Communication and Marketing

Communication and Marketing spreads the word about our wonderful library’s collections, services and events via a multitude of print, digital and local media platforms.

We are a busy department! We typically juggle multiple projects at once. We are passionate supporters of the library and feel strongly that the products, services and events we promote are to the betterment of our community.

Helpful links

Who we are

The C&M Department consists of a director and three staff members.

Communications and Marketing Director – Project management and decision-making for all communications internal and external. First point of contact for anything having to do with media, advertising, branding, public relations, promotion, signage and customer communications.

Contact Diana Friend • 580-4486

Communications Editor – Creates and curates graphics/written content in web, print and media relations, proofreads and edits outgoing and internal communications. Works with staff to develop content, executes marketing and social media campaigns. Editor of the bi-weekly Library News Update (e-newsletter), web content and any information that represents the library.

Contact Ginger Park • 580-4487

Art Director – Responsible for any and all visual imagery having to do with the library, internal and external. Creates digital and print advertisements and signage. Oversees library’s visual brand.

Contact Karen Watson • 580-4479

Web Administrator, Multimedia Producer & Visual Artist – Responsible for any and all library photography and video projects. Creates digital and print advertisements and signage. Website design, implementation and updates.

Contact Michael Perkins • 580-4605


 

What we do

  • Library News Update: Bi-weekly electronic newsletter sent out to all library cardholders 13 years old and older.
  • Interior and exterior directional, informational and digital signage and advertisements
  • Public & Media relations
  • Manages the library brand
  • Social media strategy and content
  • Web content cultivation and curation
  • Edit Library Program descriptions
  • Annual Reports
  • Photography and Video production

Promoting Events

Marketing levels are organized based primarily on anticipated audience & space capacity. CM also considers how new or unique an event is and if it’s an ongoing series or core event that needs a boost. These have always been the major considerations CM has used to evaluate events for promotion. This is a clarification of how we decide what events get promotion with the library’s limited resources (communications staff and time).

Small events (less than 25 attendees)

  • Programmers encouraged to talk about their upcoming event with visitors
  • Programmers may post about event on their personal social media

Medium events (26-75 attendees)

  • Library Facebook post – someone on the Facebook team will post about your event on the Library’s Facebook page 3-5 days in advance
  • Included in enews if space allows
  • May have a Facebook event – CM staff will create a graphic and post a Library Facebook event using the Communico description

Large events (76+ attendees) – may include small / medium events that are a new series

  • Facebook event
  • Included in enews
  • Tweet – CM will Tweet about event 3-5 days in advance
  • Digital display slide in the building and on bookmobiles
  • Additional promotion strategies as determined by CM

Factors that may increase/influence promotion regardless of event size

  • library leadership priorities
  • partners
  • funding

Creative Briefs

Creative Briefs are meetings with one or more members of the CM team to discuss an upcoming event and possible promotion strategies. Not every large event needs a creative brief. A lot of event promotion can be organized by email and Basecamp. Events that are held regularly like Music for a Sunday Afternoon and the Farmers Market don’t need a creative brief. CM staff will schedule a creative brief with you and your supervisor if one is needed for your event.

Need a creative brief if the event:

  • involves a major partner (national, funder, high profile)
  • is new with potential large audience
  • is part of a new event series
  • includes a contracted performer/author
  • could be controversial

When to contact us

Our department is here for staff support. While we are usually juggling many projects simultaneously, we are always here for you to contact us. Please contact us well in advance of your needs (unless there is an emergency) and via email whenever possible.

Contact the C&M director immediately when

  • Media makes contact with a staff member. The C&M director or CEO should always be the first contacts for media.
  • Media are in the building or visiting one of our outreach sites or bookmobile stops. If C&M director is unavailable, contact Communications Editor, or Manager in Charge.

If you are requesting print or publicity deliverables for anything that has a deadline in the year’s first quarter (January-April), please submit your request by November 30 of the previous year.

When you want a handout for your program, event, service or resource, please take the following steps:

  1. Staff create handouts to support the programs, services or resources you provide directly to your customers. Please use the library’s style guide for fonts and logo use.
  2. All handouts should identify that the piece comes from the library and include the library logo, contact person, contact information and the date it was created.
  3.  If you would like assistance or someone to review your handout, please send it to communications@tscpl.org and we will respond quicklly.

    When you want to request signage, please take the following steps:

    1. Make detailed notes about new signage or changes to existing signage.
    2. Present your notes to your supervisor, who will make the formal request to C&M or will approve a meeting with C&M to discuss needs.

When you want to request additional promotion for a service or collection:

  1. Receive approval for your request from your supervisor.
  2. Contact C&M at least eight weeks in advance of when you want the information to go public.
  3. Schedule a meeting with C&M director to discuss promotional needs.
  4. Bring detailed notes about service or collection to the meeting.
  5. Participate in project management (Basecamp) to receive information about deliverables, timeline and to-do lists.
  6. Meet with art director and/or communications editor for follow-up (if deemed necessary by C&M director).
  7. Be available to proof deliverables for accuracy and messaging.
  8. Report to C&M director about the success of the promotion.

How we can help you help yourself

C&M can only do so much to help you promote the great work you’re doing for the library. We encourage you to use your own skills when appropriate.

  • Post on your private social media about what you’re up to or an upcoming event that you’re putting on. Check the social media guidelines first, and then post away!
  • With C&M’s approval, make your own bookmarks and flyers using library templates (updated templates are coming soon). Stay Curious brand PowerPoint template PowerPoint template also on Global drive here: L:\Groups & Teams\COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING\Presentations\2018\SC PowerPoint template.
  • With C&M’s approval, reach out to niche markets to spread the word. Cultivate email contact lists so we can reach out to specific groups when it might interest them.
  • Utilize word of mouth – tell customers about what we can offer them.
  • Read Writing for Web [PDF], and ask questions of the Creative Group team (David, Diana, Ginger, Karen, Michael and Shannon) on how to contribute  content to the public website.
  • Follow what we’re doing already – Read Library News Update (sent bi-weekly through email) and skim blog content on our public website.