May 3, 2019, marked 25 years since I began working as editor of Marketing Library Services. That’s a big anniversary!

Back in the early 1990s, “library marketing” was barely a recognized phrase. Most librarians didn’t have to do much marketing, but the advent of the internet changed all that. As more people got online access, they began believing that “everything is on the internet, for free!” That meant information experts needed to learn how to publicize their services and benefits, pronto. And MLS was there to help, sharing examples of effective marketing for others to learn from.

A lot has changed over the past quarter century. I used to have trouble finding a book to review in every issue; then there was a glut of marketing-related titles to choose from; now the number has leveled off. Regarding the amount of news and the number of awards, I’ve watched the industry go from famine to feast. Today, I feel as if marketing is on our minds more than ever, and that’s a good (and very necessary) thing.

I’ve written a substantial blog post on the changes I’ve seen in the field; it’s on The M Word at http://bit.ly/MLS-25-MWord.