Internet Librarian - Marketing Libraries in Web 2.0 World (Part 3)

Part 3.
Here is a third post about cool tools and strategies for marketing libraries that I picked up from a day at "Beyond 2.0: User-Focused Tools & Practices", the theme of the 2008 Internet Librarian conference October 20-22, in Monterey, CA. The following program is also from Track #2: Outreach & Marketing Public Libraries in a 2.0 World.

Making a Difference With Digital Media was the title of a session by Greg Schwartz, Library Systems Manager, Louisville Free Public Library, Samuel Davis, Applications Solutions Architect, Digital Services, Columbus Metropolitan Library, and Joy Marlow, Digital Experience Specialist, Digital Services, Columbus Metropolitan Library. Here is the program description, followed by my bulleted notes.

"Every day, new opportunities arise for information professionals to establish their presence online. Done well, one’s online identity can be a powerful tool for establishing professional credibility and marketing your skills to others. Schwartz highlights the various tools for managing your online presence and provides tips and strategies for building a consistent, meaningful online identity. CML staff discuss their experiences integrating various Web 2.0 tools—some difficult and some very simple—into their websites. They talk about challenges and solutions and give lots of tips and tricks."


Greg's topic was "BRANDING: Not Just for Cows Anymore"

• Identity. 1-What I say about me. 2-What others say about me (IMPORTANT). Your (library's) reputation is more dependent on #2.


• Personal Branding - 6 tips. 1- Have a HOMEBASE. (Greg's is "OpenStacks") 2- Own you username. Buy a domain with your name. 3- Aggregate you lifestream (Friendfeed is an example) 4- Join the conversation (best way to build your brand.) 5- Follow what others are saying about you. (Google about or technorati). 6- Be authentic.

Samuel and Joy spoke on "Experiences Implementing" new technologies and technology-based programs:

• Challenges: 1- sell ideas to administrators and staff. 2- Our own learning curve. 3- Keeping up with new technology. 4- Bring your customers (library users) along. 5- At the mercy of 3rd party vendors and technologies. 6- Terms of Use (rules) 7- Unclear strategy


• Solutions: 1- Engage your staff (i.e., Learning 2.0. Columbus Metropolitan Library has a 50% staff participation) 2- Engage your customers (library users) His library website has a "Power Tools" page. 3- Believe in what you do! 4- BETA - experiment!


• Tips and Tricks: 1- Prototyping - create working models of tools. Example is the "city wall" in Helsinki and large touch screen at the library. 2- Let your application be torn apart.

Note to self: Implementation challenges, solutions, tips & tricks is a topic worth paying lots of attention to because no matter how wonderful/important/strategic an idea or program is, each library will have a different mix of challenges. Flexibility and preparedness for all twists and turns is a plus. Helene Blowers' original Learning 2.0 tutorial of web 2.0 tutorials (and the numerous implementations of this and similar online discovery learning courses such as School Library Learning 2.0, Classroom Learning 2.0, and CSM Learning 2.0, and hundreds of other versions) each have different levels of participation, speed of acceptance, and resulting culture change. See also post on re-branding and cover blogs.

Internet Librarian - Marketing Libraries in 2.0 World (Part 2)

Part 2.
Here is a second post about cool tools and strategies for marketing libraries that I picked up from a day at the Internet Librarian conference October 20-22, 2008, Monterey, CA. The 2008 conference theme was "Beyond 2.0: User-Focused Tools & Practices". I stayed with Track #2: Outreach & Marketing Public Libraries in a 2.0 World.

Sarah Houghton-Jan, Senior Librarian for Digital Futures, San Jose Public Library and Aaron Schmidt, Director, North Plains Public Library presented on "Digital Marketing: Successful Plans/Organizations". Here is their topic description, followed by my notes.

"A digital environment requires that library web managers think about outreach in a very different way. Our users may still frequent brick-and-mortar community establishments, but they spend more and more time online, in both solitary and social endeavors. Howdo we, as their libraries, reach out to these users to help them find information? How do we reach them on their turf? Where is their turf? Learn about ways for all libraries to find potential users online. Where to spend your time to get the most bang for your buck and staff hours will be the focus, with tips for community websites, search engine placement, live assistance options, social networking sites, and much more. Take away a lengthy checklist of ideas to take back to your libraries to successfully create an ongoing online marketing plan. " Aaron and Sarah each provided a fast-paced list of digital marketing ideas. Don't just read this checklist, consider this a homework assignment for marketing your library.

Aaron says:

1. Check your library information in all the library directories, including: libdex, mapmuse, libraries 411, PublicLibrary.
2. Blog search engines. Submit your library RSS feeds to 15 sites at once by using Feed Submitter. See also Robin Good's list of where to submit your blog and feed.
3. Blog GEO search engines. Examples include frapper, feedmap, blogwise (if you register your blog entry at Blogwise, it will be placemarked on their Google Maps mashup, as well as on Google Earth via NetworkLink), gfeedmap
4. Wikipedia - make sure there is information about your library.
5. Search engine findability - search for variations of your library's name.
6. BUY AdWords from Google (not much $); Consider buying search engine optimization.
7. WIFI is king. If you offer wireless, LIST YOUR LIBRARY! See wififreespot, wifihotspot, wifinder, wifi411.
8. Community Website presence. See eventful, upcoming.org, americantowns, LibraryThingLocal.
9. Link: your library URL -- see who is linking to you.
10. Social Review websites like YELP.com If you have 5 good reviews, you get a star. Use good library tesitimonials!

Sarah says

1. Where are people looking for phone numbers? Be sure to see if your information (library, YMCA) is correct. Look at Google Maps, Yahoo Local, Askcity. [also AT&T YellowPages.com or "how to"]
2. Make your Audio/Visuals findable. If you create podcasts, videos, be sure to list them in: YouTube, GoogleVideo, BlipTV, blinky, singingfish, hahoo podcasts, podcast.net, podcast allys.
3. Social Networking. Create profile for your library on one or more sites such as MySpace, facebook, Flickr, and ning
4. Find LOCAL blogs and interact with them: Blogs by city, blogdiggerlocal, metroblogging
5. Find LOCAL forums, like continuing education.
6. BookSpace. Blog for the community to talk about books, book events, book clubs, etc. Feature readers (people)
7. "Expert" sites - list your librarian specialists. Examples: allexperts.com, ziki, illumio, yedda, "Slam the Beards", AskMeta
8. PUSH the information OUT! Invest in newsletter software ($), get e-mail addresses from ILS, send periodically (no spam), variety of features.
9. Wikopedia. Be sure your library is in Wikopedia and talk it up!
10. URLs. Register various URLs for your library. (name spelled out, abbreviated, etc) See http://:wccls.lib.us/polaris
11. I.M. - Instant messaging. This is a primary form of communication for teens; It is free and easy, choose a cool screen name.
12. Text Messaging - Cell phones and SMS, overdue notices and holds, TXT-a-librarian combines IM and Text Messaging into one social networking tool.
13. Twitter - short information. Don't overdo! Good for event updates, etc.
14. Library Secrets - Great name for library tips and how-tos. [love this idea!]
15. Second Life - takes too much time right now, but 3D will get better.
16. Final comment by Sarah: Be a technology leader in your community.

Internet Librarian - Libraries in a 2.0 World (Part 1)

Weekend are for catching up with the previous week. Here is the first in a series of posts about cool tools and strategies for marketing libraries that I picked up from just one day at the Internet Librarian and http://www.infotoday.com/il2008/ Librarian conference October 20-22, 2008, Monterey, CA. The 2008 conference theme was "Beyond 2.0: User-Focused Tools & Practices". My notes are in bullets following each presentation.

Lots to learn, so I stayed with Track #2: Outreach & Marketing Public Libraries in a 2.0 World.

Nancy Dowd, Director of Marketing, New Jersey State Library, presented on "Giving Your Marketing and Advocacy a Second Life" She referred to a blog called "The M Word" -- Marketing Libraries. Here is the description of her presentation:
You’re using Flickr and blogs. You’ve created social networks on MySpace and Facebook. You’re IMing, texting, and twittering all day long. You’ve even gained some notoriety on YouTube. Before your avatar drops from exhaustion, isn’t it time you asked what all this 2.0 technology is really doing for your library? Learn the tricks to turn your mad Web 2.0 skills into effective marketing and advocacy results to increase exposure and support for your library. Dowd takes you to the next level by illustrating how to incorporate Web 2.0 technologies with traditional marketing and advocacy tools to produce effective results.

I captured many of Nancy's trends and suggestions:

1. Online databases. 2+1=success. Public libraries should use Google Ads for their local community. Makes sense! Bring in money for the library, while promoting local business. Buy eDatabases from the perspective of a library patron and DEMAND A MARKETING CAMPAIGN for the database from the vendor.
2. Interactive Mobile. Think also of Guitar Hero and other video games.
3. Green.
4. I write. You contribute. Write and tell library stories. Send to iCNN and other online mainstream publications (my note: be visible!) Easy to do. Get (library) teens to do it. Library interns are great for story/video interviews.
5. Stories - Drive customers to the library website with stories. Stories on HOW libraries are TRANSFORMING lives and communities. (Referred to Library Roadtrip across America DVD by Erik Boekesteijn and Jaap van de Geer. See ShanachieTour: A Library Road Trip Across America )
6. Market to VOTERS. See OCLC "Fighting to awareness" report. See list of key voting issues. NJ Library will take each issue and create stories on the issues -- (my note: this is a most excellent and strategic suggestion. It is a mix of issues management and outreach.)

Great to see a Marketing Position at a State Library. Taxpayers fund their state and local public libraries, so it makes sense to have someone devoted to promoting the these public resources.