Transforming Our Image, Building Our Brand: The Education Advantage

by Valerie J. Gross

Overview

This book describes a groundbreaking concept that enables public libraries—and librarians—to become indispensable by following a "Three Pillars" educational approach, and by replacing traditional terms with powerful, intuitive, value-enhanced terminology that everyone understands.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781598847703
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/30/2012
Pages:	169
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Valerie J. Gross, MM, MLS, JD, has served as president and CEO of Howard County Library System (HCLS) in Maryland since 2001.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

Part I Overview-The What and Why

1 The Power of Language 3

2 The Three Pillars Philosophy 7

3 Supporting Strategic Vocabulary-Key Terms 23

4 Supporting Strategic Vocabulary-A Few More Words 39

5 Strategic Titles 53

6 Tricks of the Trade 67

Part II Implementation-The How

7 A+ Partners in Education 77

8 Internal Steps 99

9 Knock Their Socks Off 117

10 Sensational Strategic Planning 139

11 Strong Investment 153

12 A New Era 157

Bibliography 163

Index 165

What People are Saying About This

Mindy Kittay

"I am reading Transforming Our Image and I can't put it down. I'm writing notes like crazy. It makes absolute sense. This will be our foundation from now on."

Barbara Dimick

"The best change initiative for public libraries that I can remember."

Delane James

"Applying the Transforming Our Image words and attitudes resulted in our receiving budget increases when every other library in our area continued to see dramatic funding cuts."

Laura Raphael

"I was completely blown away. Gross articulates exactly how public libraries should be presenting themselves to the community for what we are already doing. A passionate treatise of our educational value. "

Editorial Reviews

"Informative and approachable, this resource offers many suggestions to better help the public understand the role of libraries. This, in turn, helps with funding and more." - VOYA

From the Publisher

Valerie J. Gross, president and CEO of the Howard Country Library System, has put together this resource describing how they increased their value through public support, funding, and community awareness. Never denying that libraries already serve to educate the public, they choose words, titles, and branding to solidify their status away from supporting education and towards being an important education institution; thus, changing words, not actions. Transforming Our Image, Building Our Brand describes this evolution and the "Three Pillar System" they used in implementation. An example is making simple vernacular changes, such as changing "Library Director" to "President and CEO," or library "programs" to library "classes." Informative and approachable, this resource offers many suggestions to better help the public understand the role of libraries. This, in turn, helps with funding and more. Gross describes this change as moving from "traditional to strategic," which is, of course, a way of ensuring continued funding and sustained public access to library resources. Many of the publicity materials and other visual documentation from the Howard Country Library System are included. This book will be a good reference for libraries looking to re-brand, or for tried-and-true modernization—or even just for libraries who want to try some of many re-imaging ideas presented. Reviewer: Kristi Sadowski

VOYA - Kristi Sadowski