My childhood TV crush is organizing an event at public libraries across the United States and your library needs to get ready for it, especially in terms of promotions.
Watch this episode for tips on how to prepare now and educate your community about the importance of inclusive reading.
Plus we give away kudos. Watch the video to find out which library is being recognized.
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enteryour email addressand 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:
I sometimes daydream about taking a nap in the middle of the workday.
It would be easy enough. My office is in a shed in our backyard and ya’ll, there’s a pullout bed in here. I could totally take a power nap any time I wanted to.
But I never do.
Why NOT?? Seriously, what is wrong with me?
For many of you, a midday work nap is something you could never consider. You simply don’t have time. Marketing your library is not the only work task you are expected to do. You are answering phones. You’re filling holds. You’re making sock puppets for story time. You’re cleaning the restroom.
Your work is demanding. And for many of you, it’s leading to staff burnout.
Burnout is a big problem in library marketing. A quarter of all public libraries in the United States lost staff positions after the pandemic, according to the Public Library Association. And in more than half of those libraries, those positions were not replaced.
So, we’re doing more with less. And the burden is even heavier for those of you working to promote your library.
According to a survey by Blind, the burnout rate for anyone working in marketing and communications was already high pre-pandemic, at 74.8 percent. After the pandemic, that rate shot up to 83.3 percent.
We have a problem. But I’m certain my readers already knew that.
What do we do about it?
For the next two weeks, I want to address this issue. I’ll share some strategies I’ve learned in my own work and research.
I decided to write this series now because:
Summer is stressful and busy for library promotions.
You’ll do better promotional work when you aren’t stressed, and that’s good for your library.
I like you. A lot.
What the heck is burnout?
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies burnout as a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”
There are three main symptoms:
Feelings of fatigue, lethargy, or exhaustion
Feelings negative or apathetic about your library marketing work
Reduced productivity
Why are library marketers experiencing burnout?
This is, by no means, a comprehensive list. But I talk with libraries every day as part of my day job. And here are the main causes of burnout I’ve noticed.
Outside threats, like book challenges, hostile library boards, and antagonistic community members.
I put this first because, to be honest, I think it’s the biggest threat to libraries right now.
The constant, never-ending, soul-sucking, scary, demeaning, and demoralizing effects of book challenges are doing more than impacting our freedom to read. It’s threatening the very existence of libraries by making working conditions impossible.
This month, during Pride, I have held my breath every time I see a library post on social media. I tentatively check the comments, looking for anyone who might say something derogatory.
I hear stories from fellow library marketers who tell me they receive replies to their regular library emails from people threatening and demeaning them.
And I’ve listened as library staff break down in tears, describing hostile community members who threaten them, dox them, and call them all kinds of names, for doing their jobs–providing inclusive books and services.
Lack of support or recognition from leadership
You, my readers, are smart. You think strategically about your promotions and measure your results. And when you take those results to your boss and they ask you to keep doing the thing that isn’t working anyway… that leads to burnout.
If you are a manager reading this, here is a call to action: your job is to support your staff. Your job is to remove hurdles so your team members can do their best library marketing work.
That doesn’t mean you have to agree with every idea your team members bring. But if you disagree, provide context. And allow your team members to conduct library promotional experiments, even if you personally think they’re going to fail. You could be wrong. And the goodwill and trust you build with your team members are valuable.
Unrealistic deadlines and results expectations
How many times have you been asked to create an email, a social media post, or an ENTIRE campaign… right now, like yesterday.
Library marketing work takes time and it’s difficult to get others to understand that. And when they don’t, that leads to stress and burnout.
It’s also stressful when you’re receiving pressure from fellow staff who expect you to drive hundreds of people into their programs.
Remote work and mobile devices
There is a downside to remote work—one I personally struggle with.
Before the pandemic, most of us had to commute. And that driving time, as stressful as traffic can be, did create a barrier that helped us disconnect from our work.
Now, it’s so dang easy to open your laptop after dinner and finish that email newsletter you didn’t quite get through today. Or to check your email. We also carry these little computers around in our hand/purse/pocket that keep us constantly connected to the office.
For a while, my home office was in my bedroom. HUGE MISTAKE. I would wake up in the middle of the night, glance over at my to-do list for the next day which was laying on the desk right next to me, and suddenly, the gears in my brain would start churning.
Don’t get me wrong: working at home is FANTASTIC. But remote workers do have to consciously create a barrier between their workday and their home life.
The never-ending promotional content cycle
The work that sets library promotions aside from every other bit of work in the library is the constant need for online content.
Update the website. Write a blog post. Record a podcast episode. Post to social media.
The content beast is always hungry. And that constant need to feed the beast leads to burnout.
Are you experiencing burnout?
If you are feeling like one more social media post or newsletter is going to put you over the edge, you are not alone. Next week, I’ll share 10 tips for avoiding burnout for anyone working in library promotions.
Meanwhile, if you feel comfortable, share your burnout experience here. This form allows you to remain anonymous. I’m not a therapist, but hopefully, the act of writing about your feelings will help ease the burden a bit. I care about you.
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:
One of the websites I use to learn about social media has just published an industry report. And there are some very interesting details in there that have big implications for your work in library marketing.
I’ll explain how this new data can help you make your library’s social media promotions more effective.
Plus we give away kudos. Watch the video to find out which library is being recognized.
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enteryour email addressand 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:
Tell me if this sounds familiar: your library staff wants you to promote their events and programs, but they don’t give you the information that you need to create those marketing messages in a timely manner.
How do you set up a system where your fellow staff members help you help them? I’ll share some tips I learned on the job at my former library to make effective library promotions.
Plus we give away kudos. Watch the video to find out which library is being recognized.
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enteryour email addressand 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:
Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
On a mild night in April 2019, I arrived at a steak restaurant in Schaumburg Township, Illinois to have dinner with a group of people I’d never met.
I had been invited to speak at an event put on by the Illinois Library Association. I was set to meet some of the library marketers who conspired to bring me to their event.
That’s the first time I laid eyes on Sue Wilsey. Sue is the gregarious, dynamic Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing for Helen Plum Library.
Sue is a lot of fun. She has a set of eyeglasses to match every single outfit. And she’s a fierce advocate and supporter of libraries.
At that table, I first heard her talk about her work to help bring a new library building to her community. Now, four years later, the new Helen Plum Library is finally open. I asked Sue and her team to share how they managed the final piece of that journey: the communication surrounding the building’s opening.
Sue works with Marketing Content Coordinator Emily Bradshaw, who volunteered at Champaign Public Library for a short time during her undergrad.
“I will never forget during my orientation tour, a proud library staff member showed me their new automated materials-sorting machine,” remembered Emily. “They had placed a Sorting Hat from Harry Potter on top of the platform where it scanned in the books. I knew I had found my people.”
Kristie Leslie is Marketing Manager for Helen Plum. She and her twin sister met their current adult groups of friends at a library storytime as preschoolers.
The final member of the team is Graphic Designer Steph Koblich, who grew up browsing picture books at the library, and admiring their illustrations, which led her to a career in illustration and design.
“My high school was a few blocks from a library, so I would walk there after school almost daily to read or study,” said Steph.
As for Sue, she’s been an avid library user since she was a pre-teen.
“My local branch library was more than a mile away, but my two younger sisters and I happily clomped through the snow or dripped with sweat carrying arms full of Nancy Drew and Bobbsey Twins books,” recalled Sue. “So, it was natural that decades later while needing to research a new career move, I visited my suburban neighborhood library. There are saw a job opportunity posted for a Marketing Supervisor. I knew I had found the final chapter of my life.”
The Helen Plum Library dates to 1928. The original building was the home of Colonel William and Helen Plum. A new library was constructed and opened in 1963, then renovated in 1978.
But in 1999, a space needs study called for an expansion that would more than double the size of the library building to 79,000 square feet. It took another 17 years for the library to secure the funding and property they needed for the construction and operation of a new facility.
Then the project hit a snag. After several years of negotiation with the library’s neighboring Park District, the two parties were unable to come to a suitable agreement regarding air rights and other construction issues. The Library Board decided to relocate to a new site that would best suit the needs of the community. There was an upside to this approach: the new building could be constructed without interruption to day-to-day operations.
“The key to this story is how we were able to convince a Chicago suburban community to vote in favor of a referendum that would raise their taxes,” said Sue. “I personally spoke to folks in the community at nearly 50 different places. We held meet and greets at local watering holes, met with parents and teachers at their schools and organizations, and went to churches, clubs, and service organizations. We recruited believers to help fundraise for lawn signs and ads. Our supporters received a great amount of guidance from John Chrastka and EveryLibrary.”
And that hard work paid off. The new facility, which opened in April, includes a drive-up window, a maker space, and lots of room for patrons to browse and mingle.
“The access to equipment and all of the possibilities for creating that our Studio 411 maker space provides is what I am personally most excited about,” exclaimed Steph. “From color and fabrics to natural light, every spot in the library is aesthetically pleasing and welcoming.
“I’m personally quite excited for our new fireplace as well as the two outdoor spaces, a children’s garden, and outdoor patio,” said Emily. “Everything will be so beautiful, and I’m really looking forward to taking gorgeous Instagram pics!”
The library created a landing pageto communicate everything involved with the move.
“The inspiration for the ‘dashboard’ approach came from our COVID-era communications,” explained Kristie. “We wanted one place for patrons to be able to see everything at-a-glance during our closure in 2020, with the bonus of also keeping the content updates focused on one spot rather than the headache of having to hunt throughout the site for making changes.
“We started with everything we thought necessary and considered it a living document. “If we received a question that we consider other patrons likely to have, we would add it to the page.”
And there were lots of other communication channels to consider as the project progressed.
“Our communications plan included myriad facets, from regularly updated videos of the ongoing construction posted on our website and linked in our social media, to print mailers to the community,” said Sue. “We also held a series of virtual ‘Community Conversations’ for the public with our architects and administrators. Recordings of those meetings are available online.”
“Before and during the move, we made information available at services desks as well as in our email newsletter and social media channels detailing which services would and would not be available during the closure,” explained Emily. “We encouraged patrons to sign up for reciprocal borrowing at nearby libraries and promoted our digital materials and resources heavily.”
As you can imagine, there were lots of challenges for the marketing staff at Helen Plum, starting with the uncertainty of the construction schedule. Supply chain issues and other construction glitches caused delays. But the team decided to be open and transparent about the process with the community to help combat concerns and complaints.
“What has gone smoothly is the abundance of community support we have received and the resilience of our staff members,” said Sue. “The flexibility and pivoting that was learned during the pandemic has been valuable in this process.”
As the move-in day approached, the marketing team began prepping for the grand opening celebration.
“We sent a printed invitation to the residents of Lombard and posted Grand Opening information on our website, social media, and email newsletters,” explained Emily. “We also sent out press releases and got coverage from several local newspapers. We partnered with local restaurants to provide small bites throughout the Grand Opening weekend, and several of those restaurants posted about us on social media, as well as some other local businesses whom we didn’t partner with but who were so excited to see us open!”
“One of the most fun collaborations was with two local breweries who created special library-themed brews for the occasion,” continued Emily. “We took some photos and videos with them and made custom coasters which we included in gift bags at the Grand Opening and at their breweries.”
Emily also helped produce a video in which prominent community members pass the library’s copy of Mo Willem’s Waiting is Not Easy from the old library to the new library.
“It made many of our followers emotional,” shared Emily.
The library’s grand opening weekend drew a whopping 5,508 attendees, far more than the marketing team expected! Guests received a swag bag, participated in a scavenger hunt, and munched on local snacks.
“It was amazing to see the place come alive with patrons who were so thrilled to finally step inside their new library,” remembered Emily. “We were overwhelmed by the amount of joy and support we received that weekend. I think everyone was a bit shocked – in the best way!”
The library recently sent an extra-large version of their summer newsletter featuring building photos to all residents, to make sure everyone who couldn’t attend the grand opening understands the value this new building brings to the community.
Now, as the library staff settles into the building, the marketing staff of Helen Plum is planning for a new, busier normal. There are still areas of the library undergoing construction, so they’ll continue to provide updates on building developments as the space comes to life.
“For example, since opening, we’ve added a fire table to our outdoor patio space, bike racks, a coffee machine, and some beautiful wallpaper murals,” explained Emily. “Our maker space, Studio 411, is still adding new equipment, and we hope to launch programs in that space in the fall. We are also kicking off our 2023 Summer Reading Program on June 1, and we’re looking forward to using that as an opportunity to welcome patrons who haven’t gotten a chance to stop by yet.”
“As we all get the hang of things in the new space, we plan to dip our toes into exhibits and library-wide events that can bring the whole community in and give us village-wide exposure,” planned Kristie. “I’m so excited to have seen such a huge uptick in new cardholders—from April 22 to May 22, we registered 1,133 new cardholders, an over 600 percent increase from the previous year.”
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Here is a bonkers idea: what if your library fully and completely committed to promoting JUST ONE THING for a concerted amount of time? What would be the advantages? Would it be risky?
I’ll explain why it’s a good idea (and how I know it works because you’re already doing it!!) in this episode.
Plus we give away kudos. Watch the video to find out which library or group of libraries is being recognized.
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enteryour email addressand 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:
A few weeks ago, I revealed the results of an experiment I did by posting videos to TikTok. What I didn’t tell you at the time was that I was conducting the same experiment on Instagram Reels.
And WOW. The results were so different! I’ll share what happened, and what it means for your library, in this episode.
Plus we give away kudos! Watch the video to find out which library is being recognized.
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enteryour email addressand 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:
Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
When I was a kid, I always wanted a robot.
I blame The Jetsons. They made robots look fun and practical. I imagined my robot would do my chores for me and leave me more time to read.
It’s not exactly the same thing, but I must admit I am having some fun playing with ChatGPT. It can’t clean my house or weed my flower bed. But it does make the work of library promotion easier, as you saw in last week’s post.
How to use ChatGPT
ChatGPT isn’t going to do all the work for you. And it’s not perfect. But it can save you time. It can also help when you just aren’t feeling very creative.
Here are some basic tips that I gained from playing around with the tool.
Be as clear and specific as possible about what you want it to generate. For example, if you want the text to be a certain length, tell the tool.
Use conversational language like how you would speak or write.
Before giving it a prompt, ask the tool to take on a specific role. “Act like a social media specialist.”
If you have examples of the type of content you want ChatGPT to generate, provide them as part of your prompt.
If you aren’t satisfied with what the tool generates, you can ask it to try again. If it appears to get stuck, you can type in “Keep going” and it will continue. You can train it to generate more accurate responses by providing feedback.
ChatGPT for Library Promotions Spreadsheet
Libraries love to share resources with each other. And I love that about libraries.
So, as I was writing this series, I thought it would be a good idea to start a spreadsheet where any library using ChatGPT could record their prompts. Then, if you ever want to use ChatGPT but don’t know what to ask it, you can refer to this shared spreadsheet!
I’ve divided the spreadsheet into categories: social media, website, blog posts, videos, emails, print materials, ads, annual reports, and other promotions.
I asked a group of library marketers to share how they’re using ChatGPT. When they didn’t provide a direct example, I tested the application to see what results I would get for each task. As you’ll see, the results were varied.
To write letters and blog posts
The director of the Bibliotech Library used ChatGPT to write a letter to her patrons. She called the results “…a little generic—but also shocking and a little creepy.”
To improve video scripts
To test this, I took the transcript of my intro from the May 10th episode of The Library Marketing Show and asked ChatGPT to make it “more interesting and succinct.” Here are the results:
Are you making a big mistake with your library’s email marketing? It’s not too late to fix it! In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, we’ll explore a tweet from marketing expert Jay Acunzo, who suggests that we focus more on making our email content valuable rather than just growing our subscriber list. Let’s take a closer look at how we can ensure that the emails we send are truly worth sending.
I’m curious about which intro is more interesting to you! Let me know in the comments.
Social media posts
One library staffer said, “It gives me a starting place, and then I make it my own. I view it as a beginner writer and then I’m the final content creator and editor.”
I did my own experiment, asking ChatGPT to write a LinkedIn post promoting a webinar on the fantasy genre of books. Here’s what it came up with.
This post ended up getting the least number of impressions, likes, and comments of any of my LinkedIn posts in the past two weeks. I think that’s because it didn’t sound like me. Also, I’ve noticed ChatGPT is a little obsessed with emojis. I love emojis, but it likes to insert them in every sentence.
Ideas for blog posts
I asked ChatGPT to give me an idea for a blog post that would convince someone to donate to the library. It gave me a title and an entire outline!
Title: “Why Your Donation to Our Library Matters: Supporting the Heart of Our Community”
Introduction: Our library is a cornerstone of our community, providing access to books, educational resources, and community events. However, like many libraries, we rely on donations from our patrons and supporters to continue offering these vital services. In this blog post, we’ll explore why your donation to our library matters, and how it can help support the heart of our community.
Body:
1. Supporting literacy and education – Donating to our library means supporting literacy and education in our community. Your donation helps us to purchase new books, e-books, and audiobooks that educate and inspire people of all ages. Additionally, your donation can help us offer programs that support early literacy, such as storytimes, summer reading programs, and after-school homework help.
2. Creating a community hub – Our library is more than just a place to check out books. It’s a community hub that offers a range of services and resources, from free Wi-Fi and computer access to community events and meeting spaces. Your donation helps us to maintain and improve these services, ensuring that our library remains a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone.
3. Fostering lifelong learning – Our library is a place where people of all ages can learn new skills and discover new interests. From book clubs and writing workshops to coding classes and maker spaces, your donation helps us offer a wide variety of programs that foster lifelong learning and personal growth.
Conclusion: Donating to our library isn’t just about supporting a building or an institution. It’s about supporting the heart of our community – a place that provides access to knowledge, resources, and community events that bring us all together. Your donation helps us to continue offering these vital services, ensuring that our library remains a vibrant and vital part of our community for generations to come. Thank you for your support!
I found this answer to be pretty great. The only thing it’s missing is a patron-as-hero story, which would give the reader the chance a real-world example and build empathy. But this answer would be very helpful as a starting point.
Tag lines for book displays
I asked ChatGPT to create a tagline for a book display about the coronation of King Charles. Here are the results:
1. “The dawn of a new era: Explore the history of King Charles’ coronation.”
2. “Long live the king: Discover the story behind Charles’ ascension to the throne.”
3. “A royal affair: Step back in time to witness the coronation of King Charles.”
4. “From ceremony to history: Uncover the significance of King Charles’ coronation.”
5. “Crowning glory: Explore the pomp and circumstance of King Charles’ coronation ceremony.“
This is a good example of the time limitations of ChatGPT. Because its data feed only extends to 2021, it assumed I was referring to King Charles I or King Charles II.
Training announcements
A library staffer told me that she asked ChatGPT to give her an announcement like the Star Wars opening scrawl. Here is the result:
Subject lines for email
I asked ChatGPT to write a subject line for an email about how to use ChatGPT for library promotions. Here is the result:
Revolutionize Your Library Promotion Efforts with ChatGPT: Here’s How.
I ran this subject line through Sharethrough’s Headline Analyzer. It got an average score. But it would be a good starting point if you were looking for ideas.
Data analysis
I entered this prompt into ChatGPT: “I sent an email to 2,516 people. It had a 56% open rate and a 13% click rate. 10 people checked out books they saw in the email and 14 signed up for programs. Is that good?” The application said:
Based on the information provided, it looks like your email campaign had a successful engagement rate.
– The 56% open rate indicates that more than half of the people who received your email were interested enough to open it and see what it contained.
– The 13% click rate means that of those who opened the email, a good portion clicked on a link within the email to learn more or take some sort of action.
– With 10 people checking out books and 14 signing up for programs, it appears that your email had a direct impact on some people’s engagement with your library.
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:
Your library may be making a gigantic mistake when it comes to email marketing!
But don’t worry, it’s not too late to fix it. 😊 I’m going to talk about how to make sure your emails are exactly what your community needs in this episode.
Plus we give away kudos! Watch the video to find out which library is being recognized.
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enteryour email addressand 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:
Super Library Marketing: Practical Tips and Ideas for Library Promotion 