We admit it ourselves. The word ‘library’ has a dusty image. Say it out loud and pictures inevitably appear of endless shelves of dull books, while behind the reception desk sits an elderly, grey-haired lady wearing a pair of 1970s spectacles and a Palestinian headscarf.

Some of the blame for this problem of
image rests with ourselves. Libraries
have simply fallen asleep in class. Keeping
up with an information society developing
at such a furious pace is no
easy task and for a librarian of the old
school may appear insurmountable.
How pleasant to recall the good old
days, when we could barricade ourselves
behind a pile of books, isolated
from the wishes and needs of our
users.
In 2007, however, the demands on a
library are of a very new and different
character. Libraries today are part of a
vibrant society which overwhelms us
with all kinds of offers, not least in the
commercial field. People no longer
have any problem in filling their day. In
fact 24 hours is not enough to take in
everything available from TV, the Internet,
newspapers, concerts, magazines,
etc. On top of all this, bookshops are
selling books as never before. So how
can a library find its place and purpose
in such a world?

The four P’s of marketing

If we take a look at the theories of
marketing guru, Philip Kotler, in particular
the four P’s – price, product,
place and promotion – we see that
from a competitive point of view libraries
hold some strong cards.

Price

Making use of a library is completely
free of charge. No other competitor
enjoys a similar advantage. The principle
of free access ensures that library
services are available to rich and poor
alike. The only condition is that you
conform to the rules of borrowing.

Product

Books on sailing? Henning Mankell’s
latest thriller? Something for a teenager
or for the very young? A library is
packed to the ceiling with interesting
books of all kinds, but if you prefer to
watch a film, listen to music, surf the
Internet or look through a magazine
on interior design, this is also possible.

Place

In common with many other libraries,
the Asker Public Library enjoys the advantage
of a very central situation, making
it an easy place to find and a natural
meeting-place for the local population.

Promotion

Here lies the challenge. Given all the
competitive advantages mentioned
above, one would imagine that librarians
could simply lean back and relax.
People will surely crowd into the library
to make use of our services without
our having to lift a finger. Unfortunately,
national statistics present a different
and unmistakably clear picture.
40% of Norwegian women and 65%
of Norwegian men never even visit a
library. Also with regard to the total
number of users, Norway trails far behind
its Nordic neighbours. There is
clearly plenty of work to be done in the
promotion of libraries.

That which cannot be seen does not exist

The vision formulated by the Asker
public library is enterprising and challenging:
“We aim to be a library such as the
world has never seen!” Ambition of
this nature places great demands on
marketing and promotion, so all possible
means must be used in order to
bring our vision to the notice of the
public.

Acquiring greater visibility and creating
a trademark require a conscious approach
to all aspects of a library. First
and foremost the library needs to be
given an identity by means of a modern
logo offering a complete visual
experience through the use of colour
and clear, distinct graphic design.
Light, airy and inviting premises serve
to underline the overall impression of a
modern library. In 2004 the Asker public
library moved into new premises in
the recently-completed Asker cultural
centre situated in the centre of town.
During the planning stage the question
of ‘space’ was central, not in order to
fill the premises with media but to
create suitable meeting zones. Here
there is room for conversation, to meet
acquaintances without getting in the
way of others, to sit down and listen to
music, to leaf through a book or to do
simply nothing.

Plenty of space on the shelves makes it
possible to display books by the front
cover. Topical and varied exhibitions
serve to liven up the interior and create
constant change.

It is important that visitors should
easily find the books they need. To a
certain extent the Asker library has
freed itself from the requirements of
Dewey by organising the non-fiction
collection into categories, such as Hobbies,
Food and Drink, House and Home,
Parents and Children, Mind and
Body, etc.Works of fiction are categorised
under headings such as Window
to the world with books by Haruki Murakami
and Amy Tan. Categories are
revised at regular intervals in accordance
with what we know is of interest
to the public.

More than a collection of books

Arrangements within and outside opening
hours constitute a golden opportunity
to promote the library as more
than a collection of books. People
crowd into an Indian evening with
food and a lecture. Youngsters come to
paint and to play with popular miniature
figures in our Warhammer Workshop.
Satisfied visitors wonder if the
library can really afford to run such
activities. The answer is that of course
we can, when the aim is to attract more
users into the library.

Children and young people are enrolled
at an early age. Those who read 50
books are rewarded with the Bookworm
Card which offers discounts for
a year on tickets to the local swimming
pool, the cinema and arrangements in
the Asker cultural centre. This is a good
example of beneficial cooperation.
Youngsters taking part in the reading
programme come into contact with the
library’s other services, while the swimming
pool, the cinema and the cultural
centre fill up with ‘bookworms’.

Creative marketing at the lowest cost

A library has no marketing budget to
compare with companies in the private
sector.We are therefore obliged to
think creatively in order to reach the
greatest possible number of people at
the lowest possible cost. Cooperation
with other cultural institutions is one
way to go. Our annual literature festival
is a good example, bringing together
the library and the Asker cultural centre,
with its youth club, cinema and
senior citizens, in a mutual effort to
present Asker’s population with a
broad display of our various services. It
is also important throughout the year
to coordinate local arrangements in
order to avoid competing for the same
public.

We advertise arrangements through
newsletters sent out by e-mail. Posters
and flyers, strategically placed at the
library entrance and other places where
people gather, are a cost-effective way
to promote our activities. In an Internet-
based world homepages constitute
an important channel of information
and many people use the library in this
way from the comfort of their own
home. They can search in our databases,
make book reservations and keep
themselves up-to-date with all aspects
of library activities. Naturally we provide
a user-friendly format and daily
updating of our homepages.

Mention in the local media costs
nothing and is an effective marketing
tool. Close contact with journalists
leads to frequent references to our arrangements
and other activities. This
kind of publicity is invaluable when it
comes to enhancing our image among
the general public. The library also
supplies the press with weekly book
reviews. All this serves to underline our
position as an important source of
information, literature and cultural
experiences.

The active librarian

The most important aspect in the promotion
of a library concerns its staff.
The myth of the quiet, introvert librarian
is no longer valid. Today’s librarians
must dare to face the challenges
of the future and demonstrate where
their expertise lies, namely in the dissemination
of information, knowledge
and cultural experiences.
Library users must at all times be met
with quality service and a willingness
to assist. This area represents a challenge
to those responsible for the training
of librarians. The profession of
librarian is no longer a peaceful haven
for bookworms seeking a quiet, protected
place to work.

The dust has long been brushed from
library shelves. The modern library has
an exciting atmosphere. Librarians are
constantly looking for interesting lecturers,
following trends and creating
imaginative homepages.We are visible,
we are involved, and we must not be
afraid to show this to the world.

Frid Feyling
librarian head
of the section for
children and young people
Asker public library

frid.feyling@asker.kommune.no

Rannveig Kvanum
librarian
responsibility for special
arrangements and marketing

rannveig.kvanum@asker.kommune.no

Translated by Eric Deverill