Posted on July 23, 2015 at 12:41 PM by Brian Herder
Start a Revolution: Stop Acting Like a Library (2015)
Ben Bizzle with Maria Flora
American Library Association
978-0-8389-1267-6
“But this is how we’ve always done it!” Objections to taking a fresh
tack are about as common as budget shortfalls, and the two are more
closely related than you might think. At the Craighead County Jonesboro
Public Library in Arkansas, Ben Bizzle and his colleagues defied common
practices by using creative risk-taking in marketing and outreach to
transform their library into a dynamic institution that continues to
grow and thrive. In “
Start a Revolution: Stop Acting Like a Library,” published by
ALA Editions,
Bizzle and co-author Maria Flora share techniques for success alongside
a provocative marketing philosophy that will spur libraries to move
beyond their comfort zone. Focusing on creative ways to pull patrons in
rather than just push the library out, this book:
- steers libraries towards defining their brand, explaining why it
is crucial to meeting the needs of their users and potential users;
- offers strategies for getting stakeholders on board and engaged, including how to address budgeting concerns;
- demonstrates the importance of the library’s website as the digital
“main branch” of the library, with guidance for creating and promoting
it;
- details the systematic marketing campaign undertaken at the
Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library, encompassing both traditional
and new media channels such as billboards, posters, newspapers, TV and
radio and mobile technology;
- takes the mystery out of how to use social media platforms as
public awareness tools, complete with detailed strategies and
step-by-step instructions;
- shows how to pull it all together into a manageable campaign through strong leadership and teamwork.