The Responsive Public Library

by Baker, Sharon L.; Wallace, Karen L.

• ISBN13: 9781563086489
• ISBN10: 1563086484
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-01-10
• Publisher: Libraries Unltd Inc

Summary

How can public libraries successfully meet the needs of their patrons and their communities, and build support for their endeavors? Focusing on the heart and soul of the library--its collection--the authors show how proven marketing techniques can be applied to library collection development in today's high-tech environment. With examples and statistics from more than 200 libraries of all sizes, the book gathers decades of pertinent research and a wealth of creative ideas and winning tactics for public libraries. After a brief discussion of the rationale for a marketing approach, the book takes you through each step of an effective marketing initiative: from market research and creating a master plan through collection evaluation, selection, costs, access, and promotional policies and practices. A great idea-generator and how-to guide for any library staff member, especially those in management positions, this is also essential reading for LIS students preparing for careers in public libraries.

Author Biography

SHARON L. BAKER is former Associate Professor, University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science, Iowa City.KAREN L. WALLACE is Circulation/Reference Librarian, Drake University Law Library in Des Moines, Iowa, and was formerly the Head of Community Services at Des Plaines Public Library, Des Plaines, Illinois.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables	xiii
Preface	xv
Acknowledgments	xvii
Overture	1	(10)
Marketing: A Brief Rationale	3	(4)
Overcoming Potential Barriers to Marketing	4	(1)
The Benefits of Marketing	5	(2)
Conclusion	7	(1)
Notes	8	(1)
References	8	(3)
Know Your Market	11	(22)
Frequency of Use: Core Markets, Fringe Markets, and Hard-Core Nonusers	11	(1)
Characteristics of Library Users	12	(3)
A General Desire to Explore the World around Them	13	(1)
A Desire to Explore the World Via Books and Other Media	14	(1)
Familiarity with and Knowledge of Libraries in General	15	(1)
Motivation and Incentives to Use the Library	15	(10)
It's the Match That Counts	20	(1)
Embrace Serenity	21	(3)
Key Into the Community	24	(1)
Conclusion	25	(1)
Notes	25	(1)
References	26	(7)
Creating Your Master Plan	33	(28)
Setting the Stage: Participants, Resources, and Deadlines	39	(4)
Developing Themes	43	(6)
Legal and Humanitarian Mandates	43	(1)
External Environmental Forces	43	(2)
Internal Environmental Forces	45	(3)
Focus: Service Responses and Mission Statement	48	(1)
The Composition Itself: Identification of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies	49	(7)
Market Segmentation	50	(2)
Development and Implementation of Action Strategies	52	(1)
The Marketing Mix: A Four-Part Harmony	52	(4)
Performance and Review: Implementation and Evaluation	56	(1)
Conclusion	56	(1)
Notes	57	(1)
References	57	(4)
Collection Choices	61	(30)
What Elements Influence User Selections?	62	(17)
Subject	63	(3)
Genre	66	(2)
Format	68	(1)
Quality or Excellence	69	(2)
Style and Appeal	71	(2)
Reading, Listening, and Other Levels of Sophistication	73	(1)
Currency	74	(1)
Language	74	(1)
Packaging	75	(1)
Awareness of the Author and/or Title	76	(2)
Other Factors	78	(1)
What Mix of Products (Items in the Collection) Will Best Meet User Needs?	79	(1)
Identifying Products Heavily Used by Patrons	79	(1)
Identifying Products Not Used by Patrons	79	(1)
Identifying Products Desired by Patrons or Potential Patrons But Not in the Collection	80	(1)
How Does the Life Cycle of a Particular Product Affect the Level of Demand for It?	80	(2)
Conclusion	82	(1)
Notes	82	(1)
References	83	(8)
Cost of Collections and Use	91	(30)
What Price Objectives Can a Library Adopt?	92	(1)
Maximizing Use	92	(1)
Limiting Use	93	(1)
Recovering Costs	93	(1)
Setting Prices	93	(2)
Price Increases and Reductions	95	(1)
Out-of-Pocket Costs	96	(7)
Getting There	96	(1)
Fees and Fines	96	(7)
Convenience Costs	103	(9)
Obtaining a Borrower's Card	103	(1)
Locating and Gathering Desired Items	104	(2)
Standing in Line to Check Out Items	106	(1)
Returning Borrowed Items to the Library	107	(1)
Filing Reserve Requests	108	(2)
Obtaining Desired Materials from Another Branch	110	(1)
Filing Interlibrary Loan Requests	110	(2)
Psychological Costs	112	(1)
Conclusion	113	(1)
Notes	113	(1)
References	114	(7)
Creating Access	121	(40)
What Collection Distribution Outlets Will The Library Use?	122	(16)
Main Libraries	122	(1)
Full-Service Branch Libraries	123	(4)
Remote Electronic Access	127	(1)
Mini-Branches	127	(2)
Bookmobiles	129	(3)
Deposit Collections	132	(2)
Personal Delivery Services	134	(1)
Materials-by-Mail Services	135	(1)
The Problem of Two-Way Distribution Channels	136	(1)
Are Librarians Making Effective Choices About Their Collection Distribution Options?	137	(1)
How Will the Library Distribute Items Among Its Outlets?	138	(1)
How Will Staff Distribute Items Among Collections in a Single Facility?	139	(5)
Do Patrons Have Special Needs That an Integrated Collection Might Hinder?	140	(1)
Will the Size of an Integrated Collection Help or Hinder Patrons?	141	(1)
Will Patrons Need Special Help Using a Collection Due to the Complexity of Accessing Information in It?	141	(1)
Will Housing Other Collections Separately Result in Quick, Convenient Access?	142	(1)
Do Librarians Need Ready Access to a Subset of the Collection So They Can Help Patrons?	142	(1)
Do the Physical Characteristics of Certain Materials Allow Them to Be Interfiled?	143	(1)
Final Comments on Integration	143	(1)
How Can the Interior Be Designed for Maximum Distribution Effectiveness?	144	(6)
To What Extent Does Placement of Collections Influence Their Use?	145	(1)
How Might the Library's Collections Be Arranged to Minimize Patron Costs of Locating Items?	146	(4)
Conclusion	150	(1)
Notes	150	(1)
References	151	(10)
Creating Recognition of Collection-Use Benefits	161	(36)
What Target Market(s) Will the Library Try to Reach with a Particular Promotional Effort?	162	(4)
Communication Model	162	(1)
How Consumers Process Promotional Information	163	(2)
Determining Whom to Woo	165	(1)
What Aspects of the Collection Can Libraries Promote?	166	(3)
Promoting the Collection as a Whole	166	(1)
Promoting a Specific Product Line	166	(1)
Promoting a Specific Item	167	(1)
Promoting a Collection-Related Event	167	(1)
Promoting a Change in the Cost of Using the Collection	168	(1)
When Can Promotion Occur?	169	(2)
What Response(s) Does the Library Seek from the Target Market?	171	(7)
Getting to Know You: Relationship Marketing	171	(3)
Getting to Know All About You: Relational Databases	174	(2)
Buyer Readiness Stages	176	(2)
What Message(s) Will the Library Try to Convey to the Target Market?	178	(1)
What Factors Influence the Optimum Frequency of Promotion?	179	(1)
What Techniques Can the Library Use to Promote Its Products?	180	(7)
Promotional Medium Selection	180	(6)
Budgeting	186	(1)
How Will the Library Evaluate the Results of Its Promotional Efforts?	187	(1)
Conclusion	188	(1)
Notes	189	(1)
References	190	(7)
Collection Evaluation: A Product Analysis Approach	197	(50)
Assumptions and Limitations of This Approach	198	(1)
Identifying Heavily Used Currently Owned Items	199	(11)
Scrutinizing Reserve Lists	200	(1)
Regularly Examining Circulation Records of Individual Works	200	(4)
Examining Circulation Totals by Class	204	(6)
Identifying Currently Owned Items That Are Not Used	210	(4)
Screening Items in the Circulating Collection	210	(1)
Screening Items in the Non-Circulating Collection	211	(3)
Identifying Items Not in the Collection But Likely to Receive Use	214	(14)
Examining Interlibrary Loan Records	215	(1)
Analyzing Unanswered Reference and Readers' Advisory Questions	215	(1)
Soliciting Patron Suggestions for New Purchases	215	(3)
Soliciting Recommendations from Community Interest Groups and Experts	218	(4)
Surveying Patrons and Potential Patrons Using Questionnaires or Focus Group Interviews	222	(6)
Checking Recommended Lists	228	(1)
Identifying Other Barriers That Inhibit Use of the Collection	228	(14)
Issues Involved in Planning Availability Studies	229	(1)
Analyzing Availability Data	230	(12)
Conclusion	242	(1)
Notes	243	(1)
References	243	(4)
Marketing-Based Selection Policies and Practices	247	(28)
Writing a Detailed, Synthesized Collection Development Policy	248	(2)
Monitoring and Stretching the Materials Budget to Further Library Goals	250	(10)
Are Materials Budget Allocations in Line with Library Service Responses or Roles?	251	(1)
Does Information Collected During the Product Analysis Stage Suggest a Need to Change Budget Allocations?	251	(1)
How Will the Library's Duplication Policy Influence How Much Money Will Be Spent Within a Particular Budget Category?	252	(5)
In What Ways Can the Library Increase the Pool to Be Divided?	257	(3)
Establishing a Centralized Selection Unit to Do Formula-Based Purchasing	260	(3)
Thoughtfully Assigning Selection Responsibilities and Creating a Thorough Continuing Education Program for All Selectors	263	(3)
Asking Selectors to Review Objective Data on Collection Use and Follow Three Marketing Principles When Making Selections	266	(2)
Marketing-Based Selection Principle 1	266	(1)
Marketing-Based Selection Principle 2	267	(1)
Marketing-Based Selection Principle 3	267	(1)
Conclusion	268	(1)
Notes	268	(1)
References	269	(6)
Marketing-Based Promotional Policies and Practices	275	(46)
What Internal Promotional Practices Correlate with High Use or User Awareness of the Collection?	275	(11)
Display Shelving	277	(1)
Displays	278	(2)
Book, CD, Video, and (Fill-in-the-Blank) Lists	280	(2)
Fiction Categorization	282	(4)
Reader (or Viewer or Listener) Interest Categorization	286	(13)
Personalized Readers' Advisory and Reference Services	292	(5)
Programming	297	(2)
What External Promotional Practices Correlate with High Use or User Awareness of the Collection?	299	(8)
External Programming	300	(1)
Partnerships	301	(2)
External Distribution	303	(1)
History of Outreach	303	(1)
Booktalks (and Talks Promoting Other Types of Materials)	304	(1)
Further Research on External Promotion	305	(2)
Conclusion	307	(1)
Notes	308	(1)
References	308	(13)
Making Marketing Resonate Throughout the Library	321	(20)
We Can't All Play By Ear!	323	(3)
Educating the Players	323	(1)
Choosing Concepts to Emphasize: From Scales to Bach	323	(2)
What Medley of Techniques Will We Use?	325	(1)
Obtaining the Proper Instruments	326	(1)
Critique	327	(1)
Practice Makes Perfect---Or At Least Darn Good	328	(6)
Advanced Technical Training	329	(1)
Can We Require Auditions for Service Positions?	330	(1)
Setting the Tempo at Regular Meetings of the Library Staff and Board of Trustees	330	(1)
Coaching and Recognition	331	(2)
Evaluating Artistic Excellence and Technical Merit	333	(1)
Paying Attention to Mood and Tempo	333	(1)
Finale!	334	(1)
Notes	334	(1)
References	335	(6)
APPENDIX: LIBRARIES CITED BY NAME	341	(6)
Libraries in the United States, Subdivided by Size of Service Population, Then Region	341	(5)
Libraries Outside of the United States, Subdivided by Country	346	(1)
Index	347