A Hint from Heloise

In last night's paper, there was a "Dear Heloise" letter from a woman in Georgia, regaling services at her local library. It seems she can place holds on books she wants by going to the library's online catalog at their web site. The library then sends her an email notice when the books are ready for pick up. The woman called this "a great hint for your [Heloise's] readers."
Heloise replied, "Aren't libraries wonderful? They offer a wealth of information, and it's not just books---CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes and more are available for everyone to use. Most libraries have computers that patrons can use as well."

The other letters to Heloise concerned how to fluff your pillows in the dryer, how to clean your cheese grater with an old toothbrush, and how to make comfortable shoe insoles from an old mouse pad. Useful, perhaps little-known tips that readers might be surprised to hear about. Although I was pleased to see libraries praised, I also had some feelings of ambivalence. Doesn't everyone already know these facts about their public library? Apparently not. This woman was inspired to let everyone know her "insiders tip" through the Heloise column. It struck me that this was like saying, "Did you know that your local supermarket has bread and milk?" No one needs to hear that because it's such common knowledge. Placing holds online and getting an email notice is also quite routine in libraries.

Why did this woman feel the need to share her hint about libraries? Probably because she feels she's discovered a wonderful secret that others should know about. Libraries tend to be insular places, often content to please the regular customer base without reaching out to recruit new ones to our POW! ZOWIE! (highly marketable and wonderful) services, programs and collections. We have failed to market our services to the fullest, mainly because few of us have any money for advertising budgets or public relations staff. How many people still think we only just have books?

That's one of the reasons for this blog, to tell the world about the 21st century library and all it has to offer. We're actually curious about you, our blog readers. Are you just other librarians? customers? curious non-users of libraries? Do me a favor and leave a comment. Simply state: "librarian", "patron", or whatever! Feel free to offer us any suggestions for further publicizing library programs, services and collections.