Minutes of the Marketing & Programs Advisory Committee

September 14, 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, S. Hermans

Minutes of June meeting

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

Vote: unanimous

Old Business:

• Programming-related Databases Update:
• Links to both databases described below are available at the head of the MHLS Programming Resources web site [http://midhudson.org/program/main.htm].
• M. Keefe demonstrated the new statewide Performers & Programs Database. Performers enter their own contact information and program descriptions. Libraries can search by multiple fields: audience level, cost, etc. In the Resources section of the database there is a link to the MHLS EZ Library Program Database. The committee asked the MHLS staff take measures to insure that the performer contact information is kept up-to-date.
• M. Keefe showed the updates to the MHLS EZ Library Program Database: You can now combine search fields and there are additional options to choose from when submitting a program. There are currently 380 programs listed in the database.
• M. Keefe pointed out the relationship with the Piggyback Performers list maintained by the MHLS Youth Services department during the summer. She will explore the possibility of keeping this list up-to-date all year for all types of performers (children’s and adult).
• The committee agreed that it would be valuable for M. Keefe to demonstrate both databases at the upcoming Director’s Association meeting.
• LSTA Grants:
• M. Keefe reported on the two funding streams for the MHLS Emergent Literacy Grant. The LSTA funded portion of the project is wrapping up for the year. Thanks to MHLS’ success with this program and the importance of the topic, a statewide LSTA application is being developed by systems. The second source of funding for the MHLS Emergent Literacy project, the United Way grant, has been renewed for next year. This grant applies only to Dutchess County. With these funds parent and staff training will continue in 3 new focal libraries.
• Two workshops related to this project are coming up:
• September 24: Storyplay-Storyhour as the Doorway to Literacy
• October 14: Every Child Ready to Read @ your library
• Getting to Yes: M. Advocate reported on a new LSTA application being developed by MHLS to help libraries build yes votes. This topic was approved by the Director’s Association at the August meeting. This will be a two-year project. Outcomes will include a toolkit with best practices and strategies to help libraries demonstrate their value to the community and their return on investment; and a workshop series focusing on the most critical needs identified. An abstract was distributed to the committee. M. Quick commented that this will be a good tool for trustees, and will help to convince association and municipal libraries to go for 414 votes.

• Report from the Youth Services Department (M. Keefe):
• 2004 Summer Reading Program: 59 libraries submitted their final report on time; all were awarded at least one set of free books from Scholastic. At least two libraries in the system do not do a SRP; 6 others did not report. The $5,500 mini-grant from the State Library was spent on various items to promote and support summer reading programming in member libraries (for example, promotional banners, posters for libraries and schools, new die cuts, books for the MHLS Professional Collection and story aprons.) A tool was developed to help libraries demonstrate the economic impact of their SRP to the community, currently linked from the Youth Services Department page [http://midhudson.org/department/youth/SRP_PR_Impact.htm]. M. Keefe discussed the impact of voluntary reading by kids on their school preparedness and a recent study released on this topic.
• 2005 SRP Theme: Tune in @your library.
• Adult SRP: MHLS staff is exploring the benefits for libraries and their communities of including adults in their SRP. M. Keefe has received a flood of input nationally on this concept. Many libraries are doing this with little effort/money, with a big PR pay-off.
• Upcoming Events:
• Battle of the Books organizational meeting on October 1^st at MHLS
• Youth Services Meetings: Greene Co. 9/22, Columbia 10/26, none scheduled yet in Ulster. Planning a SRP workshop next year in the Columbia/Greene area as a result of input received through the Youth Services Survey done earlier this year.
• Upcoming workshops at RCLS of interest: Marketing to Teens RCLS 9/17, Teen Space RCLS 10/4.
• Fall Into Books – November 5^th at Mount Saint Alphonsus in Esopus, $45, all day. Books Discussion Groups, author will speak. Registration deadline approaching. YS web site has registration info.
• Kids Expo Meeting – not yet scheduled. K. Lustiber suggested using some of the SRP mini-grant next year to purchase extra bags for Kids Expo
• Print Services Update:
• $5 Menu Report: R. Smith reported that 9 libraries have ordered over 25 posters in the month since the menu has been live. The committee discussed possible additions to the $5 Poster Menu:
• Additional READ poster options
• A standardized graphical framework for the following, with the option to put in their:
• policy text: ex.: copy right, Internet, loan rules (K. Lustiber)
• Holiday closings
• Hours of library
• copier rates
• My Favorite Searches Brochure: R. Smith reported that this is coming soon.
• Material Requests: R. Smith reported on the high usage of the Online Material Requests form. The committee said this was a great, easy-to-use resource. The committee discussed adding updated and new versions of the If You Liked… series of reader’s advisory bookmarks:
• Updated version of the Mystery bookmark
• If you liked…The DaVinci Code
• Books for Boys

New Business:

• On-demand training offerings: R. Smith reported that the Professional Development section of the MHLS web page now contains a menu of choices for libraries to pick from and schedule, at their convenience (http://midhudson.org/professional/main.htm). The committee recommended a quarterly issuance of the full menu in print; appropriate postings to the listserv and in the Bulletin by MHLS staff and the Central Library Reference Services Coordinator. They recommended that MHLS staff and the Central Library Reference Coordinator proactively market them by location, posting to the list or emailing area libraries when going to be in a specific area, to encourage and piggyback visits.

• School Partnerships: M. Keefe reported on her recent activities related to strengthening the public library/school relationship:

o Side by Side Newsletter: This publication began last year in Ulster County, going out to school media specialists and public libraries. This will be launched in Dutchess County this Fall. The goal is to involve all area BOCES and distribute this simultaneously to all counties by early next year. The newsletter is one page long and describes partnership ideas, opportunities to get together and other relevant information.

o Meeting SLS people (11/8): Trying to plan a dinner meeting with each BOCES SLS for school media people to network with public library staff.

o Taconic Regional PTA Conference on October 18^th: M. Keefe and other MHLS staff will attend this regional event to share information about how public libraries help students, teachers and families. This conference covers our entire service area.

• Program Survey Results: R. Smith reported the survey results to the committee. The point of the survey was to find ways in which MHLS can support libraries in the area of programming. The survey showed that all libraries that responded do some type of programming. Libraries primarily get ideas from patrons and other libraries. 90% of libraries do no targeted programming. Although few libraries requested assistance, MHLS staff identified the following areas in which they could support libraries:

o Develop tools for libraries to use to determine what programming is needed in their community.

o Develop resources to help libraries publicize their programming.

o Develop tools for libraries to use to evaluate programming and its impact.

o Incorporate ideas and tools for targeted programs into the Getting to Yes (LSTA) toolkit.

o Upgrade of the MHLS Programming resources section to include links to long range planning, program planning, funding sources, sources for presenters and program ideas [http://midhudson.org/program/main.htm].

o Do more publicity of resources available through MHLS to help libraries do programming, for example, Incentive Program funding, equipment from MHLS, continued expansion of the EZ Library Program Database and Performers Database.

The committee discussed the value of programming as the #1 way to bring in new patrons and supporters and the importance of this to the Getting to Yes LSTA project. The committee then brainstormed a list of programming that would appeal to segments of the population that traditionally do not vote or vote against libraries. This list will be made available on the MHLS web site and become part of the toolkit developed through the Getting to Yes project.

• Economic Impact web page draft (http://midhudson.org/rebekkah/eco_impact.htm) R. Smith presented a draft of a web page that provides information that helps directors and trustees demonstrate their economic impact in the community. This resource will be added to the Administration & Management and Trustee Resources sections of the MHLS web site.
• Signage for HomeACCESS: R. Smith reported that MHLS will be developing signage for libraries to use in-house to publicize HomeACCESS. The committee requested that the signage be simple, not use the word database and to do two versions, one for kids and one for adults. This will be rolled out in conjunction with the NOVEL grant received by MHLS from the New York State Library (LSTA funds).
  

Other:

• WebJunction.org: K. Lustiber reported that in exchange for the Gates Foundation funded trip to PLA she received, she would like to share information about the Gate’s Foundation funded web site for library administrators, WebJunction.org. The committee agreed that this would make for a good topic for a brief presentation to the Director’s Association. The committee discussed the possibility of using sections of WebJunction to develop a future M&P users group.
• R. Smith reported that the “More for you & your students” PowerPoint has been posted to the MHLS Marketing Resources page for members to use and make their own.
• R. Smith reported that she followed up on the committees suggestion to post distribution ideas for the Quotable Facts booklets and is drafting a MHLS Quotable Facts list.
• M. Keefe discussed plans to better market the MHLS button maker as a marketing and PR tool for member libraries.
• K.Lustiber reported back on TransWestern phone book publicity, a reasonable price for library listings could not be negotiated.

Tasks for Committee Members:

· M. Keefe is seeking input on how to spend the Summer Reading Program mini-grant next year.

· Explore the possibility of offering an adult summer reading program, share ideas and obstacles with M. Keefe.

· Analyze the Programming Survey results to see how the system can best help member libraries with programming. Report back at the next committee meeting (December 8^th).

· K. Lustiber will contact the other Ulster County committee member to see if he would like to step down and seek a replacement if so.

Tasks for MHLS Staff:

· M. Keefe will demo the EZ Library Program Database & Performers Database at the next Director’s Association meeting as part of the committee report.

· M. Keefe will explore the possibilities suggested by the committee for keeping the statewide Performer’s Database up-to-date.

· M. Keefe will continue the Piggyback Performers list as a year-round tool for libraries to join together to save on booking performers, for both children’s and adult programming.

· M. Keefe will develop resources and encourage libraries to include adults in their Summer Reading Programs next year.

· MHLS Staff will develop updated and new If you liked… bookmarks.

· MHLS Staff will begin issuing quarterly reminders of the on-demand training menu.

· R. Smith will post the Programming Survey Results to the MHLS web page.

· R. Smith will add the Economic Impact page to the Administration & Management and Trustee Resources sections of the web site.

· MHLS Staff will develop a sign to advertise HomeACCESS in the library.

Report to DA:

1) The committee was given a guided tour of both the new statewide Performers Database and the updated EZ Library Program Database and felt it would be valuable for all to see. Margaret Keefe will give a demonstration of both as part of this report.

2) The committee reviewed the “Getting to Yes” LSTA abstract and found it satisfactory. The abstract defines a new LSTA application being developed by MHLS to help libraries build yes votes.

3) The committee reviewed the Programming Survey results and discussed ways in which MHLS can respond to the needs expressed by members. Solutions included publicizing existing MHLS resources and developing tools to determine community specific programming needs and to evaluate program effectiveness. The committee agreed that these tools should also be included in the Getting to Yes project toolkit should the project be funded.

4) In-house library signage for HomeACCESS is being developed.

5) Kara Lustiber has proposed offering a 15-minute introduction to the WebJunction web site at the next Director’s Association.

Adjournment
Motion: K. Lustiber; M. Steinberg

Vote: unanimous

Handouts:
Programming Survey Results

Program Statistics from the Annual Report

$5 Poster Menu

Material Request Form

Economic Impact web page draft

Professional Development page: on-demand training

2004 MHLS LSTA Grant Abstract: Getting to Yes

WebJunction Topic areas

Next Meeting: Wednesday, December 8^th, 2004

Submitted by Rebekkah Smith, September 20, 2004.