Crash Course in Marketing for Libraries

Book excerpt: Explains effective marketing strategies and identifies the tools needed to boost the visibility and increase the use of your library in the community. Marketing a library's programs or services takes more than sending out a flyer or posting an announcement on the website. Effective marketing is important for every library, as it can lead to a significant increase in library use—which is a major factor in budget justification. Crash Course in Marketing for Libraries: Second Edition will help you develop a strategic direction for your organization and identify methods for employing your best marketing and public relations strategies. Each chapter of this second edition has been updated and expanded, comprehensively addressing the planning, implementation, and evaluation stages of the marketing and public relations process in libraries. The rise of social media as a powerful marketing tool is discussed in particular detail. The authors cover topics such as planning, promoting through the use of the existing media or advertising, and assessing the project. The book's appendixes provide examples of marketing plans and projects as well as other helpful marketing resources.