Marketing and Advocacy
Your IFLS staff person for marketing and communications is Rebecca Kilde ([email protected]).
Questions about advocacy can go to John Thompson ([email protected]).
Marketing tools and templates
New! Inclusive Marketing
Here’s a list of resources from Leah.
- Wisconsin Library Inclusive Services Assessment and Guide. There is a whole section about Marketing: https://widpi.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1HozVwYaIKOMg3r They ask a series of yes/no/in-progress questions. The guide was last updated in 2019, I believe, so not the most current thing ever, but hopefully still relevant and helpful.
- The Inclusive Marketing webinar from 2021’s Wild Wisconsin session, with Trenton Smiley in Michigan, might be useful to look at:
- This 2023 resource—webinar plus resources—Designing for Diversity in Your Libraries Communications from Webjunction looks useful: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/designing-for-diversity.html
Website and digital
MORE app
marketing toolkit update coming soon.
MORE e-card
Facebook post or blurb graphic Suggested text: If you don’t have a regular library card from a MORE-member library and you’re a Wisconsin resident, you can get an e-card to use MORE’s shared electronic resources. Find the e-card self-registration form here.
Annual Reports
- Check out the DPI’s new Statistics Portal!
Angela Hursch: Super Library Marketing
Angela Hursh’s Super Library Marketing blog. This is the best library marketing blog I’ve found: it’s timely and actionable. She does a great job of covering social media trends.
Marketing Plan template
From 2020, a Marketing Plan template developed specifically for libraries by marketing staff from several Wisconsin library systems. There’s also an introductory webinar available.
Communications
Press releases
Most news outlets are ridiculously understaffed. They aren’t likely to have enough journalists around to read a press release, figure out how it applies to their audience and then write a news story about it. I think it’s much more effective to tell a story: https://allgoodtales.com/press-release-tell-story/
Advocacy tools and resources
Legislative Maps, Find Your Rep
Wisconsin’s districts changed in 2024. This link goes to the state GIS site, with links to senate and assembly district maps.
Library Love Story
Thank you for your work on collecting stories this year! We collected over 300 before Library Legislative Day! Graphic links:
You can use this testimonial-collection tool all year.
- 2026 form https://forms.office.com/r/ccXMwphHbh. (In 2026 I migrated the form to Microsoft.) Responses are in an Excel spreadsheet: Library Love Story.xlsx
- 2025 google form for library love stories: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10erIYc5Um42xlVm3VKdoVL8o2tKfojytOasKNuTA85M/edit?usp=sharing
- 2024: Here’s my Library Love Story 2024 (Responses).xlsx
- The 2023 spreadsheet has disappeared. I have the basic document in word: Library love story guts 2023.docx
- 2022: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1O887bF2luO05MWgXifHsK8EUzEXFHkf8cz-m19ysVh0/edit?usp=sharing
Understand advocacy
Don’t run away from this critical tool for your library’s current and future success! Start here:
New Staff Pick! Board Support for Success webinar (Slides Recording) from the 2024 Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference Find all the recordings and slides on the conference archive page.
The Reluctant Library Advocate webinar with Jill Markgraf
- Reluctant Library Advocate Recording
- Reluctant advocate slides
- The Reluctant Library Advocate Activity Report
Advocacy 101 with Jim Tripp and Rebecca Kilde
Advocacy Resources
Because local advocacy is so unique to a particular community and time, templates are difficult to find. Here are some more recent resources to help you frame your message.
- NEW! From Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference 2024’s Board Support for Success session (Slides Recording). Then look through Cedar Rapids Public Library’s Advocacy Toolkit. Five stars! Excellent resource! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- From OCLC, this informational page includes some local examples.
- Wisconsin DPI Funding and Budgets page has an infographic.
Federal advocacy toolkit
Click to access
Library Cards: annual bulk order, ordering your own cards, design
Each year in the fall IFLS does a group library card purchase. If you purchase cards through the group order you’ll be assured that the design works for the printer’s format, you can order a smaller quantity than the standard minimum order, and your price per card will be lower.
When you place your library card order, you’ll be asked to confirm your last bar code. Here’s an explanation of how bar codes work.
You can order outside of the group order. Contact Reb for details. If you order outside of the group order:
- Minimum quantity through our vendor is usually 2,500
- You may not qualify for bulk rates
- it’s your responsibility let Reb know ([email protected]) so she can keep the spreadsheet and design records up to date.
You can design your own card, or ask Reb to help. Some libraries have more than one design at a time. Your library’s card can be a fun way to promote your library. Here are a few examples from our system.
Here are the design and marketing support services that IFLS offers:
- Annual bulk library card order (September call for orders, November delivery), library card design.
- Marketing and advocacy strategies.
- General design assistance: (Somerset info sheet, Lisa requested help with the Menomonie Public Library annual report brochure), accessibility, editing (I encourage Plain Language).
- And more. Just ask.