Comments on: Libraries, Marketing, and Popular Culture

By: Alison

Alison — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Thanks for this information and for your thoughts, Matthew. It’s definitely not insignificant (and more than a small point) that this kind of popular media can indeed have a positive impact for libraries. The gentleman who originally posted it in the ACRL LinkedIn group later cited several positive outcomes the library had as a result of this video, including media attention and a significant increase in “Likes” on their Facebook page (one more avenue for feeding real information to a particular audience). In hindsight, I think my comparison of the video to phone-booth stuffing was over the top. That was the pendulum swinging in the opposite direction from what I was seeing as a somewhat over-the-top promotion of the piece as a model for library marketing. I really wasn’t trying to be dismissive of this effort, which I do think is very well done and is obviously creating a lot of interest. But we do also have to continue to try to find ways to effectively educate people about what the library, and librarians, can do for them.

By: Matthew Ducmanas

Matthew Ducmanas — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:40:01 +0000

In their 2008 article “Social Media Metrics: Making the Case for Making the Effort” Darlene Fichter and Jeff Wisniewski argue for the use of social media by libraries to assess the services and programs they provide, as well as its use as a marketing tool. In making their case, they point out that an institution’s web presence is now also partially dependent upon social voting. Results from search engines have now begun to factor in the popularity of the uploaded content, and both Google and Yahoo now “assign higher rankings based not upon simple presence in social media (though of course that’s necessary and relevant) but on social media voting” (p. 55).

This is the breakdown of the number of ‘likes’ for the three youtube videos you mentioned, and the fourth from the comments:
UMD: 1,541 likes.
ACPL: 29 likes.
BYU: 77 likes.
“Book Club”: 46 likes.

I think it is a small point, though not insignificant, that there can be some benefit to the popular, yet content shallow approach to marketing a library. It may drive the library higher in search engine results or could help to shed a perception of libraries as stuffy and outdated.

That said, I completely agree with your larger argument as well as the previous commenter. Popular cultural references alone will not be enough to endear the library to its serviced community. Understanding their needs and providing relevant, substantial information is crucial.

By: Alison

Alison — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 16:37:11 +0000

Thank you both for your suggestions regarding additional resources. Michael, I especially appreciate your input regarding what should indeed be the first step in any attempt at marketing our institutions or services — really understanding the audience(s) we are trying to reach and what their needs are.

By: Michael Henry Starks

Michael Henry Starks — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 15:08:57 +0000

If only the solution to libraries’ marketing shortcomings were so simple as doing a better job of getting attention and talking to people. But that isn’t the answer. It isn’t even marketing. Or, rather, it is only a part of marketing.

What’s missing is the heart of true marketing — understanding the needs, preferences, lifestyles and other relevant characteristics of the audiences (the market segments) that are important to the library’s mission and viability. What library can list its five most important market segments? What do you know about each segment in terms of what its members need that the library does or could provide?

That’s another missing piece — translating an in-depth understanding of key market segments into programs and services that address the needs and desires of the library’s market.

Only then does the library have something “useful” to communicate, which is proof that the library is providing something of value as community members — not just librarians — define value.

Two examples of libraries that have successfyll based their programming and marketing on market-segmentation research are Topeka and Shawnee County PL in Kansas and the Washington County Cooperative Library Services in Oregon. I hope there are others and that the number is growing.

By: Peter Alsbjer

Peter Alsbjer — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:08:09 +0000

You also should check out the YouTube videos created by the staff at Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library. This Book Club video is a great cover of the Fight Club trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL2c8xvpr_0&feature=plcp