Made possible by IMLS (not this), programminglibrarian.org is a central resource for librarians: toolkit, magazine, resource library. They want us to help in its development. What do we want/need?
Angie Hanshaw
Editor/designer for Programming Librarian.
Lots through the website. Monthly newsletter. Facebook.
1.) Learn: through library section about copyrights, grant funding, traveling exhibitions, events & celebration calendar, programs (authors, discussions, etc.)
2.) Share: comment on the blog. Forum exists; info from today's breakout sessions will be put here.
3.) The brainstormer. Search curated content by keyword. Generate ideas, examples. Create proposals.
4.) PDF designer, interactive tool allows to create promotional materials.
Sonia Feigenbaum
Deputy Director, Division of Public Programs
Ntl Endowment for the Humanities
Old Post Office Pavillion
1100 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Room 426
W, DC 20506
sfeigenbaum@neh.gov www.neh.gov
--Loves libraries, wants to make sure the humanities will always remain part of programs.
Hosted By Hundreds of Libraries
Many get additional programming grants by accepting these.
The Great Experiment: George Washington and the American Republic (1997, 1999)
Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln's Journey to Emancipation (2002)
Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature (2001)
Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World
Pride and Passion: The African American Baseball Exhibition
Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers' Project
Upcoming
Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women
30 libraries, $2500, 5 programs, lead scholar, collaboration, planning workshop, deadline 7/30/2010 for programs Spring-Fall 2011.
Heather Paulson, Mother-Daughter Book Club
Librarian, lit scholar, contributor to site.
No programming course, this is learned on the job.
Tale of Despereaux, upper-elementary, discussion failed, a no-show despite lots of work.
Succeeded after talking to mother who wanted to do a mother-daughter book group. Families choose books. A friend could be bought. Women's History Month's Understood Betsy attracted 12 of 15 registrants. 16-20 for future. Father-son is next.
-engage with community per interests. Talk about it. Buy in from patrons necessary to create successful program. Tie it into what's going on. Adapting from failure is crucial.
Henry Fortunato, Kansas City Public Library
200+ Special Events a year. Checks sign-ups hourly. Intellectual, engagement in the world of the mind.
Why Do We Do It?
-Almost addictive. An incredible high.
-Cultural center
What Does the Job Entail?-Drinking. with Sara Paretsky and AJ Jacobs
-Their grant allows them to do so much more than other libraries may be capable of.
What Continues to Be Engaging About it?
-Validation from public media. Kansas City Star drives the news judgment in the city.
Recognize Value
-Vital to making people recognize & appreciate how important the library is to their community. Happy people at the library is proof.
Develop Themes and Series
-Find out what local greats are doing, work with them: "Can We Improve Urban Schools." "Meet the Past. Reenactors will create a talk show, brought back from the dead, moderator pretends hew's Johnny Carson. This airs on PBS channel. Second Sundays with KC Columnists--free of fees, they come and talk about current events, draws 100 people. Local authors/professors will do it for free to promote book or maybe $250. Cards are cheap to print. Low cost, high yield.
-Can be 2 programs at once even with similar appeal.
Find Local Connections to Broader Issues
Focus on Quality Graphic Design and Packaging
Graphic design and packaging can be done in-house by trained GD professionals. Thousands of college GD students would love to work in a non-academic environment to add to their portfolio. Contact dept. chair and they'll be happy to work with you. Don't tell them what to do. Tell them the goal. They will work on the typeface, color, etc. Tell them where you want to go; let them take you there.
Develop Partnerships with Other Institutions
Cooperation works; competition does not. Split expenses, share audiences, cross-pollinate, looks good to grant providers. Partnering with local TV station on film festival, for example.
Build on Your Success
10,000 names on email list used for blasts and other things.
Promote, Promote, Promote
Every Sunday afternoon, send the upcoming week's events to email blast. Get on TV, public library, newspapers. Get "In your face." A great product to sell.
Once You Start, You Can't Stop
Create a need in the marketplace. 2007, 145 programs; 2008 244; 2009 224.
Breakout with Henry Fortunato
Calendars, 22 cents/unit for 15,000. $5,000/month. Postcard with less events would cost less. Packaging makes something look like it's worth doing. Grab people on book tours, partner with independent bookstore who likes the library. Communication goes both ways to bookstore. Make the author topical; 50 yr anniv. of JFK & Nixon debates. JFK Library sold debates for $40. Showing them sequentially. Last surviving newsman of era coming out to comment. Could just as easily be a local Poli Sci professor. Get a grant, offer a hotel night, flight, etc!
Programming will start slow. 25 people at first for a big city is not good. 100 is now his make or break on whether he'll do an adult event again. 20 people is fine for a book discussion group, more would be too many.
There is a programming staff--2 MLS, another on his way, a few others (they are under "public affairs" which is outreach, public affairs, programs, website, exhibits, grants, crisis mgmt, etc.)--who suggests ideas. But they implement. Librarians and bookstore staff also suggest.
YA & Children's does their own with separate program budget. The dept. packages them, so it looks like it's from the same library.
There sis a Madness to this! Could be constraining. Follow your gut; if it sounds bad, it probably will be bad. Even if it's free. Evaluations are not done. Data may be misleading...
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