F e d e r a l D e p o s i t o r y L i b r a r y P r o g r a m ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program ------------------------------------------------------------------------ September 15, 2002 GP 3.16/3-2:23/12 (Vol. 23, no. 12) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Readers Exchange Marketing the Library Patrick J. McGuckin Manager, Library Communications Illinois State Library Springfield, IL 62701 Preface Our libraries engage in numerous activities and perform worthwhile services that are of interest to and that benefit the community at large. Public support for our libraries is enhanced when the public is made aware of these services and activities. It is imperative that the library community understands how to present their positive achievements to the patrons they serve. This presentation is designed to educate you about easy and effective ways by which you can market and promote your library's services to patrons and potential users. Getting Started Preparing a media list Most of what the public learns about libraries comes from the media--radio, television, newspapers and the Internet. Therefore, it's important for you to know who your local media are, and how to make them aware of what's going on at your library. That requires the preparation of a media list. The easiest way to find out who your local media are is to go to the Yellow pages of your telephone directory. Media outlets might include some or all of the following: Commercial television stations Cable television stations Radio stations Daily newspapers Weekly newspapers Monthly newspapers College newspapers Shoppers Senior citizen newspapers African American or other ethnic/religious newspapers Magazines Wire services Newsletters Business/professional publications For your media list, include the following: Name of media outlet Address City, State, Zip Contact person (Editor, News Director, Assignment Editor, Community Affairs Director) Phone Fax E-mail Webpage (if applicable) You'll use this media list each time you want to notify the media of something newsworthy that's happening at your library. It's a good idea to update your media list once a year. Writing A News Release/Media Advisory A news release or media advisory should be a document, generally no longer than two pages, typed and double-spaced, that informs the media of a significant event you want the media and the public to know about. It should be copied on library letterhead clearly identifying it as a news release or media advisory. It should list a contact person reporters may call for further information. When writing a news release or media advisory, the first paragraph should sum up everything you wish to convey, focusing on: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW. Here is a sample media advisory: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For further information: May 1,2002 Kathy Smith 217-555-1234 MEDIA ADVISORY SPRINGFIELD, Illinois--Members of the Springfield Public Library Board will hold a news conference on Tuesday, May 21st, 2002 at 10 a.m. to discuss a proposed library expansion project. The news conference will be held in the 1st floor Conference Room of the main Library at 123 West Main Street. ### Media advisories should be sent out as far ahead of the event as possible. Follow-up phone calls should be made the day before the event to remind the media of the event being held. SAMPLE NEWS RELEASE {NEWS RELEASE LETTERHEAD) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For further information: May 21,2002 Kathy Smith 217-555-1234 SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD UNVEILS LIBRARY EXPANSION PROJECT SPRINGFIELD, Illinois--The Springfield Public Library Board today announced plans to add a 3,000 square foot addition to its main downtown facility, insisting the new space is badly needed to meet the growing demands of library patrons. Library Board President John Smith said construction would hopefully begin early next year on the $1 million addition. Smith said the new addition will include increased space for books and periodicals, a large conference room, children's reading room, Internet room with 12 new terminals, and an expanded work room for library staff. "We have clearly outgrown our existing facility, and we desperately need this new addition to meet the demands of our ever-growing library population," Smith said. "The main downtown facility was constructed in 1947. This will be the first addition made to the structure. We have the space for the expansion at the eastern end of the building. Most importantly, we can pay for the expansion with existing funds and a grant from the Illinois State Library's Live and Learn Construction Grant program. Taxpayers will not be asked to pay increased property taxes for this improvement. "This new addition will allow us to meet the ever-changing educational and entertainment needs of patrons as we move into the 21st century." LIBRARY add 1 Smith said the Library will provide $750,000 of the cost of expansion, and the state of Illinois will provide $250,000. Becker and Gair Associates, a Springfield architectural firm, has been hired to design the addition. Smith said he hopes construction on the new addition will be completed by October, 2003. ### Preparing For A News Conference You've sent out your media advisory and prepared your news release. What else contributes to a successful news conference? --It's not a bad idea to have a "mock" press conference ahead of time, especially if the subject to be discussed is controversial. Try to anticipate the questions that might be asked by members of the media so that you're not caught off guard. Have staff members act as "reporters" and question the person(s) who will be speaking at the event. Have a prepared statement, a speech of sorts, for the main speaker to read that will drive home all of your points before taking questions from reporters. --Visual aids will improve your presentation. Charts, graphs, banners, etc. --Reporters love free food! Depending on the time of day, arrange for refreshments--maybe bagels, coffee and juice for a morning news conference, cookies and punch for an afternoon event. Once a year, host all of your local media at a "press breakfast." This is an informal affair where you get to know your media representatives on a more personal basis. You may choose to announce news at the event as well. After everyone's finished eating, the formal news conference would begin. A good time to have such an event might be early in the year, where you could announce the library's goals for the coming year. --Make sure you have enough copies of your news release and any attachments (charts, graphs, fact sheets, etc.) You may wish to include these items in an attractive folder. --Have one of your staff tape the news conference, with either an audio or video tape recorder. Critique the event by reviewing the tapes. --Use a podium for anyone speaking at the event. --Provide an easel if you wish to highlight charts or graphs. --Though most camera crews have their own lights, make sure the event is held in a room with suitable lighting if the event is being held indoors. --Make sure there is enough seating for speakers, guests and reporters. --Send a thank you note to reporters who attended thanking them for their coverage and inviting them to contact you if they ever have questions about the library. Television --Commercial television stations all have community affairs directors and televised community calendars. Make certain the community affairs director is on your media list, and keep them appraised of events going on at your library. --Cable television systems have what are known as public access channels. These are channels on which any member of the public can have their own television program, usually running 15 o 30 minutes. This would be the perfect outlet for a monthly show about what's going on at your library. --Some television stations still provide commentary, usually 60 second pieces read by the station manager. Viewers may provide rebuttals to any commentary. If a commentary relates to anything you're doing at the library, you may provide a rebuttal. --Most commercial television stations have morning or noon newscasts that include interview segments about upcoming community events. Contact the program director about promoting an important library event. --Television stations do "live" remotes on occasion, such as during newscasts. If you've got a major event at your library, suggest to the assignment editor that they do a remote from your event. Radio --Most radio stations have local listener call-in programs. Contact the station manager or news director about appearing on such programs to promote important library events or to discuss timely issues. For example, with Internet filtering being a controversial topic nowadays, perhaps local radio may be interested in doing a segment on how your local library is responding to filtering concerns. --Radio and television stations air what are known as public service announcements (PSA's). These are 10-, 30- and 60-second segments used by stations to fill unpurchased airtime. PSA's are good ways to promote library events. Here's a sample 30-second PSA: "Reading together is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give a child. I'm Kathy Smith, head librarian at the Springfield Public Library. The Springfield Public Library is proud to be participating in Family Reading Night, Thursday November 20th. Family Reading Night is sponsored every year by Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White to encourage families to read together. Please set aside some time on the evening of November 20th to read to your kids. To find out more about Family Reading Night, call me, Kathy Smith, at the Springfield Public Library, 555-1234." --Like television, radio stations do live "remotes", especially during popular morning programs. See if your local radio station may be interested in doing a live remote from your library, especially during a major event such as a Book Fair. Newspapers --Many newspapers have Sunday Book Sections or Arts Sections. Send the editors of those sections information about important events going on at your library. --Write letters to the editor about issues affecting your library (filtering, obscenity standards, referenda, etc.) Make sure you identify yourself as an employee of your library. --Offer to write a guest editorial or column about an important subject. --If you can afford it, consider purchasing advertisements (this applies to all media) to publicize a major library event. Mark Your Calendar! There are so many "special" days and events during the course of the year that provide wonderful opportunities to market your library. Set up special book displays or provide special programs, and notify the media about what you are doing so that the public will want to stop by and have a look. These "special" days might include: Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Super Bowl Sunday Black History Month Lincoln's Birthday Valentine's Day President's Day St. Patrick's Day Easter Passover Earth Day April 15th (Tax Day) Mother's Day Armed Forces Day Memorial Day Flag Day Father's Day 4th of July Labor Day Columbus Day Baseball World Series Halloween Election Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Hanukah Christmas Banned Books Month Summer Reading Programs Birthdays of Significant Authors (Hemingway, etc.) Family Reading Night Miscellaneous --Don't turn down invitations to attend things like Business After Hours, Kiwanis Club events, or other social events where you can talk about your library. Make sure you have business cards or something to give people who ask about the library. --People love free things and "handouts." If you can afford it, market your library on pencils, bookmarks, matchbooks, nail files, magnets, business card cases, rulers, etc. --Get a Web page! Take a class to learn how to design a Web page, or hire someone to design a Web page for your library. See if you can link your Web page to other sites (like the local Chamber of Commerce, for example). --Stay in touch with your local lawmakers (City council, State lawmakers, etc.) Put them on your mailing list, and keep them appraised of what you're doing. --If you can afford it, send out a monthly or quarterly library newsletter. You can write and design it on a computer. Hard And Fast Rules For Dealing With The Media 1. Don't lie--it will hurt your credibility. 2. Return telephone calls immediately. 3. Think before you speak--don't ad-lib. 4. It's important that errors not be left to stand. Correct a reporter's mistake, but keep your cool. 5. Don't do or say things you don't want to read about on the front page or see on the news. 6. Be polite, helpful, courteous and open. Do not be rude, obstructionist and closed. 7. Assume that every conversation you have with a reporter is on the record unless otherwise stated and clearly understood. 8. Be proactive. 9. "No comment" can be interpreted that you have something to hide. Patrick J. McGuckin Manager, Library Communications Illinois State Library 300 South 2nd Street Springfield, IL 62701 Phone 217-558-4029 Fax 217- 782-8261 e-mail pmcguckin@ilsos.net Patrick McGuckin joined the Illinois State Library as Manager of Communications in September, 2000. Prior to that he served for 17 years as a Communications and Research specialist and Assistant Press Secretary for the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus. He worked as a State Capitol reporter for an Illinois radio network for four years before entering government. Pat has a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a Master of Arts degree in Public Affairs Reporting from Sangamon State University (now the University of Illinois at Springfield.)