Essentials of Marketing Your Library: How We Do it at Carmel Clay

Abstract

Promoting your library, and its programs and services, is imperative to the success of the library in today’s ever-changing economic and high-tech environment. In a time of cutbacks, and even elimination, of all but the most essential public services, anonymity can be the undoing of the library. We must prove our intrinsic value, and garner support in our communities to build a strong foundation upon which we can rely during times of both prosperity and the more difficult periods. We provide a valuable service to the community and society in general, but we can’t assume that the public, elected officials, or even our patrons fully appreciate this fact. We need to educate them continuously, and effective marketing is the first step in doing so.