PUBLICITY FOR THE SAKE OF SUPPORT
In every community there are scores of intelligent men—men who are well-informed on most subjects—who do not know what the modern public library does, whose conception of it is what might have been expected a generation or two ago. The word "library" to them means such a collection of books as they have in their homes, or the library they used while in college. There is no thought in their minds of the aggressive, civic and educational force that we believe the American public library to be.
These men are not found in any one particular class. Business men and public officials may seem to head the list, but there are college professors and presidents, and well educated professional men who are quite as uninformed and indifferent as any others. I could point to dozens of men and women in my own state, high up in educational affairs, and some of whom are officially in close touch with libraries, who do not realize at all what place a public library can hold in community life.
Perhaps the best evidence on this proposition, if evidence is needed, is found in the recent books dealing with civic and educational affairs. In many of them the authors speak forcibly and unmistakably in favor of the public library, and exhibit a knowledge of current library practice that is gratifying to the library profession, but there are other books—not few in number—in which the writers show an entire lack of appreciation of the public library movement.
It is very easy for us to say, when such a condition is brought to mind, that it is the other fellow's fault, that there is no excuse in these days for anybody's being ignorant of the public library movement. Perhaps that is true; but, for my part, I am inclined to wonder if the fault is not with the librarians themselves. They have been so busy working out their own administrative problems that they have not taken the trouble to keep the public informed on the progress made. They have pushed the establishment of libraries—that has been comparatively easy—but they have not yet, to any very great extent, created a public sentiment that insists enthusiastically on generous appropriations.
There is need for some advertising that will take care of this situation. It might emanate from different sources: from the state and national library associations and departments working on the public generally; and from the libraries themselves, individually working on their own communities. Most of the library association publications are professional literature; most of the speeches made under the auspices of the associations are made to librarians and others already interested.
What is needed now, if my reasoning is correct, is a publicity campaign that will cover a wider range. Let its purpose be to give concrete, up-to-date information about the public library to every man and woman who reads, to every individual who is interested in any way in civic improvement or educational affairs. Surely no better way can be found of laying a foundation for liberal library appropriations.
One great need is for popular books and pamphlets on public library work. Dr. Bostwick's "The American public library," is the one available volume of this character; there is room yet for several other publications, shorter, for the most part, and dealing with special phases of library work rather than with all phases. Many people will have to read a short article or pamphlet before they will acquire sufficient interest to undertake a whole book.
The different lines of library work that offer subjects for popular treatment are many. Most of them have been written about for librarians; why can't we have them written about now for the general public? Properly printed and attractively illustrated, a series of books and pamphlets of the sort I have in mind could be used to a good advantage all over the country. Of course, a good deal of the material distributed would never be read, but the fact that little advertising booklets are widely used by business men would indicate that in the long run they do have a good effect.
Perhaps the most promising field is that of the magazines, for practically all intelligent Americans read some monthly or weekly periodical. Some would be reached by the good literary magazines, some by the so-called family magazines; others read only the trade journals, and a few only religious. All together they offer a medium of publicity that would reach nearly everybody. If we could successfully emulate the people who have pushed some of the great movements like conservation or industrial education we should soon have everybody believing that the public library is a live issue. No other movement offers better opportunities for such publicity, for there is no other institution quite so broad in its interests as the public library.
Why cannot the library associations have a publicity man whose business it would be to get such articles into the magazines, to prepare little booklets such as I have described for the information of the general public, and to do whatever else he can to interest influential men and the world at large in public libraries? This man might also be made responsible for getting library news articles and feature stories into the newspapers. Such articles would undoubtedly do a great deal to educate newspaper readers to a knowledge of library work as it now is, but if they did nothing more than to keep the subject before the people they would be worth while.
There is also a large field open for public speakers. A publicity man, representing a national or state organization, could make himself very useful as a speaker at public gatherings. He could easily secure a place on the programs of many civic, scientific and educational organizations, and by a popular presentation of the public library's service along the line that particularly interested the members, could undoubtedly make scores of new friends for public libraries.
Such a person would be welcome also as a lecturer on librarianship at college, academy and high school gatherings, at chapel and convocation exercises, etc. These talks would have a double value in that they would help to bring good people into the library profession and at the same time give information about library affairs to students and instructors.
So far as I know, the library profession has never indulged in paid newspaper or magazine advertising. This may be due to the fact that we can usually get all the space we want in the regular news columns free of charge; but I suspect it is due partly to our conservatism, to our fear that paid advertising would be considered undignified. Certainly if the newspapers and magazines are willing to print without pay all that we wish, we need not consider the paid "ad." But if it is impossible to secure the desired space in any periodical free of charge, it might be worth while to buy it.
The paid library advertisement need not be similar to the ordinary commercial advertisement. It could be modeled after the "talks" sometimes used by large corporations and promoters which are meant to create a sentiment favorable toward the company. They should be done in newspaper English and should, of course, be short and to the point. Charles Stelzle, in his "Principles of successful church advertising," says that "One denomination in the U. S. has made a selection of a group of newspapers throughout the country which print regularly an editorial on some doctrinal or ethical theme and which is paid for by the national body." If it is not undignified for a church to do these things, surely it would not be out of place for the public library.
So much for the advertising methods that might be followed by the A.L.A., the League of Library Commissions, or the various state associations and commissions. By such means the attitude of friendliness toward libraries in general would undoubtedly be fostered and an interest in their establishment and maintenance greatly increased. But the librarian of a public library could not rest on this. The proper "taste" for library expenditures—if we may so express it—in his particular town will depend largely on his particular library and his own methods of advertising.
Of course we shall all agree that the best advertisement is satisfied patrons and lots of them, and that without the backing of such patrons, the advertising will do little good; also that special work for the special classes who have most to do with tax levies and appropriations will bring good results.
Almost as important as satisfactory service is a business-like administration. The library management ought to be such that it will command the respect of business men. No amount of mere talk about the need for more money or of the wonderful advantages that will accrue to the city in case an extra thousand dollars be appropriated, will count for anything unless the librarian knows how to talk business. In fact it does not seem surprising that some libraries are poorly supported when one realizes that there are hundreds of librarians who know nothing about their library finances, who leave the money matters entirely to the library board.
Unfortunately, the librarians who are ignorant of the financial condition of their libraries, except their own salaries and the fines, are not all found in the country towns and are not all without library school training.
I know of one librarian in a city of nearly one hundred thousand population who never knows the amount of the library income, for either the current or the past year.
I know of another library, this one in a small town, that has been running for several years on a very limited income although the board has absolute power to more than double the library levy. Recently the librarian, a library school graduate, resigned, because, she said, there was no future. A few weeks later a candidate for the position met with the board to talk things over. She went armed with a p-slip full of figures. She knew the assessed valuation of the town, and the present and possible library income. She knew something about the city finances and whether the town could afford an increase for the library. She had similar figures for the adjoining townships and was prepared to tell how township support might be secured. In fact, she went to the board meeting prepared to discuss the financial possibilities of the library in a business-like way, to tell what ought to be done, how much it would cost to do it and finally, what she would take to shoulder the proposition.
Of course, she was employed. She was employed at her own salary and on her own conditions, and the board agreed to follow out her recommendations.
Such a librarian is a perpetual advertisement for the library of the very best sort. His reputation for a good business administration will win the business men, and his knowledge of city finances will win the respect of public officials and others interested in city government.
The library and the librarian also need a reputation for being interested in all civic improvement societies and other organizations that have for their business the public welfare. Agreeable professional relations with the men and women who are members of these societies will make friends for the library of the best and most active people of the city. The librarian can without difficulty, secure an invitation to address such organizations on matters pertaining to the library and if he is the right sort, he will be allowed to present his cause when he is asking for more money.
The librarian who does all these things ought not to have any great difficulty in securing the money necessary to run his library properly. It will be an added advantage, however, to keep the name of the library before the people. We ought not to be satisfied until everybody knows that there is such a thing as the public library and that it is situated at a certain place. The mere fact that a man knows a thing exists will make him approachable when the time comes to ask his support.
In order that people who do not use the library may nevertheless know something about it and be prepared to play the part of intelligent citizens when appropriations are discussed, there is need for a continuous series of newspaper articles that will tell, frankly and fully, what the library is doing. These articles should appear as news items whenever possible and should be readable. The librarian who does the largest part of the reporter's and editor's work is likely to get the best results. If the papers are accustomed to getting something from the library regularly, they will be willing to print financial reports and budgets with explanations when the time comes. If for any reason the library cannot get its items printed as news, then the same material can be used in paid "talks" to the public.
Just before time for making the appropriation, comparative statistics can be used to a good advantage, especially if graphically shown with cuts. They can show the smallness of the library income as compared with incomes of other city departments, the lack of growth in library income as compared with the growth of the city, and the appropriation for the library in question as compared with other libraries in cities of equal size.
The newspaper is the recognized medium for all sorts of local advertising. It reaches more people than any other medium and many people who could not be reached in any other way. In advertising the needs of the library, however, where only a comparatively small number of people must be reached, it seems reasonable to assume that the circular letter might accomplish good results. It should be carefully written to catch the attention, beginning with some statement in which the reader is interested, proceeding rapidly to the business in hand, and, above all things, stating clearly at the end, the exact action desired.
It is possible now to get up perfect imitations of individual typewritten letters. Such letters with the name and salutation inserted on a machine, and with personal signature, ought to bring results. Those or actual personal letters are the last word.
Any man who has in the background of his mind a knowledge of what the library stands for, a good opinion of the library based on good service and continued publicity, ought to be influenced to definite action by a good personal letter.
The FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT: It is not given to many of us to approach a subject from so many directions as Mr. WALTER L. BROWN, librarian of the Buffalo public library, in grappling with the subject of "The breadth and limitations of bookbuying." His all-around experience will make this next paper one of exceptional value to us.
Dr. Thwaites has kindly consented to read the paper for Mr. Brown.