Using Stories to Market Your Library Presented by: Nancy Dowd NJ State Library and Paula Isett , Maryland State Department of Education

We’ve always believed in the power of stories. It’s only natural to make them work for us.

Overview Whet your appetite: Share stories from New Jersey and Maryland Talk about why libraries have to step up their marketing efforts Provide an understanding of how and why the storytelling approach works Show you how Maryland created a successful campaign around stories Share ideas from New Jersey’s newest campaign, “Tell Us your Story” Give you some basic nuts and bolts to take home with you

Whet your appetite: Share stories from New Jersey and Maryland

Talk about why libraries have to step up their marketing efforts

Provide an understanding of how and why the storytelling approach works

Show you how Maryland created a successful campaign around stories

Share ideas from New Jersey’s newest campaign, “Tell Us your Story”

Give you some basic nuts and bolts to take home with you

Maryland Libraries are Changing Lives

New Jersey

Why do we need to step up our marketing efforts? Tough times, tough choices, tough competition

The marriage of advocacy and marketing, recognized as so important at the national level, hasn’t trickled down to the states. -A member of the ALA Advocacy Coordinating Committee

Tough Economic Times

Tough Choices "The 41 states that are represented here are likely to face budget short-falls this year or next, forcing you to choose between reining in spending and raising taxes. Jobs are being cut . Programs for the needy are at risk. Libraries are being closed. Historic sites are being closed." President- elect Barack Obama, 12/2/08 Governor’s Summit Philadelphia Jobs are being cut . Programs for the needy are at risk. Libraries are being closed. Historic sites are being closed."

OCLC Report: Supporters not users Tough Competition

Why the Story Telling Approach Works

Malcom Gladwell, Outliers Bill Gates successful because of computers in his school? Stories make connections

Stories make connections “ My wish with Outliers is that it makes us understand how much of a group project success is. When outliers become outliers it is not just because of their own efforts. It's because of the contributions of lots of different people and lots of different circumstances and that means that we, as a society, have more control about who succeeds a nd how many of us succeed t han we think. That's an amazingly hopeful and uplifting idea.”

Stories make connections I n 1948 a 17 year old African American student named Chloe Wofford used her connection with her older sister, Lois, to land a job as a page at the Lorain Library in Ohio. Sixty years later I had the opportunity to meet this woman and she was still talking about that job.

Stories make Is it possible that libraries are to great authors as computers were to Gates? connections Toni Morrison

Stories help people remember you.

Stories are told by others Bill Taylor, Game Changers Talks about Girl Scouts. Even sells cookies for them!

Why the Storytelling Approach Works Makes connections Is a powerful medium Helps people to remember you Allows people to talk about you

Makes connections

Is a powerful medium

Helps people to remember you

Allows people to talk about you

Maryland: Libraries are Changing Lives

New Jersey Libraries: Tell Us Your Story

New Jersey is focusing on nine key messages The Library is a transformational force in people’ s lives The library is a vital part of the community’ s infrastructure Supporting the library is a tough but essential tax choice The library maintains it’ s relevance to people through all stages of life Passionate librarians are making a difference in the community The library is a place of unlimited resources and inspiration The new library is your library Making the library relevant for the 21st CenturyLife without the library

The Library is a transformational force in people’ s lives

The library is a vital part of the community’ s infrastructure

Supporting the library is a tough but essential tax choice

The library maintains it’ s relevance to people through all stages of life

Passionate librarians are making a difference in the community

The library is a place of unlimited resources and inspiration

The new library is your library

Making the library relevant for the 21st CenturyLife without the library

Decided on desired outcomes - big and small

Gather stories, learn to tell stories, create digital stories, use stories to redefine libraries as transforming lives

Defined target audiences

Librarians

Members

Non-Users

Elected officials

Motivating Staff

INCENTIVES Being part of an elite group Higher Purpose

Giving free materials

Providing Tools

MANUALS, TRAINING and MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS

Building a Communication Network

Viewing as an ongoing process

If we are successful new stories will emerge that describe libraries as transformational forces.

Nuts and Bolts Text

Nuts and Bolts Define outcomes: big and small Defined target audiences Provide incentives Provide Tools: Training, Manuals Provide Free Materials: Posters, Rack Cards, Web site, Shelf Talkers, Stickers Create a Communication Network Treat as an ongoing process

Define outcomes: big and small

Defined target audiences

Provide incentives

Provide Tools: Training, Manuals

Provide Free Materials: Posters, Rack Cards, Web site, Shelf Talkers, Stickers

Create a Communication Network

Treat as an ongoing process

Thank You. Would you like to have this presented at your library? Contact Nancy Dowd, Director of Marketing New Jersey State Library [email_address] 609-278-2640 x 122