Telling Your Own Story: Sharing Library News when Traditional Media Can't or Won't

We all know how disappointing it can be when we have news to share with the community, but we can't get the attention of our local newspapers or TV stations. As much as we know we have great stories to tell, sometimes reporters are just too busy or distracted to focus on the incredible things happening at the local library every day. That doesn't mean you need to let those stories go to waste - you can tell them yourself. This session will help attendees understand why it's important for a library's marketing staff to understand how to leverage their owned media channels to share library news and information that helps connect people not just with events and programs, but with the library's staff and customers. The presenters will talk about the elements that make a compelling story, how to find those stories in your libraries, and how to turn them into engaging pieces that can be shared in library newsletters, fundraising campaigns, social media posts and more. We will share examples from our own library system that have helped us showcase our work and highlight our impact on the community. We will also gather examples of compelling storytelling from other library systems, to help inspire attendees to take matters into their own hands when they can't catch the media's attention.   Presenters will connect the session to the Florida libraries are fundamental to freedom theme by discussing why it is absolutely critical in our current political climate to ensure that the community sees the good work that libraries do every day and understands the impact we have on people. Engaging people with storytelling that showcases how libraries support education, literacy, local economies and more can help build trust with the community, which we need to combat disinformation and sensationalism that threatens to overshadow the work we do.

Speakers:

Erin Sullivan
Orange County Library System
[email protected]

Jenn Schock
Orange County Library System
[email protected]

Track:

Public Relations