Book 6: Bite-Sized Marketing


TITLE: Bite-Sized Marketing: Realistic Solutions for the Overworked Librarian
AUTHOR: Nancy Dowd, Mary Evangeliste, and Jonathan Silberman
STARTED: February 16, 2010
FINISHED: February 26, 2010
PAGES: 140
GENRE: Library Science

FIRST SENTENCE: When we began this book we thought we would be able to produce ten-minute marketing solutions for librarians, but the truth is nothing worthwhile can get done in ten minutes.

SUMMARY: [From ALAstore.org.] Written and designed to reflect the way people read today, this book is structured to quickly impart simple and cost-effective ideas on marketing your library. Filled with contemporary marketing ideas, the authors provide
  • How-tos of guerrilla marketing
  • Cutting-edge digital marketing practices
  • Benefits of traditional print media
Visually compelling and easy to read, this book will challenge you to market your library in new and original ways.
THOUGHTS: I am so happy that this book turned out to be as informative, entertaining, and organized as I wanted it to be. The contents of this book are indeed bite-sized. There is no wasted text; just valuable information. In fact, I think the truffle cover art is the ideal representation of the contents - the package is small but the contents are rich. Bite-Sized Marketing is the ideal book for a librarian who suddenly finds marketing and outreach added to their job duties.

The authors walk the reader step-by-step through modern library marketing techniques. This includes everything from Word of Mouth Marketing and Public Relations to Outreach and New Marketing Tools. Every chapter is further broken down into easy to digest (yuk! yuk!) bits of information and possible marketing projects. I found myself taking notes as I read - there is definitely a marketing project or two I want to take on for my library.

There are only two things I wish this book had: a brief chapter on how to analysis your library's strengths and needs and also more examples of successful library marketing. Aside from that, this book packs a powerful, information punch in a small, very readable package.

You know I like a book, when I am seriously considering laying out the cash to add this to my personal really-important-to-own-for-professional-development library collection.

RATING: 9/10 [Excellent!]

Comments

Kate Saylor said…
I love this book so much that I've let my ILL account be blocked because I am not ready to return it yet...bad librarian!!
Meghan said…
LOL - I may break down and have to buy this one for myself.