We’ve Moved Beyond Books And Forgot To Let Anyone Know: BCLA 2011

Abstract

This article is a brief summary of the 2011 BC Library Conference presentation We’ve Moved Beyond Books And Forgot To Let Anyone Know.  It provides a practical look at what librarians can do to update the image of their libraries.  Libraries, we're not actually in sales, right?  Wrong.  Marketing Libraries is a new concept and one that needs to be creatively developed.  Libraries advertising they have books is like restaurants advertising they have food –let’s leap over the obvious.   Libraries are vibrant spaces on the forefront of technology, but images of shushing Librarians, dusty books, and posted rules still remain.  In order to "show ‘em what we got", Libraries need to take a page from other experienced advertisers, thinking outside the box and up-selling their services.    This is definitely (and defiantly) not your mother's Library!