MARKETING THE SCHOOL LIBRARY /MEDIA CENTER Ways to promote the use of the library media center, connect with faculty members and improve student achievement

M.A.I.S. Conference November, 2002 Rome, Italy Linda A. Vretos, Head Librarian Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S.A.

Workshop Goal Participants will gain ideas on how to sell the value of the school library/media center program.

Workshop Objectives Review the five features needed to run a successful business Apply the five features to the school library/media center Review the research: what students want Successful marketing features at TJHSST and beyond Discussion of techniques Future planning

Think of a company that made it “big” - a small company that grew and prospered and changed their market? Why?

Starbucks Personal touch/encounter Knew their coffee/product Knew their customers Understood that service and customer satisfaction were linked Workers in the company are responsible for marketing

Let’s apply these five marketing basics to the school library/media center and the library “workers” Do we use personal touch with our patrons - a touch that allows them to savor the experience ? Do we know our product ? Do we know our customers or patrons ?

Do we understand that our library services/ materials and customer satisfaction are linked ? Does the entire library staff know that the marketing of the school library is the responsibility of the entire staff ?

Review the Research “Teenage Users of Libraries” by David V. Loertscher and Blanche Woolls. Knowledge Quest, May/June, “Pew Study: Students Prefer the Virtual Library.” School Library Journal, October, Teens use the library for four reasons: research, volunteering, use of the internet, and to meet friends

Do your own research Freshman orientation, September, graders at TJHSST answered the question: a librarian should be…….. Answers: helpful, knowledgeable, nice, organized, kind, friendly, patient

Other Good Comments Teenagers want: cool, helpful and friendly librarians good books access to technology and training to use the internet welcoming spaces organized trips to the library from classes Fact: trips to the library increase student reading=higher scores on reading tests

“Behavior of Librarians in School and Public Libraries with Adolescents: Implications for Practice and Library Education” Quote:“Most librarians enforce rules and the pass system, with little time left to help teens with research. The researcher wondered how people could teach when human relations skills were so poor” Journal of Education for Library and Information Services, Spring, 1999:

Pew Study “The internet made looking for these poems a whole lot easier than having to go up to some strange librarian who was enjoying her Diet Coke and would do just about anything to get these people out of the library to go on her break. The internet is like having a virtual librarian without the bad attitude.”(student)

Successful Marketing Techniques Personal touch/encounters Book club No passes/No cards No fines “school store” reference books checked out Knowledge of the Product Databases Research skills Scanners Copier Printers Books

More Marketing Techniques Knowledge of customers Students Teachers Administrators Parents Visitors Customer Satisfaction linked to services Surveys Suggestion Box Staffing Hire with the students in mind - kid loving people

Summation Don’t wait for others to notice that you have a good library program. Create marketing strategies and sell the program yourself.

The End Marketing the School Library/Media Center

Based on the five points of good marketing grade yourself What is your weakest marketing strategy? What is your strongest marketing strategy?

Create a plan for your weakest marketing strategy