By Susan Akers, Ball State University Libraries
1. Market your library’s strengths, promote uniqueness
2. Identify your core values and strengths and build on them
3. Use both traditional print methods (bulletin board, brochures, newsletters, posters) and electronic methods to promote services, resources
4. Strive to position the library’s URL in highly-visible locations
5. Create a consistent look for the library which establishes its identity. Adopt a graphic identity which is used on all promotional material to ensure consistency and creates a favorable impression.
6. Don’t limit your graphic identity to books.
7. Solicit feedback on your Web site via surveys or comments and acknowledge them upon receipt.
8. Create an online newsletter available from your home page.
9. Work with editor at student newspaper to place a bulleted list of short, promotional blurbs about services, collections, resources, activities on an ongoing basis.
10. Create a fun flier to place quarterly in dorm halls. Residence Hall Assistants will hang them.
11. Hire a student to create 30-second videos to stream from Web site or to be played in the dorms via student or movie channel.
12. Do you have a production team locally or on campus? Work with them to create a 30 second Public Service Announcement for your location television or public TV station.
13. Buy plastic holders for countertop to hold promotional material.
14. Sponsor a special event—something out of the ordinary!
15. Review headings on your Web site to make sure content is "packaged" logically and is easily navigable.
16. Constantly seek ways to emphasize the library to the university and/or larger community.
17. Ensure everything relating to library usage is up to date. Get rid of negative language. Re-vamp outdated policies.
18. Look for ways to partner with others to increase visibility.
19. Invite campus-affiliated groups to use the library’s lobby for short-term outreach efforts.
20. Invite students from design or public relations or marketing classes to critique your print material, messages.
21. Consistently use library's logo, URL, and/or slogan on print material, electronic promotions.
22. Use inexpensive items to promote your resources with your URL printed on them (pens, magnets, mouse pads, etc.)
23. Offer students flexible information literacy training classes--not just during the day.
24. Refresh and enliven the library's physical space. Students work in groups together and need clusters of comfortable chairs.
25. Is your library clean? Inviting to the eye? Review your signage.
26. Create friendly discussion and hang-out spaces; create interesting exhibits and displays which are up a month or so.
27. Host short music programs in the lobby with faculty/students from the music department.
28. Invite faculty and students to lend their artwork to you if space allows. Place small placard nearby telling who created artwork, title.
29. Use testimonials in your promotions for actual users and faculty.
30. Use campus bulletin boards to promote library resources.
31. Place stories and news in other campus organizations’ print and/or electronic newsletters (graduate students’ bulletin, international students’ communications, Greek directories, etc.) when possible.
32. Place a news corner for library news on Web site. Regularly add new photos, news.
33. Do you have study rooms or small spaces/rooms that are underutilized? Promote use of study rooms to organizations. Let small student groups book space for planning, project discussions, etc.
34. Does your library have a vending area that can be fixed up? Name the space and promote it as a place to relax, study, get food and beverages, and catch the latest news on CNN, for example.
35. Host a “Director in the Lobby” time with coffee, juice, donuts on table…informal meetings with target groups.
36. Contact faculty to identify and provide training and/or research needs they have. Be proactive! Hold some of the sessions in the evening, too.
37. Celebrate your Friends group during National Volunteer Week (National Library Week) or before Thanksgiving send them a handwritten thank you note.
38. Promote services, collections by designing color posters which can be printed on large format plotter and inexpensively framed and placed on easels.
39. In the AV area, play music on low to attract listeners and promote music collection.
40. Encourage library personnel to participate in events on campus where the library can be promoted.
1. Market your library’s strengths, promote uniqueness
2. Identify your core values and strengths and build on them
3. Use both traditional print methods (bulletin board, brochures, newsletters, posters) and electronic methods to promote services, resources
4. Strive to position the library’s URL in highly-visible locations
5. Create a consistent look for the library which establishes its identity. Adopt a graphic identity which is used on all promotional material to ensure consistency and creates a favorable impression.
6. Don’t limit your graphic identity to books.
7. Solicit feedback on your Web site via surveys or comments and acknowledge them upon receipt.
8. Create an online newsletter available from your home page.
9. Work with editor at student newspaper to place a bulleted list of short, promotional blurbs about services, collections, resources, activities on an ongoing basis.
10. Create a fun flier to place quarterly in dorm halls. Residence Hall Assistants will hang them.
11. Hire a student to create 30-second videos to stream from Web site or to be played in the dorms via student or movie channel.
12. Do you have a production team locally or on campus? Work with them to create a 30 second Public Service Announcement for your location television or public TV station.
13. Buy plastic holders for countertop to hold promotional material.
14. Sponsor a special event—something out of the ordinary!
15. Review headings on your Web site to make sure content is "packaged" logically and is easily navigable.
16. Constantly seek ways to emphasize the library to the university and/or larger community.
17. Ensure everything relating to library usage is up to date. Get rid of negative language. Re-vamp outdated policies.
18. Look for ways to partner with others to increase visibility.
19. Invite campus-affiliated groups to use the library’s lobby for short-term outreach efforts.
20. Invite students from design or public relations or marketing classes to critique your print material, messages.
21. Consistently use library's logo, URL, and/or slogan on print material, electronic promotions.
22. Use inexpensive items to promote your resources with your URL printed on them (pens, magnets, mouse pads, etc.)
23. Offer students flexible information literacy training classes--not just during the day.
24. Refresh and enliven the library's physical space. Students work in groups together and need clusters of comfortable chairs.
25. Is your library clean? Inviting to the eye? Review your signage.
26. Create friendly discussion and hang-out spaces; create interesting exhibits and displays which are up a month or so.
27. Host short music programs in the lobby with faculty/students from the music department.
28. Invite faculty and students to lend their artwork to you if space allows. Place small placard nearby telling who created artwork, title.
29. Use testimonials in your promotions for actual users and faculty.
30. Use campus bulletin boards to promote library resources.
31. Place stories and news in other campus organizations’ print and/or electronic newsletters (graduate students’ bulletin, international students’ communications, Greek directories, etc.) when possible.
32. Place a news corner for library news on Web site. Regularly add new photos, news.
33. Do you have study rooms or small spaces/rooms that are underutilized? Promote use of study rooms to organizations. Let small student groups book space for planning, project discussions, etc.
34. Does your library have a vending area that can be fixed up? Name the space and promote it as a place to relax, study, get food and beverages, and catch the latest news on CNN, for example.
35. Host a “Director in the Lobby” time with coffee, juice, donuts on table…informal meetings with target groups.
36. Contact faculty to identify and provide training and/or research needs they have. Be proactive! Hold some of the sessions in the evening, too.
37. Celebrate your Friends group during National Volunteer Week (National Library Week) or before Thanksgiving send them a handwritten thank you note.
38. Promote services, collections by designing color posters which can be printed on large format plotter and inexpensively framed and placed on easels.
39. In the AV area, play music on low to attract listeners and promote music collection.
40. Encourage library personnel to participate in events on campus where the library can be promoted.
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