Minutes of the Marketing & Programs Advisory Committee

June 17, 2004, MHLS Auditorium, 10:00am-1:00pm

Present: B. Flach, M. Keefe, A. Jordan, K. Lustiber, M. Quick, R. Smith, M. Steinberg

Guests: M. Advocate, B. Haymann-Diaz

Minutes of March meeting

Motion: B. Flach, M. Steinberg
Discussion: none

Vote: unanimous

Old Business:

· Partnerships with School Districts:

o Additions to the YS web page: List of School Web Masters, Assignment Alert form, Project Cooperation

o SideXSide newsletter for public libraries and school libraries currently distributed in Ulster County – M. Keefe is exploring the possibility of expanding this to other counties.

o The committee discussed other ways to connect: homework assignment web sites where teachers post the assignment, works best if mandated by school district. M. Advocate reported that an Assignment Alert form is potentially planned for addition to the MHLS maintained library web sites. The committee agreed that this would be a good addition to library web sites.

o M. Keefe reported on various joint public library/school events that have been held recently, in Putnam and Ulster County. M. Keefe is planning to approach the other three counties’ BOCES to coordinate similar events.

o Mid-Hudson Teacher’s Center Collaboration – two events were held for teachers to explain how public libraries can support teachers and students. MHLS staff is planning to use the NOVEL Invitational Grant (LSTA) this fall to do offer this in other communities. Committee was encouraged to think of organizations in their communities that could be contacted to arrange a presentation through the grant and to contact Kirstin Litwin with ideas. The PowerPoint presentation used is available for libraries. Committee suggested that the presentation could be used in-house for staff and trustee education.

o M. Keefe urged committee members to think about having a presence at school open houses in the fall.

· Print Job / Ads – Update

o Library card brochure: done, distributed, available on the Material Request Form

o Confidentiality bookmark: done, distributed, available on the Material Request Form

o Quotable Facts: R. Smith requested ideas on how to distribute these throughout our communities. The committee suggested: inclusion in the Welcome bags through the New Residents grant; County business associations, Post Offices, welcome centers, etc. Asked that a list be posted to the listserv with distribution suggestions for member libraries.

o My Favorite Searches: coming in mid-July

o The committee previewed the $5 Poster Menu to be launched in July: http://midhudson.org/department/print/5dollar_menu.htm

o READ Posters: MHLS has purchased the ALA READ CD that enable us to insert local celebrities reading their favorite books into a poster in the READ format

o Chronogram & Community Guide ads: The committee suggested that future ads only be purchased when we are seeking coverage from a specific geographical area or to reach a target audience. The committee also suggested that any future ad should focus on one service available rather than multiple services.

· Letters to the Editor Campaign:

o R. Smith reported that 10 libraries participated in the campaign. No letters from Putnam or Columbia County.

o This was felt to be an effective advocacy technique and will be fine tuned for next year.

o Committee suggested that MHLS capture the monetary value of the services members receive from the System and communicate that information to trustees. It could then be accurately reported through the annual year-end in-kind accounting.

· Default Web Pages:

o M. Advocate reported that the official name of the pages is “MHLS Managed Web Pages.”

o System staff manages 34 pages and has updated the center section of the front page, Gardening, D-Day, Ronald Reagan. Coming soon: Summer Reading Program, Voting.

o M. Advocate reported that 50% of member libraries have an online calendar.

o Central Library’s Recommended Links that are being upgraded for member library use. The committee would like to know more about how the local section of the Recommended Links page will be developed.

· Users Group Evaluation Summary and Tips for Success document generated from the users group was distributed.

New Business:

• Grants:
• NOVEL Invitational Grant (LSTA) to be submitted June 30. This grant will be used to Promote HomeACCESS throughout the system to organizations identified by member libraries.
• The Gates grant for this year will be used to develop assistance and a CE event to help libraries deal with “on-the-fly” training in the library. This was an area of need identified through the Marketing & Programs Users Group earlier this year.
• The planned application for a second year of the Gateway grant is on hold.

• Kids Expo:
• M. Keefe reported that the Kids Expo held in Poughkeepsie earlier this year saw a huge number of kids from across the system service area stopping by the library booth. It was difficult to find coverage for the booth.
• M. Keefe is proposing a committee be formed representing all counties to help with deciding what to have at the booth and to help schedule staffing the booth. B. Haymann-Diaz suggested a brochure that describes what is available for kids and families at the library and a list of member libraries.

• Battle of the Books Program:
• M. Keefe proposed developing this program in MHLS. (Multiple libraries create teams of 3-4 kids (5^th-8^th graders) who all read the same set of books and then come together to test their knowledge of the books against library-centered teams)
• M. Keefe will explore the logistics of setting this up. Kinderhook and Staatsburg volunteered to try this. J. Johnson suggested that the home-school families would be a good audience for this.

Upcoming Youth Services Meetings:
-M. Keefe is planning to do two youth services meeting a year in Ulster, Greene and Columbia counties to account for the lack of a youth services organization in each of those counties.
-Two SRP workshops will be offered in 2005, one at MHLS, the other in Greene County.
-Creating a teen space, starting teen advisory boards and collection development/weeding were identified through the YS Survey as areas in which libraries need help.

• “Your Library’s Contribution to Your Community”:
• R. Smith reported on this workshop, which promoted a model way to compile, analyze, and present data and information that substantiates your library’s contributions to the community.
• R. Smith will develop resources for the web site based on this workshop.
  
  

· Programming Survey:

o The committee helped fine tune the survey that will go out to directors in July to assess their programming needs.

Other:

• K. Lustiber asked the committee for input on advertising in the phone book.
• DCC Promotional Video for MHLS was previewed by the committee.

Tasks for Committee Members:

· Committee was encouraged to think of organizations in their communities that could be contacted to arrange a presentation through the NOVEL Invitational Grant.

Tasks for MHLS Staff:

· Add the “More for you & your students” PowerPoint presentation to the web site.

· MHLS Staff will explore ways to communicate the monetary value of system services to member library trustees.

· M. Keefe will promote the idea of having a presence at Open Houses at the schools for the fall.

· M. Keefe will convene a committee to help support Kids Expo for 2005.

· R. Smith will post a list of distribution suggestions for the “Quotable Facts” booklets.

· R. Smith will develop “Quotable Facts about MHLS.”

· R. Smith will develop resources for the web site that help libraries demonstrate their economic impact on their community.

· Ask the Central Library Committee for clarification of how the local section of the Recommended Links page will be managed.

Report to DA:

1) Reviewed $5 Poster Menu materials available from MHLS Print Services launched in July, includes customized READ posters featuring local celebrities or other patrons.

2) Established general guidelines for purchasing ads in the future to promote system services in area publications.

3) Committee wanted clarification of how Local Links section of the Central Library’s Recommended Links page will be managed.

4) Kids Expo committee will be formed to solicit broader staffing at library booth and to create handouts outlining library services to families.

5) Battle of the Books competitions will be organized among few libraries as pilot for larger project.

6) Resources will be developed to help libraries quantify their economic impact on their communities.

7) A survey to assess member library needs for programming assistance was refined for distribution.

8) A promotional video about MHLS, created by students at DCCC, was viewed and its use discussed..

Adjournment
Motion: K. Lustiber, J. Johnson

Vote: unanimous

Handouts:
School District Webmasters

SideXSide newsletter

Project Cooperation for Public and School Libraries

Assignment Alert Form

MHLS ad that appeared in the Chronogram

MHLS ad that appeared in the Ulster County Community Guide

Users Group Evaluation Summary

Tips for Success from the Users Group

Economic and Social Contribution of the Library

Program Survey draft

Next Meeting: Thursday, September 16, 2004