Marketing to Your Community: Becoming a Destination Page: 1

                                
Marketing to Your Community: Becoming a Destination

Marketing to Your Community: Becoming a Destination
FDLP Connection - Community Insights
Written by Suzanne Sears, Assistant Dean for Public Services, University of North Texas Libraries
Written on Tuesday, 06 December 2011
I was pleased to have the opportunity to present "Marketing to                           ,Iq
Your Community: Becoming a Destination" at the Depository
Library Council Meeting & Federal Depository Library Conference
(Meeting & Conference) this past October. I am very passionate  g r
about Government documents and enjoy sharing with others                       .,   r
ways to increase usage and relevancy of their depository
collections. I refer to my marketing strategy as the Four P's:
using Passionate Pro-active Promotions and Presentations to        -
make your documents department a destination for answers.
Passion is an essential part of my marketing strategy.
Enthusiasm is contagious. If you are excited about what you do
then others will want in on what you have. Depository
Coordinators face a unique challenge in that most people are
unaware of the potential uses of Government documents
collections. Difficulty of access is often another reason behind the
reluctance to consult Government information.
The stereotype attached to Government documents collections is that they are dull, old, and boring. We have to create
excitement over the hidden gems in the collection. Students are constantly looking for primary resources for term papers;
make sure that they know the Government documents collection is full of them. Genealogists usually know about The War
of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, but do they know about the
Navy volumes or the numerous military registers? Homeschoolers love to find new resources, like the teacher kits that are
sent out by many Federal agencies, not just the Department of Education. Some of my favorites are: Civics and Citizenship
Toolkit (HS 8.2:C 49/2/2009/Toolkit), "With Liberty and Justice for All" Making Civil Rights Real in America (I 29.2:L 62/3),
From Farming Village to Log Hut City (I 29.2:F 22/2/Pack), and Cells, Genes, and Protein Machines (HE 20.3152:C
33/5/Kit).
Our nation is built on the right to access Government information and to hold our Government accountable for its actions.
One of James Madison's famous quotes is "knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their
own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives." As a depository coordinator, you have the
opportunity to play a role in increasing the knowledge base of constituents and thus contributing to civic engagement. How
cool is that?
Being pro-active is another essential component to becoming a destination for the community. Networking with area
librarians and becoming active in local organizations are two great ways to distribute your name and area of expertise out to
the community. Be sure to collect e-mail contact information from anyone showing an interest in keeping abreast of
activities within the Government. Sending out e-mails with links to Government information related to current events is a
great way to become relevant in the minds of others. You do have to be careful not to fall into the "too much information
trap," or you will be seen as a nuisance and not an information provider.
Promoting the collection is essential to making it an invaluable resource. Quality internal and external customer service is
one of the best ways to promote a collection. In addition, you need to be sure that your stacks are well maintained, keeping