US Libraries Launch Ad Campaign to Boost Image, Funding

May 27, 2011

The Rutland Free Library features a large poster of popular local hotdog vendor Lenny Montuori as part of the "Geek the Library" campaign in Rutland, Vermont.

Paula Baker stands near the front desk at the public library she directs in Rutland, Vermont. She says that while they still check out plenty of books and movies - they also offer electronic books and so called e-book equipment, and lots of downloadable stuff - audio files and full text databases that can provide help on anything from homework to finding a job. She says it's interesting to see how people react when she explains that.

"The eyes light up and click, it happens, 'I didn't know you had this,'" Baker said.

And that's the problem. Because when people in a community don't realize all the things services their library has to offer - they're less likely to adequately fund it.

"For this library, we've run at a deficit for the last two years and next year we're looking at a larger deficit amount," explained Baker.

Funding shortfalls are affecting libraries across the United States. Jenny Johnson is Executive Director of Marketing for the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC). It's a nonprofit organization that helps libraries around the world. Johnson says that while there have been a lot of marketing campaigns aimed at promoting library usage, none have focused on increasing funding for libraries. So, with more than six million dollars from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the OCLC set out to change that.