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Marketing

Continuous Learning, Marketing
Library Images and Video: Engage, Inspire and Tell Your Story
February 5th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

The upcoming WebJunction Webinar Library Images and Video: Engage, Inspire and Tell your Story is scheduled for Wednesday 3/3/2010 beginning at 1:00 PM Central Time.

In this entertaining and heartwarming presentation you will learn how two librarians teamed up to advocate more effectively (and boldly) while staying true to the personality of the communities, the libraries and the staff they serve. You and your library really can market your services and engage more effectively, and images, video and authenticity can be a key! Learn how you too can use images and video creatively and effectively to inspire Libraryland, engage the communities you serve boost staff morale and get more enjoyment from your job. The stories and lessons in this session will be presented by Jeff Dawson from the Lester Public Library in Two Rivers Wisconsin and by Michael Porter from WebJunction.

Visit L2 to sign up for this event.
Marketing
Celebrate National Library Week with Free Customizable PSA
January 12th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

To promote National Library Week 2010, a free customizable public service announcement (PSA) featuring award-winning author Neil Gaiman is now available.

Gaiman, the 2009 Newberry Medal winner for “The Graveyard Book,” will appear in both a print and a radio public service announcement (PSA). Gaiman’s love of libraries and librarians is no secret, as his many fans and Twitter followers know.

The PSA can be downloaded for free at www.ala.org/nlw. The PSA reminds library users of all the resources the library offer and how libraries are of key importance in tough economic times. To have the PSA customized with their library’s logo, librarians are asked to send a print quality logo file, their library name and URL to: ala@atigraphics.com. The PSA will be sent to the library in 1-2 weeks.

Other materials are currently available in both English and Spanish, focusing on the 2010 National Library Week theme “Communities thrive @ your library.” They include a proclamation, sample press release and letter-to-the-editor, as well as scripts for use in radio public service announcements (PSAs).Libraries can download materials at www.ala.org/nlw.

Libraries planning to participate in “Communities thrive @ your library”-themed programming are encouraged to share their stories with the Campaign for America’s Libraries, by sending an e-mail to: atyourlibrary@ala.org.

ALA Graphics products supporting the “Communities thrive” theme are also available. In addition to the 2010 National Library Week poster and bookmark, libraries can also purchase mini poster and, new this year, a downloadable transit sign. National Library Week-themed Web files along with all Graphics products can be purchased through the ALA Store at www.alastore.ala.org/nlw.

National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use.
Marketing
ALA’s atyourlibrary.org has Lively New Content
January 4th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

Atyourlibrary.org, which launched earlier this year, continues to post lively new content that encourages the public to use their local library.

The mission of the site is to be a catalyst that drives people to their local libraries. The Web site works to get the word out that libraries are filled with rich resources, which are easy to access, as well as promote the goals of the Campaign for America’s Libraries.

Where available, recommended resources are linked to the World Cat database, which provides a list of the nearest libraries with the recommended item.

The Web site was launched with funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, with additional support provided by the Disney Book Group. Both are partners in the Campaign for America’s Libraries.

Atyourlibrary.org is part of the Campaign for America’s Libraries (www.ala.org/@yourlibrary), ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe – use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible by ALA’s Library Champions, corporations and foundations that advocate the importance of the library in American society.

Other partners are Dollar General, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Univision Radio, Verizon and Woman’s Day magazine.
Marketing, News
Celebrating National Library Week – an original
April 20th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

At the Six Mile Regional Library District in LCLS, Branch Manager Gregg McGee received a great gift for National Library Week. One of the library’s patrons – Mike Ostresh – is a cartoonist. Mike created an original cartoon for the library in honor of National Library Week. Enjoy this take on a “frequent library user”!
Marketing
New PSAs available from ALA
February 5th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

New radio-quality public service announcements (PSAs) are now available online to help libraries reach out to their communities during National Library Week (April 12-18, 2009) from the ALA Public Information Office and the Campaign for America’s Libraries.

Radio PSAs are available in both a :15- and :30-second format and focus on libraries as places of opportunity. PSAs can be downloaded for free at www.ala.org/nlw.
Illinois State Library, Marketing
Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Bookmarks
December 20th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

Did you like the six bookmarks the Illinois State Library prepared to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday next February? All six bookmarks are now online, and you may print out as many as you like.
Marketing, Technology
Mixing it Up: Libraries Mash Up Content, Services and Ideas
November 18th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

In this article from the June, 2008 OCLC Next Space newsletter, Tom Storey discusses one of the fastest growing trends today - combining data and functionality from several sources to create new services that provide a unique user experience called mash ups. Examples include Google Maps, Yahoo Pipes and Facebook Plug-Ins.

The article explores the fact that libraries are doing Web mash ups as well: Meebo Instant Messaging. Library Lookup. Bookburro. Storey states that in a way, libraries have been doing all kinds of mash ups for years such as story hour, open-shelf access, cafes, book lockers. Read more of this article…
Marketing, News
Harold Washington Library Center Current Exhibits
August 28th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

Looking for an interesting and educational day in the city? Visit the Harold Washington Library Center and take in the following wonderful exhibits.

Bedrock: The Stuff of Life, an Installation by Claire Ashley
Harold Washington Library Center
North Exhibit Case, 8th Floor
September 1, 2008 – November 15, 2008

In honor of Chicago Artists’ Month we are proud to present an installation piece by Claire Ashley. In “Bedrock: the Stuff of Life”, the artist layers large amounts of material from her life to create a bedrock or foundation of stuff, a poetic portrayal of domesticity, familial support, and nurturing. Claire Ashley is a native of Scotland and currently teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She will give an Artist Talk on October 18 at 2pm.

The Right Stuff—X-Vehicles and Spacecraft Then and Now
Harold Washington Library Center
Congress Corridor, 6th & 8th Floors
August 1, 2008 – November 1, 2008

This fall, the Chicago Public Library has selected The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe for its award-winning program One Book, One Chicago. In Wolfe’s distinct and energetic reportorial style, The Right Stuff delves into the lives of the seven astronauts chosen for Project Mercury, our nation’s first manned space-flight project which was announced by NASA 50 years ago this October.

This group of rarely-seen images gives readers of The Right Stuff and other aerospace enthusiasts a chance to see photographs, technical drawings and renderings of X-vehicles and space vehicles from The Right Stuff era and beyond. Through this exhibit, we hope to convey a sense of the drama, excitement and ingenuity that characterized our country’s earliest forays into space and that continue to characterize the exploration that is possible today.

Follow this very special exhibition from the Congress Corridor up to the 6th and 8th floors of the Harold Washington Library Center, where related artifacts and models are on display. These innovative and exceptional craft have served to redefine again and again our knowledge of aerospace and what is possible.

Images and objects for this exhibit were provided by Boeing, NASA and the Motorola Foundation.

State Street: That Great Street
Harold Washington Library Center
The Chicago Gallery, Third Floor
June 27, 2008 through June 21, 2009

This exhibit explores Chicago’s world-renowned State Street. Known for its famous shopping meccas, lively entertainment and stunning architecture, State Street has attracted Chicagoans and tourists since the mid-19th century. The development of State Street and changes on the street over the last 150 years, as shown in this exhibit, reflect general trends and issues related to America’s large cities.

Chester Commodore, 1914-2004: The Work and Life of a Pioneering Cartoonist of Color.
Woodson Regional Library
Vivian G. Harsh Exhibit Gallery
May 24 - December 31, 2008

This major exhibition showcases the career of the late Chester Commodore–one of the country’s most influential African American cartoonists–through the collection of 125 selected items including original cartoons, photographs, awards, letters and other memorabilia.

Called to the Challenge: The Legacy of Harold Washington
Harold Washington Library Center
Harold Washington Exhibit Hall, Ninth Floor
Ongoing

This exhibit highlights three themes from Washington’s personal and political legacy – his life, his image, and his work. Harold Washington, 42nd Mayor of Chicago, was the city’s first African American Mayor. He was a reformer who changed Chicago politics and a person who never lost sight of the place from which he came and the influences that inspired him. This exhibition, drawn largely from the Harold Washington Archives & Collections of the Special Collections & Preservation Division of the Chicago Public Library, highlights three themes from his personal and political legacy – his life, his image, and his work.

Fun For All! Chicago’s Amusement Parks
Harold Washington Library Center
Special Collections Exhibit Hall, Ninth Floor
June 16, 2007 – September 14, 2008

Beginning in 1893, Chicago hosted the World’s Columbian Exposition featuring the Ferris Wheel an invention designed solely for amusement. Since that time, the City has been the destination of many seeking fun at amusement parks such as Ferris Park, The White City, San Souci, Riverview and Funtown. This exhibit explores the development of the amusement park in Chicago and the memorable enjoyment of many Chicago residents and visitors
Marketing
The Customer Focused Library
April 21st, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?
Libraries of all types are facing an increasingly competitive environment for information services. The Internet, book and video chains, and other retail outlets are offering resources that libraries previously monopolized. The experiences of library users are being shaped by their retail interactions and experiences online and in stores.

Metropolitan Library System, in partnership with four member libraries, wrote an LSTA grant to bring in a nationally recognized retail space consulting firm to help understand the changing needs of library patrons. Envirosell Inc. is the leading research and consulting agency for the retail environment, integrating the analysis of store layout, merchandising and operations.

Come hear Kate Hammeke and Elizabeth Shobert speak about Envirosell’s findings from studying four MLS libraries: Indian Prairie Public Library District, Acorn Public Library District, Frankfort Public Library District and North Park University. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to hear a different perspective on the way libraries serve our customers!

Funding for this grant was awarded by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
- Speakers: Kate Hammeke and Elizabeth Shobert, ENVIROSELL Research and Consulting
- When: April 29, 2008, 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM
- Where: Metropolitan Library System Headquarters, Burr Ridge
- Cost: FREE
- Register Now.
Marketing
Smartinvesting@yourlibrary
April 7th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

Starting in early May and continuing through late September, the smartinvesting@yourlibrary van will be traveling the countryside, sharing the message that your public library is a good source of unbiased investment information.

The van is available at no cost to Alliance Library System Member Libraries for special library events, community festivals, and fairs. Or you can just invite us to set up in front of your library for a day. The van will carry a display including a variety of multimedia educational materials on the subject of investing, retirement planning and more. No set-up is required and the ALS Outreach Coordinator will set up and staff the display throughout. If you have an event that is likely to draw a big crowd, or just a good place to park the van, the ALS staff will try to get there.

Smartinvesting@yourlibrary is a partnership between Alliance Library System, the American Library Association and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. If you are an ALS member you can schedule the van for your library free of cost.