Slideshow: Using Videos to Promote Your Library

(UPDATED 4/12/2022)

We have an updated PDF slideshow available that offers some suggestions about using videos to promote libraries. Click the image below to play the slideshow. There is also a supplemental handout that lists online resources available to use in making videos.

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Using QR Codes to Promote Book Trailers on Book Displays

The ubiquitous book display is a mainstay of traditional collection promotion in public libraries . How many of these have you made over the years? Frankly, I've lost count. Book displays increase item circulation because they attract patrons' attention and provide them with immediate gratification without their having to search for what has caught their interest. The books are right there ; just grab them and head for circulation to check them out. Nothing could be easier. But what if the books are carefully wrapped-up (say, for a banned book display, which we did a couple of times), and patrons can't read the back cover descriptions? For ordinary book displays, is there something more visually engaging that could appeal to patrons than just having to read the book jackets? That's where book trailers could help "sell" the book. Wouldn't it be nice if patrons could watch the book trailers while they're look...

Library Blogs Can Still Be Relevant

I recently watched a webcast of a librarian round table talking about social media, and there was a brief discussion about library blogs. The panel consensus was that blogs had run their course as a library communication vehicle. "There're too many out there," said one librarian, "droning on and on. (He's obviously read my blogs.) Modern readers want compact content."--meaning, presumably, Twitter and Facebook blurbs. So, are library blogs dinosaurs? Can they still garner followers while imparting important messages relevant to their readers? Yes, if the blogger is talking about something lots of somebodies want to read. (That's rather axiomatic.) Clearly, I'm no expert about blogging and holding an audience's interest, but, in my experience, I've discovered two types of blogs that have maintained consistently large readership: Local history blogs; and Library animal "spokescritter" blogs. Previously , we've...

Using Video to Promote ALA Banned Books Week

When promoting ALA Banned Books Week (BBW), most librarians have probably turned to the ol' reliable book display, like so: Click images to enlarge Book displays are great. They centralize selected items, focus patrons' attention on a particular topic or theme, and they're relatively easy and inexpensive to produce. But they're just so, well, static. Stuff just sits there until patrons come along. Another popular static medium we use to promote BBW is the customized book mark. These take a bit more work but are fine as promotional tools, as far as they go. How about something more, say, techno-savvy? 2018 Banned Books Week Promo Trailer by Mooresville (Indiana) Public Library 2016 Banned Books Week Promo Trailer by Mooresville (Indiana) Public Library Since 2010 my library has used videos to promote BBW. There are the promo trailer variety (above) that help stimulate interest, and thes...

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