Marketing the Library
Course
Marketing the Collection [5:13]
Learn specific methods to market the collection in your library.
Knowing your customer is key to building and marketing your collection. What do the stakeholders of your library need and want? How will you highlight the resources in the library to meet those needs and wants?
Start by gathering data. Take notes during informal conversations with students and colleagues when they talk about books and other media they love or are looking for. What kind of questions about the collection arise organically? Send out a survey to get more detailed feedback. Software like Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, or Survey Monkey are easy ways to implement this. You can also organize a focus group, where students or teachers can meet together and discuss what they already know about the collection and what they'd like to know. Additionally, look at circulation data. What materials are getting a lot of attention? What items aren't?
Collecting and reflecting on this information can help you determine the strategies you'll use for marketing your collection. Let's look at some options. First, we'll focus on student-targeted marketing.
When it comes to marketing your books to students, you will want to think of traditional methods as well as ways to use social media.
Let's go through an example. Imagine your school is doing a simulation on the Middle Ages and this is something they do every year. You could put together displays, posters, and handouts on fiction and nonfiction on this topic. For social media, you could have campaigns for the introduction, during, and beyond. Consider featuring books prior to the simulation on social media channels. During the simulation, you could capture pictures and feature a book match. When it's completed, have a favorites campaign on social media.
Other ways to think about marketing the collection to students include advertising non-traditional items in the circulating collection, such as tablets, preloaded audio devices, or GoPros.
Additionally, consider how you can market online and print reference materials, magazines, and even just the hours and availability of the library itself. If the information isn't put in front of students, they may not know it's there for them.
Think about what product marketing campaigns are successful with students. What trends are popular? Can you draw from some of the ads' phrasing or visual layouts to make what you're saying seem familiar to students? Don't be afraid to ask students for advice in this area. Find out what they would like to see!
There are infinite possibilities out there--and the best way to get started is to experiment with one and see where it leads you. Be willing to fail during the journey to marketing success!
When you are marketing the collection to teachers, one of the biggest messages you want to send is: "I can make your job easier." Find out as much as you can about their curriculum calendar. Send targeted messages to them in advance of upcoming units. It can be as simple as an email with helpful links or a classroom visit with a few books in hand.
More involved options could include hosting events that highlight parts of the collection. What about offering early morning coffee with new books laid out for them to explore when they first arrive at school?
Social media marketing can also be targeted at teachers. Start an online conversation about library materials they've had success with in the classroom. Offering a prize to randomly-selected participant in the conversation can help motivate people to chime in, as well. Engagement builds relationships that can lead to collaboration opportunities.
Part of marketing to teachers is focusing on the relational aspect. When you are marketing the collection, you are also marketing your knowledge base. The more you appear in front of them--especially in a helpful manner--the more likely they'll be to turn to you for collaboration, which is just one of the positive outcomes you may find from your marketing campaigns.
Whether targeting students or teachers, marketing the collection helps you share your resources and build community excitement about all the library has to offer.
There are many ways to get students and teachers excited about the books and other media your library's collection. Discover more ideas by reading "Marketing Your School Library Media Center: What We Can Learn from National Bookstores" by Terrence E. Young Jr. in the Resources below, then complete the Reflect & Practice activity.
After reading Young's article, return to pages 6–8 in the Marketing Plan Template and add more steps to your action plan to expand your collection promotion endeavors.
MLA Citation
Editorial Team, SLC. "Marketing the Library: From Bookstores to Library Shelves." School Library Connection, October 2018, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2174918?learningModuleId=2174884&topicCenterId=2247902.
Entry ID: 2174994
Additional Resources
About the Authors
Email: rmorris@schoollibraryconnection.com
Twitter: @rebeccajm87.
MLA Citation
Editorial Team, SLC. "Marketing the Library. Marketing the Collection [5:13]." School Library Connection, ABC-CLIO, October 2018, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2174918?learningModuleId=2174884&topicCenterId=2247902.
https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2174918?learningModuleId=2174884&topicCenterId=2247902
Entry ID: 2174918