15 or Thinking 2.0

Although I grew up as a heavy library user and still really enjoy browsing in libraries, I will be the first to admit that my time in them would be much more limited nowadays if I didn’t work in one. My first response to any information need or want is to go online. Google is my first stop, just like it is for many others. I don’t have the time to use a traditional library to its fullest. I know I’m not alone. I believe in libraries; I think libraries are important, but realistically they are not as convenient as I would wish.

I like browsing, but rarely have time for it. Much has been written about this, but I think libraries have a lot to learn from the NetFlix model. NetFlix would not have been so successful if the founders hadn’t figured out that people are just too darn busy to go to the video store. Google is successful because it brings information (and we can certainly argue the authority of that information) directly to the user. Any aspect of a library that forces the user to come to them, rather than the other way ‘round, is problematic. Not every library allows their patrons to renew or order books online. That would be a start. For their next trick, I would just adore it if my books came to my front door after I ordered them online. (Yes, I know that’s a whole other ballgame, but I can wish.) Generally speaking, libraries have to truly put the customer first. Make things as convenient as possible—I’m there.

Libraries have so much! We are a one-stop-shop for so many things. We can do more than what a retail bookstore does, can provide more reliable information than Google, create quality children’s programming, teach job skills to immigrants, bring my grandmother up to speed on using Microsoft Word…the list goes on and on and on, and absolutely NO other entity can do all of this. The problem is marketing this message and also in learning to make connections in the ways recent generations communicate. Libraries need to find better ways to tell people they do all this stuff. And to show that what they do is still relevant.

I think it’s time for libraries to realize that they need some truly professional-level PR services (i.e: large marketing agency) to market themselves collectively. Libraries keep selling themselves individually. That has some merit of course, except that I believe the public is slowly losing the context for that kind of advertising. First, we need to show the public why they need libraries. Then worry about promoting individual programs at individual libraries. Something I hear often is that libraries need a “Got Milk?” type of campaign. First, sell the idea of milk. Then start advertising individual dairies.