staff across the world, that we are in a workplace crisis. Staff are overworked. They don’t feel safe. They worry about budget cuts. They worry about furloughs. They worry about catching COVID-19. They can’t enjoy reading. They feel separated from their peers.

Administrators are suffering too. They are trying to make decisions with incomplete information. They can’t make anyone happy with their decisions. They’re trying to balance the needs of the community and staff. They’re under pressure from donors and lawmakers.

I want to help. So, I’m sharing the four big project management lessons I learned while doing the hardest job I’ve ever had.

You can only do what you can do.

If you lead a project for your library, like a COVID-19 related reopening, or the launch of a new service, this is the most important thing I want you to remember. You are only human. You cannot do all the things, no matter how energetic you are.

There are only so many hours in the day. Give yourself and your coworkers the grace to accept that, in most cases, it’s impossible to accomplish everything by the time your deadline approaches.

I had to repeat this to myself when it came to the canvassing portion of the bond campaign. We had a list of 3000 houses we wanted to canvass. But we were unable to recruit anywhere near the number of volunteers needed to get to that many houses.

I had to make hard choices. I had to prioritize my list and send my volunteers to the neighborhoods where I thought they could do the most good. I set aside a few hours every week to canvass myself. And I had to let the rest go.  It wasn’t easy. But I had to do that to preserve my own sanity.

You can drive yourself to madness thinking about all the things you can’t accomplish. Focus on what you can do. Make a list of tasks that you’ll need to complete to reach your goal. Then, prioritize them. If something doesn’t get finished, no one will die.

People have phases of enthusiasm. Use them to your advantage.

When you’re working with a team, you’ll notice that there will be some people who are willing to dive right in and tackle jobs as soon as the project is announced. Later, they may tire out. Others will pick up the mantle halfway through the project. And still others will jump on your project train as you near the finish line. You need all these people and their varying levels of energy to finish your project.

There was a woman who came to all the campaign meetings starting in July. She never volunteered. She sat quietly in the back, asked a few questions, but mostly seemed to be observing. While everyone else was signing up right away to head up subcommittees and tackle tasks, she did not offer her time. I was annoyed.

And then, in early September, she signed up to do a very easy task. She was clearly not enthusiastic about it. I did not harbor any grand notions that she would turn out to be a super volunteer.

Boy was I wrong. Once she completed her first task, she started volunteering to do the work no one else wanted to do. And before I knew it, she was an unstoppable volunteer. She cheered on other campaign volunteers. She advocated for the bond issue everywhere she went. I truly believe her work played a significant role in the bond issue’s passage.

Don’t begrudge people for joining your project even when it looks like they just waited until the last minute. People have different levels of talents, abilities, and comfort with team interaction. You’ll get more work done and reach your goals if you graciously accept help at all stages of your project.

The middle portion of any project is the hardest.

The weeks from the beginning of September to mid-October in the campaign were torture. I ran into so many hurdles. Time seemed to move so slowly. Nothing was going the way I had planned. The whole campaign team was getting tired.

This is totally normal. It happens with every big project I’ve done, from new email onboarding campaigns to putting together my library’s quarterly content marketing magazine. The transition from planning to completing project tasks is always a slog. Expect that it will happen and devise strategies ahead of time for how you’ll deal with it. Then, keep your eye on the prize. The hard part won’t last forever.

Set boundaries for yourself.

I had one big, unbreakable rule during the campaign. I did not, under any circumstances, look at my email or phone after 9 p.m. This helped ensure that I could take one hour at the end of the night to unwind. It minimized the amount of sleep I lost.

You will have to decide what boundaries to set for yourself, but you must set some. You cannot be open and available for work 24 hours a day. It’s not healthy for you or your organization.

Set your ground rules and stick to them. Encourage your fellow team members to set boundaries as well and lead by example in respecting them. You’ll be a more productive library employee.

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Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, click on the “Follow” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the page. Connect with me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

2

Five Relevant Library Marketing Lessons Learned at the American Library Association Annual Conference (#ALAVirtual20)

Photo Courtesy Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

At my former job at a large metropolitan public library, there was an unspoken rule when it came to library conferences. Librarians got first dibs on training money to attend. I thought that was totally fair. But I also found myself suffering from a serious case of envy every time I saw my coworkers headed to the airport for the American Library Association Annual (ALA) Conference, the Public Library Association (PLA) Conference, or our state library convention.

When I took my new job at NoveList earlier this year, one of the perks was knowing I would see my library friends again at these conferences. I would finally get to attend. I’d be one of the crowd! I’d be in on the action!

Alas, it was not meant to be (thanks, Coronavirus). So, my first ALA Annual turned out to be virtual. That had some advantages. On-demand video meant I could jam more sessions into a day. I could pause sessions to get a drink or take a bathroom break. I could leave sessions if I wanted to without worrying about embarrassing the panelists. And I could attend in my outdoor workspace.

It had some disadvantages too. I got more exhausted than normal. And boy, did I miss the personal interaction with librarians and library staff.

I did end up learning a lot. Here are my key library marketing takeaways from three days of sessions.

Good internal communication reduces workload and duplication of work.

We could all do with a little more internal communication and a less work. In the session Happy Together: Collaboration and Communication between IT and Technical Services, staff from the University of Washington Libraries shared the ways in which a concentrated effort on improving staff communications made their workday easier.

Good internal communication helped them to be less reactionary and more proactive. They were able to put the focus back on the customer, rather than always thinking about how the work was affecting staff.  They found it easier to remember why they wanted to work in a library and to stay excited and positive about their jobs. They felt more empathy for each other, which improved relationships between departments.

The panelists encouraged attendees to focus on their library’s strategic plan to find common ground with coworkers in different departments. They designated a “gatekeeper” or “key contact” for each department, so everyone would know who to go to if they had a question or suggestion.

Key quote: “Remember we are all on the same team even with different deadlines and project objectives.” 

Smart libraries use messaging to advocate for more funding.

Most library staff are under the presumption that the public knows their library is essential. They do not. And past perceptions of the library are a real hurdle. People imagine the library as it was 20 or 30 years ago and have no concept of how much it has changed. 

In the session, Advocating for your Library: The E’s of Libraries and Collecting Stories, Alan Fisher told attendees to use messaging to address those hurdles. He encouraged us to message around activities your supporters will want to fund like story times, meals for kids, and literacy programs. He also told attendees to be intentional about using common language so supporters can understand your message. Finally, he says libraries must make their message memorable.

Key quote: “Use messaging that affectively addresses the hurdles so people can understand that we are essential. Don’t say everything you want to say… say what THEY need to hear.”  

Libraries must share the monetary value of author events with publishers. 

Author events at libraries drive book sales. But publishers have no idea that we are helping them make money.

In the session, How to Measure the Value of Library Marketing on Book Sales and Discovery, Guy Gonzalez said most libraries work with authors, not publishers, to schedule events. As a result,  publishers are often unaware of library event’s positive impact on sales. The people who attend author events at their library are library borrowers who often also become book buyers. So, events are a unique marketing opportunity for the publisher.

Gonzalez encouraged libraries to track, measure, and communicate their full impact on book sales back to publishers. He encouraged attendees to develop a media kit that defines the audience of the event, and the actual monetary value of promotional platforms like email, social media, and press coverage. Once the event is over, send that data to the publisher directly. 

Key quote: “Author events are hyper-targeted with deep engagement. Don’t undervalue how much you provide.”

Library marketing must elevate ideas that can improve our society, not around ideology, but around purpose.

In the Presidential program, politician and author Stacey Abrams gave a remarkable and inspiring interview that covered voter suppression, the census, and the role of libraries in helping disenfranchised communities.

Abrams urged the audience to remember that libraries are essential because they are a trusted source of information. She said that libraries are a microcosm of America and are perfectly positioned to address the inequities that persist in the rest of society.

She also asked libraries to be intentional about placing themselves in the same space and in communion with those who need them the most. Finally, Abrams called on the library industry to name the barriers to diversity, to call them out, and to build strategies to overcome them.

The daughter of a librarian, Abrams slept in the stacks of the college library where her mother worked and often got in trouble with the librarians for checking out too many books! She shared the books she’s currently reading: Evicted by Matthew Desmond and Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James.

Key quote: “Advertise yourself. We take libraries for granted. We know they exist, but we rarely think about them.” 

Virtual story times may or may not violate copyright laws.

I attended the session, Trouble in Paradise: Are you violating copyright by using social media read alouds? hoping for clarification for my library clients. What I got was more confused, at no fault of the presenters. They did an excellent job laying out the many intepretations of copyright law.

Many publishers gave libraries permission to read their titles aloud at the beginning of the pandemic. That grace period ends tomorrow, June 30.

To help you decide what to do once that deadline passes, I suggest reading these two articles recommended by the session presenters: Online Story Time & Coronavirus: It’s Fair Use, Folks and Do Online Storytimes Violate Copyright?

The presenters suggested you post your virtual story time on YouTube but make the recording private. Your library can send a link to view the video to patrons, making it more a “classroom-type” setting which is not in violation of copyright. They also suggested adding a graphic to your virtual story times to warn viewers not to share or download and store your virtual story time.

Finally, the presenters asked attendees to remember that authors make their living from publishing books. Broadcasting the reading of a book, especially a picture book, is essentially giving the book away.

Key quote: “Fair use is not used to try and get around something. It’s in the law and it’s a right of users.”

You Might Also Find These Articles Helpful

Worries in the Library World: Here are Answers to Your Four Biggest Library Marketing Concerns Right Now!

How to Tackle Library Signage in a Pandemic and Make Visitors Feel Comfortable With Your New Rules

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1

Worries in the Library World: Here are Answers to Your Four Biggest Library Marketing Concerns Right Now!

Photo Courtesy Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

A few weeks ago, a good number of you were kind enough to respond to this question, “What is your biggest library marketing concern right now?” As you can imagine, many of those worries are not all marketing related. In fact, as the responses came in, I realized they all fell into one of four categories: delivering a clear message about reopening and new safety precautions, keeping everyone safe, dealing with angry patrons, and communicating the library’s value.

I decided to research resources to help library staff tackle each of these concerns. I also mixed in a little of my own advice, gathered from my experience as a former public library staff member and my current work consulting with library staff.

I’d also love to hear your tips for dealing with these four concerns. If you have advice to add for your fellow library staffers, please share it in the post comments.

Clear messaging 

Libraries are struggling to make sure everyone understands the new expectations for library service. Many libraries have fragmented social media accounts, with different branches or departments running their own Facebook pages and Instagram feeds. That makes the job twice as difficult.

Messaging is the most important job for libraries right now. Before anyone posts anything on social media, you must do one thing: Create a core set of talking points. Commit to repeating them on every promotional platform. 

Write posts word-for-word and send them to any staff handling social media accounts. Tell them to copy and paste the message into their pages to maintain consistent wording and calls to action. 

You’ll also want to use your core messages on signage, in emails, and in your videos. If you do live virtual events, ask staff to repeat the message before they go into their main program.

It’s going to seem redundant to staff. But a consistently repeated messaging campaign works. Remember, research tells us that people need to hear a message seven times in order to remember it and take action. 

And a consistent and clear message now will have long-range benefits for your library. It will reduce frustration and anger from patrons. And it will position your library as a strong yet calm institution with a plan to provide the best library service possible while keeping everyone safe. People will remember the way your library handled this crisis when it comes time to ask for funding later.

Keeping everyone safe

Health and library organizations have worked tirelessly to create guides for reopening. Some of my favorites are The Safe Work Playbook from the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, the Reopening and Working Safely Guide from the Idaho Commission for Libraries, and the Service Recovery Checklist from the Australian Library and Information Association. There is also guidance available in this article from Library Journal. 

If your managers haven’t communicated their plans for keeping you safe, now is the time to ask. If it’s your job to figure out the new protocols, first check your local health authorities for their mandates. Your library will need to follow those rules. Next, check with you state library association for guidelines. Many library consortiums are also putting together suggestions and holding virtual meetups to talk about the best practices for library reopening and safety. 

Dealing with angry patrons

This may be the most frequently expressed fear among library staff. A recent episode of the Library Marketing Show centered on this topic: Tips for Dealing With Angry Patrons When Your Library Reopens. I also recommend this webinar from RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Library System) and this recent article from American Libraries magazine. Scroll down to the second half, which is all about libraries are dealing with staff anxiety.

Proving the library’s value

While you are knee-deep in reopening plans, there is another messaging mission your library must now champion with fervor. You must make sure the public and local lawmakers realize how valuable you are.

The pandemic has taken a toll on the economy. We may not be able to grasp the full extent of it now, but it will surely affect libraries, to the detriment of our communities. Messaging that emphasizes the value of the library is vital to our survival as an industry.

You must make sure the public knows how hard your staff was working while the building was closed. Did you help people file for unemployment? Did you help parents with remote learning? Did you help small business secure PPP loans to pay their workers?  Did you provide comfort and distraction to communities on lockdown?

Tell people what you did. Emphasize the ways your library helped with the economic recovery and the mental well-being of your community. Talk about how quickly you pivoted to online services and how your audience responded.

We must start letting people know about all the fantastic things we do when we are physically reopened. We must work a value-oriented message into everything we put out into the world. We must repeat these messages, over and over again, to drive home the point.

Libraries are too humble about their work. It’s a virtue that may lead to our downfall.

For more inspiration, read this post: Marketing is Not a Dirty Word! Why Libraries Need to Promote Themselves Now, More Than Ever

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1

How to Tackle Library Signage in a Pandemic and Make Visitors Feel Comfortable With Your New Rules

Photo Courtesy Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

Has your library physically reopened?

I am collecting the reopening experiences of library staff members of all levels. Whether your library is now doing curbside or drive-thru service, books by mail or in-person interactions, how are you, your coworkers, your supervisors, and your patrons handling new reopening restrictions? All comments are anonymous. I may use your comments in a future episode of the Library Marketing Show or a future blog post. Thank you in advance.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

When the pandemic forced libraries around the world to close their physical buildings, there was one major library marketing tactic that instantly became obsolete… signage. Suddenly, all the effort we put into the size of the sign, its design, and its placement vanished.

In my days working at a public library, signage was the most common marketing request from my fellow library staffers. It was a big deal. Everyone wanted a sign or a poster for their program. They wanted to put their sign in as many locations as possible.

When COVID-19 forced libraries to close, library marketing abruptly shifted to digital tactics. But now, as libraries move toward reopening, the debate over signage has returned to professional groups and library staff discussions. Signage is now crucial for communicating new rules about mask-wearing, social distancing, and time limits within physical library spaces.

In the old days, I would have encouraged staff to use less signage and do more talking with patrons. That’s not possible right now.

But we can still think strategically about how we place our signage, how it is designed, and how much of it we use. Here are some tips for planning your signage as your library moves toward reopening physical spaces.

Place the most important signs at the entrance, along with a staff member. My favorite neighborhood grocery store is small, like many library branches. I’ve been studying their signage and customer service model during the pandemic, and I think it is easily transferable to the library world.

The grocery store has a sign at the entrance informing patrons they must wear a mask and maintain social distance. They also have one masked staff member who stands six feet from the door, rain, or shine. This staff member points out the sign and ask the customer if they have any questions.

It’s incredibly simple but effective. It gives customers a chance to ask questions in a safer location–the exterior, where there is better ventilation and where it is easier to practice social distancing. It reduces staff interaction inside the store. Libraries might consider following this model to ensure that everyone entering the branch understands the expectations.

Map out your visitor’s journey through your branch. You’ll want to make it easy for people to understand how to get to your key service points while following the new social distancing rules. To do that, draw a bird’s eye view of your space. Then map out how you want people to move.

Walk the path yourself several times, noting where you need to put signs to maintain traffic flow. At each sign location, note how much space you have to work with and the color of the surface background. Do you need posters? Do you need laminated signs? Will you need plexiglass holders? Will you need double-sided tape? Then gather your supplies, make your signs, and place signage to facilitate a smooth flow of traffic.

Keep the map and the signage plan in a location where all staff can access it, so anyone can replace a sign when needed.

Create signs to make first-time visitors feel more at ease. Though the new rules may seem clear to you, or even to regular patrons, don’t underestimate the confusion your first-time visitors may experience. Some people will be unfamiliar with where to go or what to do when they arrive at your branch. Simple instructions such as, “Check out this way” or “Return Books Here” can make the difference between smooth traffic flow and potential bottlenecks.

Use color coding. Maybe you already have a color-coding system that your customers are familiar with. Use those colors as part of your new reopening signage to make your visitors feel at home in your library. Color coding of signage can be especially helpful in libraries with many departments and several floors of service.

If you don’t use color coding, pick a universally familiar scheme like red, yellow, and green to create a sense of direction within your branch. Use consistent color-coded signage from the entrance of your branch right through to the checkout to keep the flow of patrons going and minimize questions.

Use icons. Icons are common symbols that everyone can understand. Use icons with your text-based signage to make the new rules easy to interpret for everyone.

Use your digital signage. Libraries often use their digital signs to promote programs and collections. But you can also use those displays to communicate your new reopening restrictions.

Digital signage might also be used to encourage people to use an alternative service method like a drive-thru at a nearby branch. Post your new open and closing hours or updated information about the wait time to use a computer on your digital signage.

Don’t forget to use digital signage to help visitors understand the value of your library. A slide that demonstrates the online services your library provided during the pandemic will help your visitors to understand that your library staff was working even when your building was closed.

Be flexible. You may have done all your homework and put together an amazing signage plan. But it’s hard to predict every situation. None of us know exactly how people will interpret your signage until they enter your branch. Be ready to make changes to your plan to solve customer flow problems.

Related Help

Tips for Dealing With Angry Patrons When Your Library Reopens

Seven Cheap and Clever Ways to Bridge the Digital Divide and Promote Your Library to People Who Don’t Have Internet Access

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Have a topic suggestion for Super Library Marketing?

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, click on the “Follow” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the page. Connect with me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  

 

3

Tips for Dealing With Angry Patrons When Your Library Reopens

Watch Now

The Library Marketing Show, Episode 49

Angela addresses a serious subject. As libraries reopen their physical buildings, library staff members are worried about dealing with patrons who are upset. Angela offers some tips for dealing with patrons who are having trouble accepting the new rules and regulations. She also has a special message for library managers-PLEASE WATCH!

Do you have more tips to share with your fellow library staffers? Please add your suggestions in the comments.

Also Kudos to Poudre River Public Library District. They have a fun and innovated curbside service for kids called Bag ‘O Books. 

What did you think of this episode? Are you struggling with marketing and promotion right now? Do you have a nominee for the Kudos segment? Drop a comment below!

And subscribe to this series to get a new video tip for libraries each week! Thanks for watching.

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Seven Cheap and Clever Ways to Bridge the Digital Divide and Promote Your Library to People Who Don’t Have Internet Access

 

If I had a nickel for every time I was asked, how do we promote our library to people who don’t have internet access or who choose to live offline?, I’d be a rich woman.

This problem has always plagued libraries. By nature, our services are needed most by those who struggle with economic disadvantage. And it’s a huge concern of many librarians right now. Some libraries in the United States are reopening their physical buildings and returning to services involving in-person interaction with patrons, like curbside pickup or drive-thru windows. But there seems to be no way to make sure our offline community members know we have returned to service.

I’ve always been a fan of digital marketing because it’s targeted, effective, and easy. The problem of reaching people who don’t have access to Wi-Fi and will never see those messages has always bothered me.

What’s a library to do?

I decided to stop letting it bother me. It’s time to solve the problem. 

Prepping for promotion

First, concentrate on your core message. If you only had 10 seconds to tell someone about your library’s reopening, what would you say? Boil your message down to the most important points. Then create a few, highly focused and easy-to-deliver print pieces to carry that message. Good choices are a bookmark, a quarter-sheet flier, and a postcard. These will be your library’s main promotional vehicles for non-digital marketing efforts.

Second, adopt an outreach attitude. Many libraries are hesitant to market themselves. They worry they are intruding. They don’t want to seem pushy or salesy. They are convinced their promotional efforts will be viewed as “spam”.

You are not spam. You are not intruding. You are not selling a product. You are promoting a service that is free and necessary. 

Your community is already paying for library services in some form or fashion. They need to know what they’re paying for. They need to know how you can help them. They are grateful to learn how to access the services they are funding.

It’s more important than ever to promote your library. We need to make sure, at the very least, that our community understands what we do and why our work is important. So, make a commitment to banish humility! Don’t be timid!

Now, here are seven relatively cheap, yet clever ideas for promoting your library. And they all have nothing to do with the internet.

Non-digital promotional tactics

Mail your postcard. If you have the budget, now is a good time to try mailing your postcard to people in your community. Start with your patrons. And if you have leftover money, a mailing house can help your library secure addresses for people who are not patrons.

In some U.S. states, your library can request a list of voter addresses from the Board of Elections for free. You can reach people who aren’t library patrons but who are registered voters, legally and cheaply.  

Canvass. Adapt this political campaign strategy for library awareness! Distribute your printed piece door-to-door.

Now, I know it’s time-consuming but it’s also effective. In my former job at a large metropolitan library, our outreach librarians went to apartment complexes and hung door hangers with information about the library. Door hangers are relatively cheap. If you can’t spring for them,  slip your postcard into screen doors. This is a great job for libraries looking for ways to keep their staff busy. And, of course, you will reach people who have forgotten the library or who have never interacted with the library.

Buy a print ad. Many newspapers will give your library a discount on ad space. Try to use your limited space to the full advantage. Use a catchy graphic to draw the eye.

Put your partnerships with local businesses and other non-profit organizations to use. Ask partner organizations to distribute a bookmark or some other kind of small print promotional piece to their visitors. Ask local businesses, like restaurants, to include a small promotional piece in their takeout bags. Ask local realtors and rental agencies to give your promotional piece to prospective homeowners or new renters. Give some of your print pieces to day care providers, teachers, summer camps, and recreational centers. Seek the help of any business or organization with a physical location that is open in some capacity and ask them to distribute your material to people who use their services.

Place signs outside your building. A banner in your front yard or a sidewalk sign can help spread the word to people in the neighborhood. There are lots of online stores that will sell you weather-proof signage for a reasonably cheap price.

Pitch to the media. Despite what you may see on the news right now, journalists are always looking for good news stories. And your library offering services is good news. Try pitching to individual reporters. Keep THEIR audience in mind and make sure you point out how a story about your library will be beneficial to their audience.

And be helpful. If they need photos but can’t make it over to your branch, offer to provide some. Have staff members who are comfortable on camera at the ready to deliver soundbites to local TV news crews. You might even offer to write a piece for your community paper. Free press is a great form of marketing.

Call patrons. I spoke to some librarians this week who called people to let them know that their library had reopened. They clearly identified themselves at the beginning of the call and asked permission to proceed with the call. If the receiver said “yes”, the library staffer proceeded to relay the information about their library’s new hours and service requirements and asked the receiver if they had any questions. Like canvassing, this is a time-consuming tactic, but it may be necessary in a community without internet access.

Related Help

Email vs. Social Media: Which is Better for #LibraryMarketing Right Now?⚔️

Marketing is Not a Dirty Word! Why Libraries Need to Promote Themselves Now, More Than Ever

Latest Book Reviews

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Postscript by Cecelia Ahern.

The Familiars by Stacey Halls.

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Email vs. Social Media: Which is Better for #LibraryMarketing Right Now?⚔️

Watch Now

The Library Marketing Show, Episode 48

Angela is back in her outdoor work tent and this week, she’s sharing her opinion about the best way for your library communicate wth cardholders. Is it email? Is it social media? Can you guess? Listen and then join the conversation–let her know what works best for your community in the comments.

Also Kudos to the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library for their Safe Work Playbook. This is the best physical library building reopening document I’ve come across.  

What did you think of this episode? Do you love a specific library’s Facebook work? Are you struggling with marketing and promotion right now? Do you have a nominee for the Kudos segment? Drop a comment below. And subscribe to this series to get a new video tip for libraries each week! Thanks for watching.

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