One of the best practices for marketing library services on a shoe-string is local cooperation that produces a positive image, creates a demand, and fulfills your mission. As a small or rural library you can only do so much with--or without--publicity. Sooner or later you will have to meet your customers face to face. Go to the lap of the public, or where the people are.
Here's how:
Strengthen ties locally with your schools and population centers to market your library services and increase community awareness. Don't forget your non-profits, the local hospital, jail, or social services office.
Attend public functions such as parades, museums, and local exhibits or festivals as a representative of your library. Go armed with brochures and business cards, as well as your "elevator speech". Set up a table to "sign-up" people for library cards.
Celebrate your library with an anniversary of some sort with an open house, exhibits, music, or a picnic on the front lawn. This is a great way to hook-in families or tourists for the day.
Merge with other information distributors such as regional libraries, school and academic libraries, and special libraries such as those within the hospital, a law firm, or your local churches/parishes to facilitate networking, teamwork, and just to make friends. Your mantra might be "You promote my library services and I'll promote yours!"
Pull in the local organizations fire squad, police fraternity, or VFW post. Offer them your front lawn or meeting rooms for community outreach and educational presentations. And when local organizations have their annual fund raisers, convince them that a speech from the local librarian would be of great interest to their members and guests. Get in there with a brief, but memorable account of how the library can satisfy their business and personal learning needs.
These are just a few ideas to get you started marketing on a shoestring. You don't need money, just a little extra time that could be distributed between co-workers on their available days.
Our goal should always be to grow services and relationships. So, bring the family!
Brought to you by The Settlement Library Project:
Serving People, Broadening Perspectives, and Sharing Resources in Libraries.
Image: http://www.sugarpiefarmhouse.com/the-old-homeplace
