The moment that someone gets their library card is a key moment in their life. Library Card Sign-up Month should be more than just waiting for more of those people to find us—we need to find them.
Why is it so important to get people to sign up for library cards? How do you do it if you’re a small library with limited resources or a large library system that’s already tried everything?
Join John Chrastka, Executive Director at EveryLibrary and LibraryAware’s Pam Jaskot and Kathy Lussier who both previously headed up marketing and communications for library systems as they share their hands-on experience, strategies, and tactics in successful library card sign-up month campaigns.
Learn about ways you can use marketing and awareness-building resources—along with the most effective techniques from political or issue campaigns—to make this year’s (and every year’s) Library Card Sign-up Month interactive, engaging, and successful.
Resources
- Attendance certificate
- Presentation slides
- Sample planning timeline
- ALA resources
- Video: NC Public Libraries and the Smartest Card
- Library Value Calculator
- Chatham-Kent infographic
- Houston Public Library: customer stories form
- Indian Prairie Public Library’s LibSocial Newsletter for 20-30 Somethings
- Webinar: I didn't know my library had that!
- Webinar: Promote your collection to increase circulation and engage readers!
Panelists
John Chrastka is a founder and executive director of EveryLibrary, the first Super PAC for libraries, and the EveryLibrary Institute, a nonprofit research, and training organization focused on the future of library funding. Since 2012, EveryLibrary has provided pro-bono support to 97 library communities with ballot measures and tax referendum, helping win over $320 million in stable tax funding. He is a former Board president of the Berwyn (IL) Public Library and RAILS, the Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System.
Pam Jaskot is LibraryAware’s Customer Engagement Specialist, focused on training new as well as long-time customers. Pam brings more than 25 years of experience in public libraries, with much of that time spent in marketing and communications. She most recently served as Marketing and Communications Consultant for the State Library in North Carolina where she created and implemented an award-winning library card campaign. Even though she’s retired as a librarian, she enjoys staying connected to libraries as part of the LibraryAware team.
Kathy Lussier, APR, is Customer Engagement Coordinator for LibraryAware. She works with library systems to help them leverage the many features of LibraryAware. Kathy brings extensive marketing and public relations experience to her position. She most recently managed community relations and marketing for a large multi-county library system, where she launched the system’s first e-newsletter, created their brand standards guide, and helped her library win the Urban Libraries Council's Top Innovator Award in Customer Experience. Kathy has been accredited by the Public Relations Society of America since 1999.
Molly Wyand is the Partner Development Consultant for NoveList.