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Libraries are on the rise: Despite sky-is-falling proclamations that the Internet is destroying public libraries, library use is up across the board. “The Internet has really increased every aspect of library service,” says Leonard Kniffel, editor of American Libraries magazine. “It has increased demand for assistance in navigating the Internet, getting access to the Internet … for a lot of people, the library is where they get their access if they don’t have it at home or when they’re on the go.” In fact, 98.9 percent of public libraries offer Internet access, according to the ALA.
More Than Books
Librarians buy books—lots and lots of books, which they mostly get from distributors like Baker & Taylor. But that’s only the tip of the card catalog. According to Kniffel, librarians purchase systems—circulation systems, security systems, subscription management systems. Other products and services they buy include furnishings, office supplies, shelving, computer hardware, software, Internet access, cataloging tools, continuing education, as well as tutoring programs that library staff can offer to patrons and databases such as LexisNexis for patron use. And then there are the other media, such as CDs, DVDs, newspapers and magazines.
Another category librarians purchase often is graphics products like posters, bookmarks and other promotional materials. For example, ALA Graphics publishes everything from the well-known “Read” posters to baby bibs that say “Born to Read.”
Out-of-category marketers that target librarians include the “library champions,” a group of advertisers and exhibitors that financially support the ALA. Included in those are companies like Dollar General, Google, LexisNexis, Morningstar, Tutor.com, World Book, Walgreens, Home Depot and Target. “Some of the organizations have philanthropic arms and are supporting various kinds of literacy and education-related programs,” says Kniffel. “The line between what’s philanthropic and what’s marketing has been a little blurred in recent years. Walgreens has never purchased advertising, but has partnered with the ALA for different programs for disseminating health information. These organizations see the ALA as a vehicle for the delivery of their message to massive numbers of people.”
Just as important as what librarians buy is the reputation of the sellers and the support librarians expect to receive for their purchases. “I would emphasize that librarians, as responsible purchasing agents buying with public dollars, are extremely conscientious about what they’re buying,” says Kniffel. “They want to buy from companies with reputations, companies that are here to stay and will give them support for what they’ve purchased. Many companies have become strong in that support, especially training … they offer seminars at our conferences and other ways librarians can learn to use their products.”
Selling in the Stacks
Librarians get information on potential purchases from a variety of sources. “They take journal reviews very seriously; they attend conferences; they get lots of catalogs; and online resource tools have become a bigger player,” says Moira McArdle, vice president of marketing at MDR, a marketing information company covering the early childhood, K-12, higher education and public library markets. “I think multichannel is a big part of the message ... use as many channels as you can and integrate the messages.”
Max Crowe, library director of New Durham Public Library in New Hampshire, notes that some advertisers use e-mail to reach librarians. According to MDR’s 2008 study on e-mail marketing in the education market, shorter subject lines (30 to 40 characters), a recognizable sender and the word “new” in the subject line all boost open rates. Meanwhile, follow-ups to direct mail campaigns got the highest open and clickthrough rates of all the types of marketing messages.
Depending on the library and the size of the purchase, librarians may need to get their purchases approved by others, which makes direct mail a good vehicle for reaching librarians. “Direct mail works because they have to present the materials to other people—sometimes a group, sometimes a budget committee,” says Fernbach. “They have to have something concrete they can summarize and bring to the table.”
Ads in magazines such as American Libraries help build brand recognition and trust. “In the last few years we’ve become not only a print magazine ... we have a suite of products that feed into each other,” says Kniffel. “We have an e-newsletter weekly called American Libraries Direct and a video/audio component called ‘American Libraries Focus.’ Our Web site connects all of these pieces into a suite of products, all of which are available to advertisers.”
Whatever method of marketing you choose, be sure you have a Web site you can direct the librarian to. “I can’t make a decision right away, and I need information to look at later,” says Crowe. “You wouldn’t believe how many people call, and they don’t have Web sites I can look at.”
When it comes to messaging, “I usually stick with the idea of just being real,” says Billadeau. “Treat them as professionals.” A common mistake, she says, is not seeing librarians as knowledgeable professionals who are up-to-date and technologically skilled. That old “Marian the Librarian” image is as outdated as bell-bottom jeans.
In addition, be sure your methods, frequency and messaging show that you’re in it for the long haul. “There’s one-shot marketing, which I wouldn’t advise to anyone, [and] then there’s image building,” says Kniffel. “Build confidence in your products and services in the community of library buyers. You have to show that you’re here to serve the market, not to get rich and go away.”
Linda Formichelli is a freelance writer based in New Hampshire. She wrote about marketing to pet owners in Target Marketing’s February issue.
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