Practical Marketing for Your School Library

by C. L. Mansfield

Overview

Provides librarians and teachers with innovative ideas for producing a marketing plan, newsletters, social media marketing, library programming, and more to position the library as an essential resource.

Is your school library struggling to gain visibility within your school and community? Marketing Your School Library provides librarians with the strategies and tools needed to develop a comprehensive marketing plan that will raise awareness and drive student engagement and colleague collaboration. This practical, easy-to-implement guide goes beyond traditional library promotion to deliver innovative, low-cost ideas for creating standout newsletters, social media campaigns, and event-based programming that will position your library as an indispensable hub of learning and discovery within your school community.

· Discover how to leverage data and feedback to understand your target audience and craft compelling messaging that resonates.
· Master the art of visual branding to make your library pop, both online and in-person.
· Utilize cost-effective digital marketing tactics to reach students, staff, and families where they are.
· Build a calendar of engaging, curriculum-aligned library events and activities that get everyone excited about what your library has to offer.

With this roadmap in hand, you'll be empowered to transform your library into a vibrant, must-visit destination that elevates teaching and learning throughout your school. Upgrade your marketing game and take your library's impact to new heights!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798216379676
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/13/2025
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

C. L. Mansfield is an international school librarian with over 15 years of experience working at schools all over the world. Mansfield holds both an MBA and an MLS, giving her a unique blend of business acumen and library expertise. She has developed innovative programs to promote literacy and research skills in culturally diverse school communities. Known for her collaborative spirit, she has worked closely with teachers to integrate library resources into the curriculum. Mansfield currently lives and teaches in Hong Kong.

Table of Contents

Dedication
Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Evolving Role of the School Library
Chapter 2: Marketing Foundations for School Libraries
Chapter 3: Understanding Your Target Audiences
Chapter 4: Using Analytical Tools and Innovative Approaches from the Business World
Chapter 5: Creating a Distinctive Brand Identity
Chapter 6: Developing a Strategic Marketing Plan for the School Library
Chapter 7: Using Technology to Support your Marketing Efforts
Chapter 8: Creating Engaging Content
Chapter 9: Hosting Impactful Programs and Events
Chapter 10: Building Strategic Partnerships
Chapter 11: Aligning your Library Program
Chapter 12: Developing Library Initiatives
Chapter 13: Measuring Marketing Success in the School Library
Chapter 14: Making Your Library Facility Market-Friendly
Chapter 15: Resourcing and Budgeting for Marketing Success
Chapter 16: Library Programming in Practice
Chapter 17: Case Studies
Chapter 18: Long-Term Library Calendar Planning
Chapter 19: Sample Library Lesson Plans
Chapter 20: Book Study
Glossary
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Every practicing school librarian needs a copy of Practical Marketing for Your School Library. We need to reach our various audiences who have the power to support or end our programs. It has always been necessary, but in the current times it is essential we know how to do it.

In a step-by-step approach, Mansfield guides us all the way. Starting with taking an honest look at our program and how it is perceived by our different stakeholders, she explains the need for a formal marketing plan and the various tools and concepts to use in creating one.

Practical Marketing for Your School Library is the whole package to help your library grow and thrive no matter the political climate.” —Hilda K. Weisburg, Adjunct, Author, Speaker

“Corinna Mansfield's Practical Marketing for Your School Library bridges the worlds of professional librarianship and strategic marketing. Drawing on her dual expertise as both an experienced international school librarian and a marketing professional, Mansfield delivers a resource that is both practical and transformative. What sets this book apart is its integration of proven business marketing principles with the unique context and challenges of school libraries.

The comprehensive approach-from understanding stakeholders and creating distinctive brand identities to measuring impact through data-driven analysis-provides librarians with immediately applicable strategies to elevate their library's visibility and value.

Libraries are more important than ever, and this book will help provide a roadmap for librarians seeking to position themselves as indispensable centers of learning within their school communities.” —Justin Hardman, Founder, 21st Century Learning

“C.L. Mansfield's Practical Marketing for Your School Library is an empowering, clear-eyed resource for every school librarian striving to amplify the impact of their work in today's educational landscape. Mansfield bridges the gap between business-savvy strategy and student-centered practice, offering practical tools-like SWOT analyses, user personas, and SMART goals-alongside the deeply human insights that come from years of experience in school libraries around the globe.

This book honors what school librarians already know: we are not just curators of resources, but essential connectors, storytellers, and advocates. Whether you are starting from scratch or refining a robust program, Mansfield equips you with both the language and the framework to communicate your library's value in terms your stakeholders will understand.

At a time when school libraries face both unprecedented challenges and opportunities, Practical Marketing for Your School Library is a timely guide to strategic visibility, community-building, and educational impact. I recommend it wholeheartedly.” —Sam Helmick, President, American Library Association

“Ready to become the marketing champion your library deserves? Practical Marketing for Your School Library is your guide! C.L. Mansfield empowers school librarians to elevate their programs with this exceptional book. By blending business acumen with library expertise, she provides a practical framework for developing marketing plans, even with limited resources. It's not just about promotion; it's about innovative strategies – leveraging technology, cultivating student “influencers,” and aligning with curriculum – to create a dynamic, essential library.” —Kristina A. Holzweiss, 2015 School Library Journal School Librarian of the Year

“Combining her unique expertise in the dual fields of marketing and school librarianship, Mansfield guides readers through effective strategies to improve the visibility and success of school libraries. True to its name, Practical Marketing for Your School Library is a hands-on approach to helping librarians better craft, implement, assess, and highlight school library programs. Mansfield delivers with a strategic, timely, yet realistic guide.

This book fills a gap in the field and does so with an abundance of resources and a fresh perspective. Practical Marketing for Your School Library is a must-read and essential addition to your professional library.” —Betty L. Turpin, MLIS, Creator of BiblioGarden

From the Publisher