Toolkit

Communication
Practical Suggestions
Success Stories
Key Messages
Toolkit for School Library
Programs Revision Task Force,
2013–2014
When it comes to getting your message across, how you share information
can be as important as what you say. Even the best advocacy plan still requires a
vision for marketing and communicating your ideas to the people who need to
hear them. In marketing, delivering the right programs and services is as important
as communicating about them. Listening to your user community is critical, and
their wants are as important as their needs as they perceive them. Developing a
marketing plan is an essential step in getting the word out about your school library
program. This plan should support the overall mission and goals of your program,
contain both one-way communications and engagement strategies, and be tailored
to the audience you serve. Additionally, your plan should be reviewed and updated
regularly. Most importantly, it should be practical and doable.
Some things to consider when planning your marketing communication
approach include:
• Needs—What does your school or community need? What programs or
services could be developed to meet these needs? How do the services or
materials that you already offer meet these needs? What people or groups
would be likely to use your services or resources if they only knew about
them?
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