Local media is still the first place that people turn to when looking for information about their community, according to two recent studies.
Blogs
How to Help People Find Your Library Web Page
“I’m not really sure when the library is open. I’ll just google it and find out.”
Google, the search engine, has existed for less than 15 years, and yet its name already has entered the lexicon as a verb.
2012 South Asia Book Award Winners Announced
The South Asia National Outreach Consortium has announced the two winners of this year’s South Asia Book Award. The organization recognizes “up to two outstanding works of literature, from early childhood to secondary reading levels, which accurately and skillfully portrays South Asia or South Asians in the diasporas, that is the experience of individuals living in South Asia, or of South Asians living in other parts of the world.” In addition, several titles are also chosen for two lists: “Honor Books” and “Highly Commended Books.”
The Elements of a Press Release
Planning a big event? Holding a book sale? Or are you hosting a well-known speaker? All of these are worth communicating to your public and are the kind of news item that readers would be happy to find in their local newspaper. A cost effective way to get the word out is to issue a press release.
The press release offers several advantages.
The Vibrant Book: Offering Readers Additional Content
Reading a book will never be the same, now that we have easy access to photos, graphics, video, maps, and more via the Internet. This also makes for a great marketing opportunity. Enhance the reading experience of a particular book by writing a blog post that pulls together related and relevant content.
Let’s use the latest biography of Steve Jobs as an example.
The Best Web Resources for Marketing
Digital media marketing can seem very overwhelming. From email newsletters to search engine optimization to social networks, there’s a lot to learn. Best practices, trends and new developments seem to occur daily.
To stay on top of changes and to keep my skills fresh, I have a number of go-to resources for marketing information.
Book Preview: The Library Marketing Toolkit
A new resource will soon be available to public library directors who are looking for good advice, tools and examples for their marketing.
The Economic Value of Public Libraries
The Toledo-Lucas County (OH) Public Library is building a business case for its proposed $2.7 million tax levy, which voters will see on the Nov. 6 ballot. The library commissioned a survey that looked at its economic value and quantified a return on investment.
How to Use Book Reviews and Book Bloggers to Promote Your Collections
It’s time to realize that the New York Times book review isn’t the only game in town. For public libraries looking to promote their collections, there are many review sources on the Web that can be curated or packaged into a mega book review on your blog.
Timing Your Social Media Updates
Is there an optimum time to post your updates on social networks? Does timing have an impact on the reach of your message?
Bitly, the URL shortener, conducted an analysis of its click-tracking data to shed some light on this question. The optimal time on Facebook was from 1 p.m.
PR Tactic: Letters to the Editor
Media coverage of your public library can come in all shapes and forms: from simple listings of the latest summer movie night to the vote on your latest budget to a profile of your new library director.
A key thing to remember about working with the media: news stories about your library must be factual. Journalists, on principle, will aim to tell a fair and balanced story.
Meet Your Favorite Children’s and Teen Authors at the National Book Festival!
This is the inaugural post of my blog for youth services librarians. I’ll be posting a variety of articles for you but this first one is an announcement about an event that I love and try to attend every year – The National Book Festival in Washington D.C. sponsored by Library of Congress.
