It’s no secret; videos have taken social media by storm! Harnessing the power of video to engage your social media following and stakeholders has never been easier using technology you probably already have. All it takes is a smartphone or an iPad (or both!) and a little know how, and you can create captivating video that educates AND entertains. To create a great video, it’s all about getting back to basics – recording with a steady hand or tripod, being mindful of the composition of the shot, and using the right equipment to record audio. 

There is an abundance of video editing tools available on the market, but the options can sometimes be overwhelming. Weighing your technical skills, budget, and the processing power of your computer can often narrow your choices to something a little more manageable. 

Uploading your video comes with other new challenges – tags, playlists, and captions, oh my! These options make your video more visible, easier to search, and accessible for all, so special thought is needed for the behind the scenes information that makes your video go the extra mile.

Intrigued? Want to know more? Attend my presentation “Effectively Create and Market Your Library with Videos” at LMCC to get my top video tips! Bring your own device (smartphone, iPad) and be actively involved in learning about how you can start using video to market your library. Before then, check out Plano Public Library’s YouTube channel and Facebook and Instagram pages to see what we’re all about! I’ll see you in St. Louis! 

Annie Guzman is a Community Outreach Librarian with Plano Public Library (Plano, TX) where she focuses on community outreach, staff training, and video production for marketing and social media. She is passionate about empowering patrons and staff by providing training, classes, and other opportunities that challenge them to learn something new. You can contact Annie at annieg@plano.gov.

When Disaster Strikes: Turning misfortune into opportunity

As communications professionals our jobs aren’t just about communicating information. It’s about creating solutions.

When a fire broke out on the roof of our main library at Kansas State University on May 22, 2018, it created many challenges for both our library system and our university. Our experience is a case study for how strategic communications and messaging can help you overcome even the most difficult situations. Although I sincerely hope your challenge is on a much smaller scale than a library disaster.

While it is difficult to boil down the extent of damage the fire caused, here’s the highlight reel:

• 80 percent of our 550,000-square-foot building had to be gutted due to smoke and water damage. All carpet, ceiling, and wiring have to be replaced. Most of the furniture and much of the drywall were damaged beyond repair.
• Our 1.5 million item collection that was in the building had to be removed and is still in the process of being cleaned.
• The building was closed for 15 months. The entire renovation and restoration is estimated to take nearly two and a half years.
• Our 80-plus library staff were relocated to 10 different locations where we remain today.

(Video Link)

But we’ve managed to turn a devastating situation into an opportunity. We’ve raised over $3.9 million since the fire and gained over 600 new library donors so far.

At LMCC, I look forward to discussing how a university’s crisis communications protocol can play into a situation like this, the importance of communication plans, and how we used strategic messaging and tactics to get results. However, if there is something specific you are interested in hearing about, please don’t hesitate to email me at martin05@ksu.edu.

Whether you are able to join me at this LMCC session or not, I look forward to meeting you! You can also learn more about our journey and subscribe to our blog, blogs.k-state.edu/hale, which has chronicled our recovery efforts.

Extended Access Gives the Keys Back to the Community

Hamilton Public Library’s Freelton Branch was the first in Canada to leverage bibliotheca’s open+ technology to offer customers Extended Access. HPL is located in Ontario, in Canada’s Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The system’s 22 branches and two beloved Bookmobiles cover a 439 mi² / 1137 km² area. The Freelton Branch is our northernmost rural branch. By using a unique model of open+, and adding virtual assistance to support customers remotely, Extended Access connected our rural customers with information staff at the system’s Central Library, when needed.

With Extended Access, open library hours increased from 17 to 60 hours per week, and customer visits and programming participation subsequently increased. Pre-registered customers use the branch, choosing materials, studying and researching online using reliable Wi-Fi.

HPL’s CEO Paul Takala has advice for libraries looking to follow this path: “The most important thing about the process is trust. We had to make sure all the pieces were in place before we opened. The board’s reassurances that they were using this to expand access and not reduce staffing went a long way as well,” he says. “We had to go the extra mile because we were the first. As more people begin to do this it will only become easier. There is a huge opportunity to replicate this elsewhere and we’ll certainly be doing that. open+ puts the keys back in the hands of the community – the people who fund the library.”

This successful pilot encouraged a second Extended Access Branch, with early data suggesting similar positive results.

Now, with careful planning and attention to the pilot principles, additional locations are planned. Join Shelley McKay, HPL’s Communications Manager, at LMCC 2019 for her walk-through of this new service – using planning, technology and outreach to better serve Hamilton residents.

-----

Shelley McKay oversees communications for the Hamilton Public Library (HPL) system. She and her team are responsible for promoting the Library’s 22 branches as a vibrant community hub. Shelley joined HPL after working as Director of Communications and Development at Forests Ontario, where she grew the organization into a nationally-recognized, non-profit institution. Shelley has 20 years of experience building brands in Canada and the US through marketing, public relations, issues management, public affairs, media relations and outreach. She regularly presents on communications leadership and serves on several industry association and community boards.

Speaking or writing about disability for audiences outside of the disability community is always challenging. What level of knowledge should I assume?  How do I say something new and fresh to the already knowledgeable while bringing along those who are new to accessibility? It’s 2019. The ADA is 30 years old. Shouldn’t I assume a reasonable level of knowledge? Sadly, the Hunter’s Point library and Domino’s Pizza suggest I cannot assume anything. This entry is meant as an invitation to a conversation about higher level concerns about building accessibility into any library marketing or communications strategy. Please attend my session at LMCC on Wednesday at 3:45 pm. Please come with your questions and ideas based on the broad points I have outlined here.

The first step to accessible design is to examine your own thinking. Many of us, either consciously or unconsciously, think about accessibility in terms of the medical model rather than the social justice model of disability.  The medical model looks at people as a problem to be fixed. The social justice model focuses on removing barriers to users with different needs.

Language and images contain subtle, or perhaps not-so-subtle, information about how we view people with disabilities. The language and images used in policies, marketing or other formal communication materials matters.   Avoid language that is demeaning to disabled people or that uses disability as a prop or punchline. (Yes, I have seen libraries doing this.)  All marketing plans should include the information disabled people need to request accommodations.

Many of your patrons use assistive technology and many more could benefit from it. Understand that using assistive tech is a very individual decision and always involves trade off. However, there are steps you can take to ensure your marketing materials will work with a person’s chosen assistive technology.  

Accessibility is a moving target. Assistive technology continues to develop and we are always increasing our understanding of the needs of disabled people. Any plan to create an accessible marketing strategy needs to include efforts toward continued professional development of this critical competency. Lastly, remember that accessible design is always more thoughtful design that is better for everybody. 

Angie Brunk has 15+ years of library experience and works with organizations to bring design and accessibility to the forefront of library marketing. Find out more about her here: http://angiebrunk.com/                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Forbes Magazine released an article earlier this month with a list of trends they predict every marketer will be jumping on in 2020. 

Libraries have long since attempted to adapt marketing trends to promote library services and events to their community. The question with the patterns presented by Forbes this year will be, "Can they even be adapted?"

• Shoppable Posts:  One of the hottest trends in 2020 is expected to be the continued growth of "shoppable posts" on Instagram and Facebook. In 2019, over 70% of polled Instagram users stated that they purchased a product because of a sponsored ad on the social media platform. Of course, libraries aren't selling a product - but is there a way to capitalize on this trend? Could the library produce sponsored posts that redirect users to free, easily accessible digital materials? Could they promote events this way? 
• Virtual and Augmented Reality: Libraries have long since dabbled in augmented and virtual reality, offering immersive technology experiences for their community. However, companies have begun to capitalize on this technology by providing augmented reality shopping experiences to patrons via their smartphones. Will libraries be able to follow this trend? Will they be able to provide AR programs via smartphone to their patrons, using a library card? 
• Interactive Content:  As more and more individuals seek visual and interactive social media content, companies are working on using these methods to grow brand recognition. Libraries, who sometimes struggle in this area, may find interactive and visual content to be the key to their brand recognition - but what methods allow libraries to quickly and efficiently create such content? 

The article has several other trends that libraries of which libraries should be mindful of, including the personalization of advertisements, Google Ads, and direct content marketing. 

To read the article in full, click here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2019/10/03/top-marketing-trends-for-2020/#3d5237e813d5

What trends are you looking for in 2020? How can some of these trends be adapted for libraries of all kinds - public, academic, or specialized? Comment below! 

The moment you've been waiting for has arrived! 

https://www.librarymarketingconference.org/LMCC-2019-Schedule

The LMCC19 schedule was released this week showing a full two days of sessions and fun. With a total of 36 sessions and 7 posters, there's a variety of events for you to attend. We know when Keynotes are happening, but speakers are still TBD. We will update the schedule once we get word.

This year, the main schedule is through Sched, allowing you to save sessions to your account to look up later on your desktop or on the Sched app on your phone or tablet. Sched can filter sessions by theme and by audience level. If you are presenting, you can promote your individual session with the Sched tiny link on your session page. 

For those of you who prefer a paper copy, a link to a printable and accessible copy is available at the top of the schedule page. 

Thanks for your patience and we can't wait to see you in November!

The Board of Directors of the 501(3)c nonprofit, Library Marketing Conference Group (LMCG) recognizes that some library professionals have questions or concerns about the location of the Library Marketing and Communications Conference (LMCC) in 2019.

While we acknowledge that individuals may have concerns over recent events and political decisions, the location for LMCC19 (the Hyatt Regency St Louis, November 13-14) can not be changed for financial and logistical reasons.

The decision of conference location is made at the LMCG Board level along with our association management partner, Amigos Library Services. We base decisions on where we can achieve the most fiscally responsible and affordable bids for a conference our size and where we think the most attendees can gather

LMCC has grown thanks to its enthusiastic attendees, volunteers, and being the only conference dedicated to best practices and education on marketing for libraries. We research our best options for conference locations to accommodate that growing interest and balance it with wise financial considerations for all involved.

As the conference has grown, the Board and Amigos Library Services have had to research locations to find the necessary combination of meeting space, hotel rooms, and affordable costs. As for many professional groups or associations with events, this means making location decisions years in advance. When making decisions far in advance of an event, we can’t foresee potential changes or issues with a city/state. To note, the decision process for location of the 2020 and 2021 conferences are  already underway.

As a small, only recently formed nonprofit, financial considerations for the long-term health and success of the nonprofit and conference are paramount in location decisions as well.

Actions or events in cities or states may place our Board, volunteers, or attendees in a position to make a difficult decision about professional development opportunities and travel to a location.  Respectfully, our conference volunteers and attendees will have to choose to attend or not attend a professional event based on their own internal guidance, as well as any guidance or regulations put forth by their organizations.

We appreciate that you choose to spend some of your professional development time networking and learning with your marketing communications peers and friends at LMCC19.

~Jennifer Burke, President, LMC Group Board of Directors, on behalf of entire LMC Group Board

Showcase your best work at 2019 Library Marketing and Communications Conference. The Call for Proposals is now open!

The 2019 Library Marketing and Communications Conference (LMCC) Planning Committee invites you to submit presentation proposals for consideration to our 5th Annual LMCC Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The conference will be held November 13-14, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch.

Successful proposals will showcase the tried and true, the latest trends, and the best practices in marketing and communications. Provide practical tips and takeaways that can be immediately applied to any library’s communication and marketing efforts. We’re looking for speakers who have done this work long enough to have experiences and lessons to share. You should be able to discuss the theory behind your decisions, as well as your actions themselves, and your results. Ideally, your presentation will be applicable and transferable to other types and sizes of libraries.

Have an idea? Please apply! The deadline is May 24, 2019.

We welcome all proposals for consideration. Possible topics include:

• Communications / PR / Media relations

• Strategy / Research / Planning / Style guides

• Workflow management

• Staff buy-in / Internal support and partnerships

• Diversity

• User experience / Accessibility

• Advocacy / Funding

• Partnerships

• Embedding

• Promoting outreach programs & services

• Engaging user groups

• Videography / Animation / Editing

• Social media

• Graphic design

• Website design

• Other technology / Software

We welcome all proposals for consideration, including proposals from individuals or colleagues who want to co-present. We also encourage panel submissions in which speakers will share different takes on the same topic.

For more information on submitting your proposal, the proposal timeline, the criteria for acceptance and the Call For Proposals form, visit https://www.librarymarketingconference.org/Call-for-Proposals.

We're currently in the process of migrating our website to a new platform and continuing to migrate content. Stay tuned for more details!