All great suggestions so far! Ultimately what everyone is saying is "you have to give them a reason why" . . . . why to come in.
It doesn't have to be just about books or media. Many libraries are now finding that lending things like tools, fishing poles, and musical instruments brings people in. Check this out:
If your library has meeting space that could be a huge draw. Reach out to local MeetUp groups and offer space for meetings - or to other local businesses that may want to host a meeting and/or do a presentation (ex: insurance agents, realtors, financial services, etc)."Reason Why" marketing is very powerful. Use it to grow your business.
Library service offerings need to meet community needs. A survey and/or community meetings maybe needed to determine where the library fits in the minds of community. Get out of your comfort zone and attend HOA meetings, etc. Get input from city leaders. Next review past efforts and evaluate what worked and why. In my experience more programs with community partners helped build the profile of the library with the community and walk-in traffic. I partnered with schools on an open mike poetry night, a local theater for banned book readings, NGOs for eye and hearing testing, pre-college testing prep programs, set up tax prep help, and safety programs (Internet, personal, and property) with Sheriff office. Most of these very low cost or free. Add all event info to local newspaper calendar. Promote meeting room if you have one. Make sure policy is in place first. Most people don't know what a great value these rooms are for their clubs. Contact your chamber of commerce and get you service offerings to them. Start community exercise classes in meeting room - yoga and Ti Chi are popular. Plano did a artist in residence program that was popular. Each month a different local artist demonstrated how to make a specific artistic art or craft project. It was grant funded for a year. Also art and craft displays bring people in especially when you work with a school. Have a reception one day during each display. All for now
Invite people! For instance, hold a "library birthday party" and invite people to have cake and beverages, perhaps have a little live music, too, maybe a group of musicians from the high school. Ask the mayor to speak at the event in celebration of the library, or perhaps have him or her scheduled to read a book to children. That way, the media can cover it, the mayor gets involved, parents bring their children. Once people see what's inside the library, they're usually surprised, because so many haven't been to the library for years.
Add your library programs to your community's newspaper's events calendar and also to any online community calendar. Cultivate social media by posting interesting images related to events at the library. On a sunny day, have an outside event. Submit any feel-good library stories you have to the newspaper.
You mention that your community includes a "high proportion of immigrant population." While not knowing any more specifics, I would suggest that there is every possibility that offering English language/literacy classes might be a great resource for the community, if this segment of the public is in need of this type of anchor. If you have a local literacy group, or a language-driven group (sister city organization, etc), or retired teachers active in the community, you may also have a good source of highly motivated volunteers. The toughest part about a program of this type can be getting the word out to the part of the community that is not English language literate -- you may find that the children/students are the best route to the adult members of these households, and are willing to help translate and maybe even take part in the classes with the adults.
A general literacy program can also be a great boon, providing a judgement free zone which allows the usually-silent illiterate population a gateway to opportunities and empowerment that they are normally locked out of. When I worked at our local public library, I saw time after time how the library's partnership with the local Literacy Volunteers chapter changed people's lives!
Have you held an Author Fair? When marketed through formal invitation to local authors, and then openly to the public and through Facebook, an Author Fair gives people an event to get excited about. Foot traffic is increased, and family and friends who might not have otherwise visited the library get to know your facility.
I think we all have this problem. In New London we place fliers around the community and our library. Word of mouth is also very good. We give a welcome packet to our patrons that contains a list of some of our services and programs; a list of museum passes available, etc. We do outreach in Farmers Markets, church activities, schools and any where else we can get our self invited too.
It's important that our services meet a need and our programs and fun and educational as well. I ask people what they would like to see or participate in and go from there.
I am a small business training facilitator for diverse businesses and conduct workshops on how to start businesses and related areas. I also teach off-the-loom weaving courses.
What age groups do you want to attract? Do you have any special programs that would interest the public, such as a small business workshop, or possibly movie nights or knitting classes. We also have basic computer classes. These are just a few ideas off the top of my head.
Hey Martha, I was actually recently talking to a librarian about this very problem and she said that they have spikes whenever there is a local event they host, especially for kids. It gets parents and children into the library and looking around, and if a kid wants to rent a book what parent would say no, and when they return it they often take out another.
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Answers (1-10)
All great suggestions so far! Ultimately what everyone is saying is "you have to give them a reason why" . . . . why to come in.
It doesn't have to be just about books or media. Many libraries are now finding that lending things like tools, fishing poles, and musical instruments brings people in. Check this out:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/61514/11-things-you-can-borrow-libraries-besides-books
If your library has meeting space that could be a huge draw. Reach out to local MeetUp groups and offer space for meetings - or to other local businesses that may want to host a meeting and/or do a presentation (ex: insurance agents, realtors, financial services, etc)."Reason Why" marketing is very powerful. Use it to grow your business.
"Small Business Stacey"
http://www.SmallBizMarketingSpecialist.com
Library service offerings need to meet community needs. A survey and/or community meetings maybe needed to determine where the library fits in the minds of community. Get out of your comfort zone and attend HOA meetings, etc. Get input from city leaders. Next review past efforts and evaluate what worked and why. In my experience more programs with community partners helped build the profile of the library with the community and walk-in traffic. I partnered with schools on an open mike poetry night, a local theater for banned book readings, NGOs for eye and hearing testing, pre-college testing prep programs, set up tax prep help, and safety programs (Internet, personal, and property) with Sheriff office. Most of these very low cost or free. Add all event info to local newspaper calendar. Promote meeting room if you have one. Make sure policy is in place first. Most people don't know what a great value these rooms are for their clubs. Contact your chamber of commerce and get you service offerings to them. Start community exercise classes in meeting room - yoga and Ti Chi are popular. Plano did a artist in residence program that was popular. Each month a different local artist demonstrated how to make a specific artistic art or craft project. It was grant funded for a year. Also art and craft displays bring people in especially when you work with a school. Have a reception one day during each display. All for now
Invite people! For instance, hold a "library birthday party" and invite people to have cake and beverages, perhaps have a little live music, too, maybe a group of musicians from the high school. Ask the mayor to speak at the event in celebration of the library, or perhaps have him or her scheduled to read a book to children. That way, the media can cover it, the mayor gets involved, parents bring their children. Once people see what's inside the library, they're usually surprised, because so many haven't been to the library for years.
Add your library programs to your community's newspaper's events calendar and also to any online community calendar. Cultivate social media by posting interesting images related to events at the library. On a sunny day, have an outside event. Submit any feel-good library stories you have to the newspaper.
Programs including food are always popular at our library. That and craft programs seem to bring in patrons.
You mention that your community includes a "high proportion of immigrant population." While not knowing any more specifics, I would suggest that there is every possibility that offering English language/literacy classes might be a great resource for the community, if this segment of the public is in need of this type of anchor. If you have a local literacy group, or a language-driven group (sister city organization, etc), or retired teachers active in the community, you may also have a good source of highly motivated volunteers. The toughest part about a program of this type can be getting the word out to the part of the community that is not English language literate -- you may find that the children/students are the best route to the adult members of these households, and are willing to help translate and maybe even take part in the classes with the adults.
A general literacy program can also be a great boon, providing a judgement free zone which allows the usually-silent illiterate population a gateway to opportunities and empowerment that they are normally locked out of. When I worked at our local public library, I saw time after time how the library's partnership with the local Literacy Volunteers chapter changed people's lives!
Have you held an Author Fair? When marketed through formal invitation to local authors, and then openly to the public and through Facebook, an Author Fair gives people an event to get excited about. Foot traffic is increased, and family and friends who might not have otherwise visited the library get to know your facility.
I think we all have this problem. In New London we place fliers around the community and our library. Word of mouth is also very good. We give a welcome packet to our patrons that contains a list of some of our services and programs; a list of museum passes available, etc. We do outreach in Farmers Markets, church activities, schools and any where else we can get our self invited too.
It's important that our services meet a need and our programs and fun and educational as well. I ask people what they would like to see or participate in and go from there.
I am a small business training facilitator for diverse businesses and conduct workshops on how to start businesses and related areas. I also teach off-the-loom weaving courses.
What age groups do you want to attract? Do you have any special programs that would interest the public, such as a small business workshop, or possibly movie nights or knitting classes. We also have basic computer classes. These are just a few ideas off the top of my head.
Hey Martha, I was actually recently talking to a librarian about this very problem and she said that they have spikes whenever there is a local event they host, especially for kids. It gets parents and children into the library and looking around, and if a kid wants to rent a book what parent would say no, and when they return it they often take out another.