The Responsive Public Library

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

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ISBN: 9781563086489 | 1563086484
Cover: Paperback
Copyright: 1/10/2002

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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.

List of Figures and Tables

xiii

Preface

Acknowledgments

xvii

Overture

(10)

Marketing: A Brief Rationale

(4)

Overcoming Potential Barriers to Marketing

(1)

The Benefits of Marketing

(2)

Conclusion

(1)

Notes

(1)

References

(3)

Know Your Market

(22)

Frequency of Use: Core Markets, Fringe Markets, and Hard-Core Nonusers

(1)

Characteristics of Library Users

(3)

A General Desire to Explore the World around Them

(1)

A Desire to Explore the World Via Books and Other Media

(1)

Familiarity with and Knowledge of Libraries in General

(1)

Motivation and Incentives to Use the Library

(10)

It's the Match That Counts

(1)

Embrace Serenity

(3)

Key Into the Community

(1)

Conclusion

(1)

Notes

(1)

References

(7)

Creating Your Master Plan

(28)

Setting the Stage: Participants, Resources, and Deadlines

(4)

Developing Themes

(6)

Legal and Humanitarian Mandates

(1)

External Environmental Forces

(2)

Internal Environmental Forces

(3)

Focus: Service Responses and Mission Statement

(1)

The Composition Itself: Identification of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies

(7)

Market Segmentation

(2)

Development and Implementation of Action Strategies

(1)

The Marketing Mix: A Four-Part Harmony

(4)

Performance and Review: Implementation and Evaluation

(1)

Conclusion

(1)

Notes

(1)

References

(4)

Collection Choices

(30)

What Elements Influence User Selections?

(17)

Subject

(3)

Genre

(2)

Format

(1)

Quality or Excellence

(2)

Style and Appeal

(2)

Reading, Listening, and Other Levels of Sophistication

(1)

Currency

(1)

Language

(1)

Packaging

(1)

Awareness of the Author and/or Title

(2)

Other Factors

(1)

What Mix of Products (Items in the Collection) Will Best Meet User Needs?

(1)

Identifying Products Heavily Used by Patrons

(1)

Identifying Products Not Used by Patrons

(1)

Identifying Products Desired by Patrons or Potential Patrons But Not in the Collection

(1)

How Does the Life Cycle of a Particular Product Affect the Level of Demand for It?

(2)

Conclusion

(1)

Notes

(1)

References

(8)

Cost of Collections and Use

(30)

What Price Objectives Can a Library Adopt?

(1)

Maximizing Use

(1)

Limiting Use

(1)

Recovering Costs

(1)

Setting Prices

(2)

Price Increases and Reductions

(1)

Out-of-Pocket Costs

(7)

Getting There

(1)

Fees and Fines

(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

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The Responsive Public Library

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials