July 12, 2009, Chicago, IL, and Medford, NJ—Information Today, Inc. (ITI) has announced the publication of The Accidental Library Marketer, by Kathy Dempsey. The publisher is launching the title with a special book signing at the 2009 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, which takes place at Chicago’s McCormick Place West from July 9–15.

The Accidental Library Marketer fills a need for library professionals and paraprofessionals who find themselves in an awkward position: They need to promote their libraries and services in the age of the internet, but they’ve never been taught how to do it effectively. In this results-oriented A-to-Z guide, Dempsey—long-time editor of the Marketing Library Services newsletter—reveals the missing link between the everyday promotion librarians actually do and the “true marketing” that’s guaranteed to assure funding, excite users, and build stronger community relationships. The book combines real-life examples, expert advice, and checklists in a reader-friendly style. It includes chapters on getting buy-in for projects, using websites for publicity, and working with the press.

To release The Accidental Library Marketer to the library industry, Dempsey will sign copies at ALA’s annual Swap & Shop—a festive event where marketers gather to share colleagues’ promotional materials and to honor the Swap’s Best of Show winners along with the John Cotton Dana (JCD) Library Public Relations Award winners. This year’s Swap will take place from 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. on Sunday, July 12, in the Special Events area of the Exhibit Hall. “Launching my first book at the ALA Swap & Shop is a natural for me, since I’ve attended it for a decade and have become an exhibitor there in more recent years,” Dempsey said. “Plus, it’s where I get to meet and chat with folks I ‘see’ on the marketing listservs all year long. I’m excited to debut my book there!”

Judith Gibbons, Chair of the ALA Advocacy Training Sub-Committee, a member of the JCD Library Public Relations Award Committee, and an incoming ALA Councilor, writes in the book’s Foreword: “If you follow [Dempsey’s] tips, you will graduate from accidental marketer to professional and proactive marketer. Dempsey’s book puts you on the fast track and helps you avoid the pitfalls that ensnare marketing amateurs.”

Florida State University marketing professor Christie Koontz, Ph.D., agrees: “Kathy Dempsey’s years as editor of Marketing Library Services serve her well for capturing the best of true marketing in this timely publication. ... Every professional library shelf should offer the book, and staff should make use of the experience and insight gathered.” Koontz, a judge for the IFLA International Marketing Award, publishes and presents her own research on the topic around the world.

The Accidental Library Marketer is written for all library supporters, whether they’re directors, front-line staffers, volunteers, board members, or students. Since so few library schools have full-semester courses to prepare students for the real marketing they’ll need to do during their careers, the title is also designed to fill the need for marketing education. It could accompany a grad-school course or serve as independent reading for students who don’t have an option for a class. In fact, one prominent educator is already using pre-publication copies to supplement a marketing course at Simmons College; Ernest A. DiMattia, Jr., an adjunct faculty member at Simmons and a visiting associate professor at Pratt Institute, calls the book “a no-nonsense marketing guide that is comprehensive in scope and professional in style.”
Kathy Dempsey has been in the library industry for more than 20 years. Her experience working at several libraries along with her journalism degree was the perfect combination for a key role at Information Today, Inc. (ITI), a publisher and conference organizer specializing in the library and information industry. Since 1994, she has served as Editor of the Marketing Library Services (MLS) newsletter, while also editing Computers in Libraries magazine between 1995 and 2007. In 2005, Dempsey started her own consultancy, Libraries Are Essential (LAE). In this capacity, she has worked with a partner to write major marketing plans for two large organizations.

Wearing both her MLS and her LAE hats, Dempsey has presented numerous library marketing and promotion workshops, conference sessions, and keynote speeches for national, regional, and local library meetings as well as for Canadian and Dutch audiences. She has guest-lectured for LIS graduate students and written countless articles for publications including Marketing Library Services, Computers in Libraries, Information Today, and Information World Review. She is an active member of the New Jersey Library Association and a contributor to “The M Word,” a blog about library marketing.

The Accidental Library Marketer (312 pp/softbound/$29.50/ISBN 978-1-57387-368-0) is published by Information Today, Inc. (ITI). It is available in bookstores and direct from the publisher by calling (800) 300-9868 [outside the U.S., call (609) 654-6266]; faxing (609) 654-4309; emailing custserv@infotoday.com; or visiting the ITI website at www.infotoday.com.

"Any time someone puts a lock on something that belongs to you, against your wishes, and won't give you the key, they don't have your best interests at heart," warns Cory Doctorow, technology activist, journalist and best-selling science fiction author who will give the opening keynote at this year’s Internet Librarian International ( 15 & 16 October, London).

Doctorow, who is co-editor of the popular weblog Boing Boing and a contributor to The Guardian, Wired, and the New York Times, is active in legislative issues related to copyright, internet neutrality, and censorship. He calls for librarians to lend their support to the fight against current copyright and privacy controls:

“This includes all the companies that have mandatory DRM that prohibits copyright holders from authorising moving media from one device to another: the Apple Store, the Kindle Store, iTunes, etc.

“The ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom and IFLA have been kicking ass and taking names for years now, especially at the World Intellectual Property Organization; they need active support from librarians. For library patrons, the top issues are net-nannies that spy on their clickstreams and DRM that spy on their reading.”

Doctorow will air his sometimes controversial views in his opening keynote Copyright, Copyleft, Privacy, Librarians and Freedom at Internet Librarian International on Thursday 15 October.

The Internet Librarian International conference programme is published today. This year’s conference provides comprehensive coverage of the tools libraries must embrace in order to thrive and compete in the current climate, including ebooks; Google book search; mobile devices; computer gaming; blogs, microblogs and social networks; and social search.

In the event’s second keynote on Friday 16 October, Cambridge University’s Peter Murray-Rust shares his predictions for the future of libraries in a world where people increasingly bypass library collections and librarians in favour of the internet.

Show producers, Information Today, have held 2008 prices and are offering 40% discounts for colleagues and group attendance. The full programme is available at: www.internet-librarian.com

"LIBRARY JOURNAL" NAMES QUEENS LIBRARY AS 2009 LIBRARY OF THE YEAR Announcement at City Hall Shares News with All of NYC

According to the June 15, 2009 issue of "Library Journal," Queens Library is 2009 Library of the Year. "Library of the Year" is an annual awards program of "Library Journal," sponsored by Gale, part of Cengage Learning. Queens Library is one of New York City's three public library systems. The recognition was given for the "abililty of the managers and staff to provide an incredibly diverse set of services and continue the constant modernization of the 62 libraries. Their sustained commitment to library service that truly improves the lives of everyone in the borough is what makes the Queens Library so strong." An announcement will be made by Francine Fialkoff, "Library Journal's" Editor-in-Chief and John N. Berry III, Editor-at-Large, on Friday 6/12/09 on the steps of New York City's City Hall.

Special mentions were also given to Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH; Hoover Public Library, AL and River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester, NY because they "feature the service philosophy and dedication to community that signify a Library of the Year."

"Library Journal" is the oldest and most respected publication covering the library field. Considered to be the "bible" of the library world, LJ is read by over 100,000 library directors, administrators, and staff in public, academic, and special libraries. It is the single-most comprehensive publication for librarians, with groundbreaking features and analytical news reports covering technology, management, policy, and other professional concerns. Its hefty review sections evaluate nearly 7000 books annually, along with hundreds of audiobooks, videos, databases, web sites, and systems that libraries buy.

About Cengage Learning and Gale: Cengage Learning delivers highly customized learning solutions for colleges, universities, professors, students, libraries, government agencies, corporations and professionals around the world. Gale, part of Cengage Learning, serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs - from homework help to health questions to business profiles - in a variety of formats. For more information, visit www.cengage.com or www.gale.com.

Queens Library is an independent, not-for-profit corporation and is not affiliated with any other library. The Queens Library serves a population of 2.2 million in the most ethnically diverse county in the U.S. With a record 22.8 million items in circulation for FY 2008, the Library has the highest circulation of any public library system in the U.S. and one of the highest circulations in the world. For more information about programs, services, locations, events and news, visit the Queens Library Web site at www.queenslibrary.org or phone 718-990-0700. Queens Library. Enrich Your Life ®.

Joanne King, Associate Director - Communications Queens Library
89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11432 718-990-0704; fax 718-291-2695

Queens Library. Enrich Your Life.®