During these tough financial times, it is more important than ever for your library to be visible and viewed as indispensable. Marketing and outreach are essential to keeping the importance of what librarians and libraries do in the forefront of people’s minds within your organization. Below are some helpful tips for getting the word out to market your library:

• Promote your library with a story on your organization’s home page and/or intranet with a tie in to National Library Week, or a big event within your organization.
• Contact other communications outlets within your organization (company newsletter, student newspaper, etc.) and have them profile the library or library director in an article or interview.
• Invite your patrons and employees to a library open house and showcase recent examples of library-user partnerships.
• Host a contest for patrons on the library’s social media channels and have them describe their best example of the library supporting their studies.
• Have each librarian post on social media a recent example of working with a library user.
• Hold a photography contest that features the library. Display winning photos on the library website, Facebook and Instagram pages, or as screensavers on the library computers.
• Show how the library can help with strategic vision and planning
• Exhibit at other events such as a new employee orientation, health fair or sports day. Appear in places your users do not expect to see you. Go where they go.
• Make buttons at and for the library!
• Adopt a mascot and use its image on flyers, blog posts, etc. Soon the mascot will become synonymous with the library.
• If you have non-library expertise, offer it in non-library specific channels.

Do you have any tips that you use to market your library? Let us know in the comments below!

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