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Super Library Marketing: Practical Tips and Ideas for Library Promotion

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The Complete List of Free Online Tools to Help You Do Your Job as a Library Marketer

Your work as a library marketer is no walk in the park in the best of circumstances. But it’s especially difficult right now.

I started compiling a list of tools for library marketers before COVID-19 turned our world upside down. Now I want to share them.

Each tool is free. And I hope they make it easier to do your job, wherever you are.

But first, I have a question.

Tools for Writing

Grammarly. Grammerly is a plug-in. It scans what you are writing as you write it. It points out common grammatical mistakes, like subject-verb agreement, article use, and modifier placement. You can also upload documents for scanning. For remote workers or library marketers handling all the work alone, it’s a lifesaver.

Hemingway Editor.  The Hemingway Editor grades your writing for readability and points out the excessive use of adverbs, passive voice, and complex sentences. Use it to improve your social media posts, web content, blog posts, and press releases.

I have a love/hate relationship with this website. I love it because it forces me to become a better writer. I hate it because every time I use it, it’s clear what an awful writer I am without it!

BrainyQuote. A directory of inspirational quotes for web, email, and social media content. This is a great site to visit when you’re feeling creatively drained. They verify all quotes. There are plenty of quotes about literature, books, reading, and learning.

The Secret Language of Books by NoveList. This little guide helps you create engaging emails and social media posts about books. It can help you craft language for genres, mood, and styles. It expanded the vocabulary I used to entice readers to check out our collection.

Disclaimer: I work for NoveList. But, I got my first copy of this handbook last year, before I worked for them, and it changed my life.

Tools for Graphics, Videos, and Photos

Emojim. This website is my go-to source for finding emojis. I search what I need and then hit copy. Then I insert the emoji in my platform of choice. The selection on this site is better than Emojipedia.

Use of emojis on social media platforms like Instagram increases engagement by 48 percent. My own data from my time at my former public library job showed that the use of an emoji in an email subject line increased open rates by as much as 60 percent.

HTML Color Codes. Use it to find the exact HTML color of any section on an existing graphic or photo. Upload a photo or graphic, then hold your mouse over the section you want to match and click. The HTML code will appear in the box.

When I worked at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, I would use this to create a call to action button for my emails that matched the accompanying graphic or photo.

Iconfinder. Iconfinder is a database of almost one million icons. Don’t be fooled by the priced sets at the top of the page. Scroll down to find their selection of free downloadable icon sets. Right now, they have lots of free choices for hand washing, social distancing, and public health.

Trace by Sticker Mule. This tool will let your library remove a background from a picture.

Giphy GIF Maker. This site allows you to easily create animated video GIFs and GIF slideshows with captions.

Lumen5. Lumen5 is a video content creator. There is a free version that lets you create five videos each month. You can choose clips from a standard video library and get access to free music.

RecordScreen.io. This site lets you record your screen and your webcam at the same time. There are no bells and whistles and no other features. It’s great for demos and tutorials you might want to create to help patrons learn how to navigate your digital resources.

Tools for Organization

Otter. This cool app is a transcription service. It lets you record meetings or conversations on your phone or browser and then turn those conversations into notes that can be shared. The free plan lets you record 600 minutes of conversations per month.

Andrew and Pete’s Content Editorial Calendar. Andrew and Pete run a marketing agency in the UK. I had the pleasure of meeting them in person at Content Marketing World in 2018. They are sweet, funny, and smart. They created this free template for download. I know many library marketers who can put it to use to organize and manage their editorial calendar.

URL List. This website is a revelation. It creates one URL for a list of pages. For instance, I entered all the articles I’ve written on Super Library Marketing about COVID-19 before today and created this URL: https://www.theurlist.com/covid19. It also generates a QR code for use on print materials. To keep your URL lists, just create an account. Use this to promote multiple blog articles or programs happening at multiple branches in your library system.

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.  

0

Why Libraries Must Promote Reading for Pleasure During the COVID-19 Crisis

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In this episode, I’ll share why reading for escape is important! Libraries are so focused on learning and connecting people to resources to help them with the transition to remote learning that we might forget we don’t always have to be educational. Here’s a great article from Jordan Kisner in the New York Times about why people fall in love with reading. 

Here are some places to find booklists for “escape” reading that you can share with your patrons.

10 Books to Warm the Soul from Food52 

The Best Books to Read While Social Distancing from Fortune.com 

Books to Escape Reality from the Daily Beast

Books to Keep Kids Happy During Quarantine from The Conversation.Com.

Also Kudos to the Schlow Library in State College, Pennsylvania. They’ve come up with a way to extend a public meeting space to patrons even though their physical library is closed. They’re helping people reserve Zoom meeting rooms!

More Help

Library Marketing During a Pandemic: Tips for Working from Home or the Office and Dealing with the Stress of a Crisis

Self-Care for Library Social Media Staff in the Midst of a Crisis like #COVID-19

How #COVID-19 is Impacting Social Media Marketing and What That Means for Libraries

Recording of live session on promoting your online resources through social media. 

If you have a topic for the show, kudos to share, or want to talk to me about library marketing, contact me using this short form.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Want more Library Marketing Show? Watch previous episodes!

Check the Upcoming Events page to see where I’ll be soon. Let’s connect!

This blog consists of my own personal opinions and may not represent those of my employer. Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, click on “Follow” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the page. Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.   

4

Videos Can Reach Library Users at Home Now and in the Future. Here’s Your Starter Kit.

In a time of social isolation, video is a great way to communicate with patrons. A video can help you provide service to the community without having an open physical building.

If you are nervous about using video for marketing, I’ve got a secret for you. Video, whether live or recorded and edited, is easy and relatively inexpensive. During the COVID-19 crisis, it’s now necessary for you to produce videos. And, when things return to normal (and they will) you will have the skills to extend the reach of your library to home-bound customers through video.

Using video for library outreach

This list will help you brainstorm specific videos to fill your library marketing content editorial calendar.

Demos: You can show library users how to navigate your digital resources. You can show them how to use specific platforms, like Overdrive, LearningExpress Library, or Lynda.com. Demonstrate how to search a database, like NoveList or Consumer Reports. Make a video to show how patrons can talk to a librarian through chat or email while buildings are closed.

Programs: Many libraries are moving their planned program presents online right now. And this is a great video opportunity. You can record a teaser video, then the actual event, and a highlight reel for further promotion of more presenters. You can also move your story times to video format.

If you do these videos live on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, your viewers can still ask questions by commenting. In fact, live videos are a great option for library reach.  Viewers spend up to eight times longer with live video than with video-on-demand.

Book reviews: Turn the camera on yourself or a fellow book lover and record a review! I have started doing this on my YouTube channel. It took me about five minutes, once I figured out what I was going to say. Writing a Goodreads review of the book first helped me to organize my thoughts.

What equipment do you need?

In the past, producing video was expensive and difficult. But that is no longer the case. If you have a smartphone, you’re set. You can also record video on most DSLR cameras.

If you have an Adobe Creative Suite license already, you can use that to edit. You can also use iMovie or a host of other online editing software pieces, many of which are free. Here’s a great list. I edit the Library Marketing Show videos on my iPhone or using YouTube studio. And that’s really all you need!

Before you begin

Before you record anything, it’s important to identify who your target audience will be, and what the goal of the video will be. What do you want your audience to do after watching the video? This will help you plan the script, the call to action, the setting, and the goals by which you’ll measure the video’s success.

You should also decide where the video will live… on Facebook, on Instagram’s IGTV, on your library’s webpage, on YouTube, etc. Decide on one target location for your video.

Writing a script or outline

Most library videos will need a script or, at the very least, an outline. If you skip this step, you’ll may spend more time than you want editing. You may even discover you have to re-record certain sections. Your video might end up being longer than necessary. It might not be as engaging as you hope.

When I do the Library Marketing Show, I write a script. Sometimes it’s just an outline with key points. And sometimes it’s a word-for-word account of what I want to say. The script or outline helps me to formulate my thoughts. It also helps me time the video so I’m sure I’m not babbling on for longer than I need to be. But I don’t memorize my script. You know those cards with key points that I hold up during the video? Those are like slides in a conference presentation–they are visual cues to me so I can remember what I need to say.

As with any kind of library marketing, the language of your video should be relaxed, clear, and conversational. Avoid complex sentences and industry jargon or buzzwords. Speak to your video audience as you would to a customer at the front desk.

Also remember that the written word will sound different when you read it out loud. I rediscover this every time I do a webinar or a video! Be sure to read your script out loud before you record.

If your video features an outside presenter, write an introduction, as you would if you were doing the program in person. Be sure to tell your viewers how they can contact you with questions or comments during the video, if it’s live, or later if they are watching on-demand.

Time to record

Before you start recording, be sure your device has enough storage. If you’re using your smartphone, turn on the “Do Not Disturb” feature to avoid distracting notifications. When I shoot my videos, I also do a few test recordings to make sure the lighting, the background, and the sound are the best they can be.

Record horizontally. This gives your video the best viewing experience on most platforms. If you are recording yourself speaking, be sure your camera is on a level surface and won’t fall over! And don’t forget to focus on the object that’s most important, like your face.

If you are shooting a video of yourself, be sure to look at your phone’s camera… not at yourself on the screen. This may feel like the weirdest thing ever. But it looks more normal because it mimics looking someone in the eye.

It may take a couple of takes to get a video right. Don’t despair… and don’t erase any bad takes until you publish your finished video officially. You never know what footage you may need in editing.

If your video needs music

The right music can set the mood and tone for your video. Do you need background music or something that will manipulate the mood of your viewers? Will someone be speaking in the video? What kind of pace should your music have–fast, steady, ethereal, dramatic? These are all factors to consider when choosing your music.

Most music isn’t free. If you use an artist’s music without permission or proper licensing, you risk legal action against your library and your video may be removed from social media channels. Look for royalty free tunes to fill your music needs.

Royalty free songs aren’t free to use; they’re quality songs available for a single flat fee. This means you don’t have to worry about paying additional licensing fees or royalties in the future. YouTube, Shutterstock, and Epidemic Sound are all great sites to find royalty free music.

Posting your video

You’ve got a couple of good options for housing your finished video. YouTube is the largest video hosting platform It’s free to upload your videos to YouTube and optimize them for search. I created this guide for optimizing your videos on YouTube.

Vimeo is another choice. There is a free option, with limited storage space. During the COVID-19 crisis, videos on Vimeo might be higher quality because YouTube has reduced its streaming quality to deal with bandwidth issues.

You can also post videos on Facebook, IGTV (this is Instagram’s version of YouTube), and of course, your library’s own website.

Pick one spot to house the full-length video. Then use your other marketing channels to drive traffic to your video on that one, main location.

It doesn’t have to be perfect

We all have this idea that the video must be narrated by the perfect person with the perfect hair in front of the perfect background. That’s old school TV thinking and it’s no longer necessary. In fact, the best videos are the ones that show your library’s authentic self. Don’t worry about getting every little hair to lie in place, having the right clothes, or always saying the right thing. You’re talking to real people, even if they are on the other end of a video screen. And they’ll forgive you–and love you–if you aren’t robotic. You will find fans will love you just for being you!

More Library Marketing Help During the COVID-19 Crisis

Recording of live session on promoting your online resources through social media.

Self-Care for Library Social Media Staff in the Midst of a Crisis like #COVID-19

Library Marketing During a Pandemic: Tips for Working from Home or the Office and Dealing with the Stress of a Crisis

How #COVID-19 is Impacting Social Media Marketing and What That Means for Libraries

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.  

 

4

How #COVID-19 is Impacting Social Media Marketing and What That Means for Libraries

Watch Now

In this episode,  I’ll share the latest research on how the #COVID-19 or #Coronavirus pandemic is affecting social media marketing. This research comes from Rival IQ.

I mentioned I’m doing three live webinars this Thursday, March 26 on social media marketing for libraries for EBSCO. The content is all the same for each so register for the time that’s best for you here.

Also Kudos to the Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, Pennsylvania. Like many libraries in the US, they are closed to the public but they created a Hogwarts Digital Escape Room that is pretty fantastic.  

More Help

Library Marketing During a Pandemic: Tips for Working from Home or the Office and Dealing with the Stress of a Crisis

Self-Care for Library Social Media Staff in the Midst of a Crisis like #COVID-19

If you have a topic for the show, kudos to share, or want to talk to me about library marketing, contact me using this short form.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Want more Library Marketing Show? Watch previous episodes!

Check the Upcoming Events page to see where I’ll be soon. Let’s connect!

This blog consists of my own personal opinions and may not represent those of my employer. Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, click on “Follow” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the page. Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.   

7

Self-Care for Library Social Media Staff in the Midst of a Crisis like #COVID-19

Watch Now

In this episode, Angela shares tips for self-care for anyone who is trying to manage a library social media account in the midst of a crisis, like a global pandemic.

More Help

Library Marketing During a Pandemic: Tips for Working from Home or the Office and Dealing with the Stress of a Crisis

How Libraries Are Responding to the Coronavirus Threat and How Your Library Can Prep for Any Crisis

Plus kudos go out this week to the Lake Macquarie Library system in Australia. They have a new app and it’s pretty darn amazing.

Subscribe to this series to get a new video tip for libraries each week!

If you have a topic for the show, kudos to share, or want to talk to me about library marketing, contact me using this short form.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Want more Library Marketing Show? Watch previous episodes!

Check the Upcoming Events page to see where I’ll be soon. Let’s connect!

This blog consists of my own personal opinions and may not represent those of my employer. Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, click on “Follow” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the page. Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.   

11

Library Marketing During a Pandemic: Tips for Working from Home or the Office and Dealing with the Stress of a Crisis

This week has been super crazy.

Many libraries have closed their doors to help quell the spread of COVID-19. Some have chosen to remain open.

I’m not here to judge one way or another. I’m here to help you work efficiently during this crisis, whether you’ve been allowed to work from home or whether you are compelled to report to the office.

Even before the pandemic struck, remote work was growing in popularity in the library world. At the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, administrative staff could work from home up to two days a week.

That’s a trend in workplaces across the nation. The amount of people working from home has tripled in the past 15 years, according to the Federal Reserve.

But if you’ve never worked from home, the transition can be a little tricky. And there are things you can do to set yourself up for success and weather this strange time in library land.

Working from Home

Treat your morning routine the same as you would if you were heading into an office. Have breakfast, shower, and get dressed, even if it’s not in fancy clothing.

Keeping a consistent schedule will help you get in the right head space for work. It will also make the transition back to the office easier (once this is all over).

Make yourself a designated workspace. It is super tempting to set up shop on your couch or bed. Resist the urge. In fact, never do work in your bed. Your sleeping space is sacred. If you are working in your bed, you mind will start to associate that space with work and its stresses. It can mess with your sanity.

Set up at your desk, kitchen table, the kitchen counter, or some other non-sleeping space. Have all the supplies you normally have at hand. Set up your photos, your plants, and your trinkets. Make it feel as much like your normal workspace as possible.

Be careful what you download. Ask your library’s IT team which platform they prefer you use to work remotely. Google, Slack, Facetime, and Teams are the most popular tools. If you do need to download a new tool or app, stick to well-known companies or ones that have been vetted and approved by your library.

Ask your library about a VPN. A virtual private network can give you access to shared drives at your home library and protect your privacy.

Watch out for scammers. Already, there are reports of coronavirus scammers calling employees. They claim they’re with the help desk, They try to get you to download software or go to a certain webpage. Don’t fall for it.

If you get an email or a phone call from someone claiming to be from IT, especially if the email contains links or documents, send a new email to your IT deparmtnet (so you’re not using the address the possible scam came from). Or call your IT department to make sure it’s legitimate.

Scammers also sometimes claim you library has set up special new call centers and the regular corporate IT phone numbers won’t work. Don’t buy it. Hang up and call your IT department.

Leave healthy food within easy reach. It’s hard to avoid the chips when you can just open the cupboard door. To help combat the constant urge to munch on junk food, I usually wash fruit and veggies in the morning and place them in bowls on my kitchen counter. That way they’re within easy reach when I get hungry.

Don’t fall into a Netflix/YouTube/Twitter/whatever hole. It’s hard for some work-at-home employees to avoid distractions. The best way to keep from binge-watching shows when you should be working is not to start.

I try to have the same mindset in my home office that I had at the library: if my boss walked in right now and saw what I was doing, would she approve?

Over-communicate. The distance created by working from home sometimes can hamper communications. Ask co-workers to tell you the best way to reach them… by text, or chat, or email, or video. Then try your best to respect their preferences.

Ask for clarity on projects from your boss. Get instructions and deadlines in writing.

And don’t be afraid to ask questions. Clarity will help get the work done faster and without mistakes.

Mute yourself if you’re on a conference call. As many of us move to virtual meetings and working from home during this strange time, we need to remember to respect meeting time as we would in the office. That means protecting your fellow workers from the sound of your dishwasher/barking dog/loud neighbor during a conference call.

Create a wrap-up routine for the end of your day. This will signal to your brain that your work has ended.

It sounds silly, but it works. Put away your laptop, pack up your pens, straighten your desk, and maybe talk a walk or lite a scented candle to signal to yourself that it’s time to relax and readjust to non-work life in your home.

If You Must Still Report to the Library

Talk to your boss about what to do if you get sick. Make sure you know who to call if you fall ill and what your rights are in terms of medical leave. Having a plan in place will help ease some of the anxiety of working in a public building.

Clean your workspace before you touch anything. This is particularly true for workers sharing desks. Clean the phone, the desk, the keyboard and the monitor buttons, the copy machine keypad, and any other shared surface with an antibacterial wipe.

Wash your hands or sanitize frequently. No need to be specific here. You’ve seen the recommendations from experts. Sing your 20-second song of choice and do it frequently.

Advice for Everyone

Remember it’s a global crisis. If you feel less productive, it’s natural and you’re not alone.

Managers: please remember that your staff are dealing with issues. They may not be sharing everything with you. Concerns about the health of loved ones, daycare situations, and generalized anxiety may lead to less productivity. Please be patient and generous with your employees.

Our cardholders and community may also be working through anxieties and taking out their stresses on staff. Please support your employees. Make sure they know it’s okay to talk about the additional stresses this situation creates for them.

And if you are feeling anxious, seek professional help. There is no shame in talking with a licensed medical professional about these extraordinary circumstances and the fears they may cause.

Try to get enough sleep. Exercise. Limit your exposure to the news. Talk with friends and family about how you feel. Read a good book.

We will all get through this. Let’s be kind and patient with ourselves and others as we navigate these uncharted waters.

Read More: How Libraries Are Responding to the Coronavirus Threat and How Your Library Can Prep for Any Crisis

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.  

7

Practical Tips for U.S. Libraries to Promote the 2020 Census

The Library Marketing Show Episode 36

Watch Now

On March 12, people in the U.S. will start to receive an invitation to participate in the census. This is the first time respondents will be urged to respond online. In this episode, we talk about why it’s so important for libraries to promote the census and make sure everyone in our communities get counted. Plus practical tips!

How is your library helping with the census? Let me know in the comments.

More help

American Library Association Census Guide for Libraries

Public Libraries Online Podcast About the Census

Also KUDOS this week to the New York Public Library. They are celebrating their 125th anniversary and they put out a fantastic list of their favorite 125 books. The hosts of their podcast, The Librarian is In, will be reading and reviewing books from this list this year. How many have you already read? (I’ve read 20. Pretty sad!)

If you have a topic for the show, kudos to share, or want to talk to me about library marketing, contact me using this short form.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Want more Library Marketing Show? Watch previous episodes!

Check the Upcoming Events page to see where I’ll be soon. Let’s connect!

This blog consists of my own personal opinions and may not represent those of my employer. Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, click on “Follow” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the page. Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.   

2

How Libraries Are Responding to the Coronavirus Threat and How Your Library Can Prep for Any Crisis

Photo courtesy Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

This past week, many public libraries found themselves grappling with a real and unexpected threat. The 2019 Novel Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is causing many libraries to consider how they can best share information about the disease and protect their patrons.

Public library staff and patrons may be particularly vulnerable. The library is one of the last places in the world where people of all ages, economic backgrounds, and social standings are welcome to gather without judgment or prejudice. We hold public programs, share equipment, and conduct business face-to-face. We have lots of surfaces touched by thousands of hands. We help the elderly, those experiencing homelessness, and the young.

Libraries are also a vital source of truthful information about many subjects, including the spread of COVID-19. It’s no surprise that there are already lots of rumors and false safety tips circulating on the internet. Libraries must help make sure the public has accurate information about how to protect themselves.

I want to share some resources to help your library as you grapple with COVID-19. These are gathered from official sources and from librarians working in libraries across the U.S.

This is also a good time for library marketers to consider how they respond in a crisis and to update their crisis communication plans. Scroll down for more help with that.

Coronavirus Resources for Libraries

Official CDC site for Coronavirus. Bookmark this page so you can provide information to the public. Library social media managers should post facts about the illness taken from the CDC site. A once-a-day Coronavirus fact check post is a good way to counteract the effects of false internet rumors. It will establish your library as a trusted source for the truth about the illness.

CDC Communications Resources for Coronavirus. This section of the CDC site includes videos and print materials to share with your patrons. In addition, the section for public health communicators should be shared with your senior staff.

CDC provided Coronavirus graphic

EveryLibrary guide. EveryLibrary has created an extensive resource page for libraries. They’re also holding a free webinar on Thursday, March 26, on pandemic preparations for libraries. You don’t have to register but you do have to be a member of Library 2.0, which is free.

Comic for kids from NPR. Library social media managers are passing around this piece by NPR education reporter Cory Turner. He asked some experts what kids might want to know about the Coronavirus. You can print and fold the comic, which also comes in Chinese.

BrainPOP video for kids. You can share this video with teachers and caregivers or play it at story times or children’s events to help educate kids and alleviate their fears. The site also has lots of other resources for kids including related reading, games, and lesson plans.

Blog post from North Central Regional Library, Washington. This is a great example of how to communicate the facts about the illness to a broad audience. This library used state and federal authorities to answer key questions. They also addressed concerns about visiting their public library. If you have a blog, I recommend a similar post to help spread facts and assuage fears.

Blog post from Bucks County Free Library, Pennsylvania. Their post includes a special section of information for kids that would be particularly helpful for caregivers and teachers.

Oregon City, Oregon resource guide. This version includes documents that anyone can print or download and share.

Clemson Libraries Guide. The Clemson library included a Google news feed with stories from trusted stories, which is a great idea.

UC San Diego Guide. The University of California San Diego post includes a graphic from John Hopkins that updates the number of cases around the world, making it easy for people to get updated information about the spread of Coronavirus.

Libraries 2020 article. If your library doesn’t have resources for a blog or a page on your website, you can share this fantastic article from Libraries 2020 to help customers recognize rumors and false information about Coronavirus.

Kimberly Barker, Librarian for Digital Life at Claude Moore Health Sciences Library – University of Virginia, created this printable PDF for libraries to post. She gave me permission to share it with you.

Preparing for a Crisis

At some point your library will face a crisis. It might be a transmittable disease, like COVID-19. It might be a non-lethal but worrisome issue–black mold found in study rooms. It might be a power outage that lasts several days and closes several branches (that happened to my former library!) Perhaps it will be more severe–a fire that destroys a branch, a violent argument between customers, or an administrator caught doing something illegal.

As upsetting as it is to contemplate, it will happen–this I can promise you. Your response to the crisis in your role as the library spokesperson can make or break an organization. In my earlier life as a journalist, I watched it happen dozens of times. It’s heartbreaking to watch an organization fall apart during a crisis.

On the flip side, I’ve witnessed communicators who keep their organization afloat with amazing and inspiring work during scary and emotionally trying times.

The best thing you can do right now is to prepare. Here’s how.

Have a frank conversation with the administration about disaster preparedness. They might feel uncomfortable having this conversation but make it clear that it’s necessary so that you can perform your job in the best way possible. Make decisions about how you’ll handle a crisis while you are calm and rational because rationality and calm will fly out the window the minute a serious crisis threatens your library.

Create a system-wide disaster communications plan. If your library doesn’t have one in place yet, now is the time to decide how a crisis will be handled.  Your library should assign employees to serve on a crisis communications team. This team will be responsible for gathering and disseminating information to internal and external audiences, including staff and the media.

Decide who will be authorized to speak to the media on behalf of the library. Ideally, you’ll have one main spokesperson and a backup. Try to limit it to two people, or you’ll risk losing control of your message. The spokespeople need to be comfortable in front of a TV camera, credible, knowledgeable about the library, articulate, calm, and able to work with other agencies to coordinate responses.

When it happens, be sure to communicate with your staff first, then the media. But do so quickly. Don’t wait until you know all the facts about your situation. By then, rumors will spread through social media by your customers and your co-workers and you’ll lose control of your narrative. If you don’t talk first and fast, reporters will start looking for workers and customers to interview.

Don’t be afraid to say “we don’t know yet” and refer questions to the investigating authorities. This is particularly true in criminal investigations. Send reporters to the investigating agency for answers.

Prepare your staff for ambush interviews.  Warn your staff that they will likely be approached by a reporter wanting information. Train them to funnel all such requests through your designated spokesperson.

Always having someone watching social media.  Designate one person to watch for any mention of your organization on social media channels. Have clear guidelines in place for how this person can respond to those mentions and comments.

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.  

4

Two Ideas That Libraries Should Embrace No Matter Where You Are

The Library Marketing Show Episode 35

Watch Now

I spent the week at the Edge 2020 Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. I’ll share two big takeaways that apply to library marketers EVERYWHERE!

Plus KUDOS to … you have to watch the video to find out.

If you have a topic for the show, kudos to share, or want to talk to me about library marketing, contact me using this short form.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

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