Week 15 Prompt: Promotion

The promotion of library resources and materials can be a difficult challenge to tackle. I believe it is important to assess the needs and wants of the community/demographic that you intend to target. One group that I believe it would be worthwhile to target is not necessarily an age group, but rather the people who utilize streaming and subscription-based media services. Where subscriptions to media services like Netflix, Kindle Unlimited, Audible, etc. may have once been considered to be money savers (compared to cable at least), the quantity of those services is only increasing. I believe that libraries could work with this concept and lean into the promotion of the “freeness” of library materials; if more people knew that the same books, audiobooks, and other materials that they pay a subscription for could be accessed for free through their local library, they may be more inclined to get a card or check out library offerings. This would serve to promote all kinds of library materials and services, not just fiction materials.

Social media like TikTok can be a great avenue for the promotion of library materials as well. By following booktok trends libraries can direct attention to specific offerings, by showcasing lesser-known materials in a more generalized, loose version of reader’s advisory (readalikes, books with specific tropes, etc.) or by showing patrons that trending books are in and available for checkout.

Regularly rotating displays can also be helpful for promotion. My other job (where I spend most of my time currently) is at a university store, where we primarily sell branded merchandise. In my time there, I have found that changes as small as quarter-turning the racks in the store (so different merchandise faces the front) can catch customers' eyes so that apparel we may have had for months looks “new”. I imagine that the same could be said for library materials and displays – regularly changing displays and integrating new themes and materials into those displays can catch the eye of both new and regular patrons. 

Comments

  1. Sydney StephensonApril 21, 2024 at 2:51 PM

    Libraries are the ultimate providers of "freeness!" So many of my patrons come in and talk about how the library saves them so much money on books. Social media is a great avenue for promoting library materials! I personally don't have experience promoting through social media, but I do follow a lot of the booktrends. There was just an article about it on Goodreads. Apparently, Vampires are making a comeback!

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  2. Emma StofferApril 24, 2024 at 8:58 AM

    I'm really pushing for my library to be more active on social media beyond Facebook (I'm the youngest employee on staff by like, a decade). My dad is constantly sending me the TikToks of other libraries asking "why doesn't your library do this??" It's a work in process for sure. I recently got permission to post on Facebook AND Instagram. I'm trying not to go to crazy, so I've started with just photos, but I might branch out into a little video soon...

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  3. Erin CataldiApril 26, 2024 at 8:34 AM

    Excellent ideas! Leaning into the freeness aspect can really bring in some new faces. Great response!

    ReplyDelete

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