This November/December issue offers a smorgasbord of case studies about libraries we don’t often get to cover. You’ll learn how small and rural libraries have run successful campaigns, how a school library association dove into advocacy, and how to attract and serve businesspeople. There’s also an interview with a marketing director at a large university. Dig into this holiday feast!

Examples to Emulate

Empowering Georgia’s Rural and Small Public Libraries to Do Their Own Marketing
By Deborah Hakes
Deborah Hakes works at the Georgia Public Library Service, which was named 2020 Marketer of the Year by Library Journal. She shares how GPLS has been using mini marketing grants, coupled with her expert advice, to enable workers in Georgia’s rural and small libraries to run their own campaigns. Hakes’ examples prove that even first-time marketers can achieve meaningful, measurable success.

How-to

How to Promote Library Services to Local Businesses
By Trevor Winn
One way to showcase your public library’s value is to promote specific offerings to local businesspeople. Driving them to use your services and databases results in more community leaders understanding why libraries still matter (and may well help with votes and funding when you need them). In this how-to, Trevor Winn details five best practices for reaching this audience and assures you that you don’t need an M.B.A. to get the job done.

How-to

Learning to Advocate to Save New Jersey School Librarian Jobs
By Tricina Strong-Beebe
In this second, special, how-to, a leader of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians explains why, and how, she became a dedicated advocate. Tricina Strong-Beebe started an advocacy committee for NJASL in 2017 and has since learned a lot about how to effect change and save school library media specialist jobs, which are being cut across the state (and country). You can benefit from her shared knowledge in order to educate your own educators and voters about the proven benefits of having certified librarians in K–12 schools.

Interviews With Marketing Masters

Via Education and Creativity, Patrick Zinn Wins
By Judith Gibbons
Meet Patrick Zinn, director of marketing and communications at Texas A&M University Libraries. He carefully carved a path to a marketing career, but had no library degree or higher education experience when he began working at Texas A&M. Consequently, he needed to build trust with his new co-workers. Read this interview to see how he did it.