The Public Relations and Marketing Section provides a framework and impetus for the study of public relations theory and policies; for improving the practice of public relations in public, school, college and university, and special libraries; for serving as public relations liaison between the division and other ALA units; and for identifying those aspects of public relations about which the profession needs to be informed and educated so as to conduct appropriate programs and institutes.
2009 ALA Chicago Update:
Swap & Shop Seeking Public Relations Materials for "Best of Show" awards
Best of Show FAQ's
Best of Show Enty Forms
2008 ALA Anaheim Update:
"Marketing @ the Library--Making Yourself and Attractive Target" Slide show (PowerPoint)
- Education and Training Committee:
- The Education and Training Committee conducted a program titled "Are you in the game? Millennial Learning Strategies to Market Your Libraries." About 80 people enjoyed the early Saturday morning program.
- Swap and Shop Committee
- The 35th year of Swap & Shop was a resounding success, with more than 600 conference attendees visiting "Swap & Shop: Hot Ideas for Cool PR" to view and pick up samples of the best public relations and marketing materials from the previous year. Swap & Shop also gave attendees opportunities to talk to such marketing experts as John Cotton Dana award winners and the PR Docs from Library Communication Strategies (hosts of the annual PR Makeover competition). As always, a popular aspect of the show was the Best of Show awards display. The Best of Show awards this year recognized the growing importance of electronic marketing by adding two new video categories, which drew about 20 of the nearly 400 total entries for the juried competition.
- John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award Committee:
- The JCD awards reception sponsored by the H.W. Wilson Company was a lovely and well attended affair. Winners receiving certificates and checks for $5,000 were: Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, Illinois; Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Metropolitan Library Service Agency, St. Paul, Minnesota; Richmond Public Library, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada; and the University of California at Santa Barbara.
- Click here to learn about this year’s winners and view applications and samples of the winning submission.
The Public Relations and Marketing Section meets these responsibilities in the following ways:
1. Reviews association, division, and section activities to identify changing public relations developments and needs.
2. Initiates and oversees activities and projects appropriate to the section, especially those relating to friends of libraries, public relations institutes, the John Cotton Dana Awards, publications, and public relations services to libraries, state libraries, and state library associations.
3. Presents and interprets library public relations to interested groups outside the profession, especially people in library services areas.
4. Aids the professional public relations development of librarians and other library public relations professionals by encouraging the exchange of ideas and participation in relevant programs, institutes, and other continuing education opportunities.
5. Uses all appropriate media to facilitate communication about public relations theory and practice among library and library-support groups and associations.