Geek the Library Coming to Indiana!

Libraries around the nation rave about the Geek the Library campaign that grabs people’s attention and reminds them about the immense value public libraries have for local communities. The Shelbyville-Shelby County Public Library can attest to this and did so in a recent exposé in OCLC's Next Space newsletter.

The story of Shelbyville-Shelby County Public Library

By Linn Haugestad Edvardsen, OCLC

It’s not every day that you see a public library director at the local high school football game wearing a sandwich board inviting people to write what they are passionate about—what they “geek.” But if you ask residents of Shelbyville, Indiana, they would tell you this is nothing out of the ordinary.

The Shelbyville-Shelby County Public Library in Shelbyville, Indiana, was one of nearly 100 public libraries that piloted the Geek the Library community awareness campaign in 2009 and 2010, and Director Janet Wallace and her staff made campaign promotion a priority. Janet wore the “geek board” to many community events, including a homecoming parade—all in the name of educating her community about library funding and the important need for ongoing support. Her team’s efforts, and the campaign, were a hit. Geek the Library certainly increased awareness about the library and its funding, she says, but it also helped form deeper connections with the community.

“Geek the Library has been highly successful,” says Laura Guenin, Public Relations Manager at the library. “The campaign raised awareness of our financial needs and strengthened our partnerships within the community. More than anything, the quality of the promotional materials helped brand the library as progressive and active.”

Like many public libraries across the U.S., Shelbyville-Shelby County Public Library has faced substantial budget cuts in recent years. “Geek the Library provided a unique opportunity for the library to build awareness about its financial needs and to create exposure about library services. It enabled us to partner with different organizations, and strengthened our existing relationships with local officials and organizations,” Laura says...Read the complete article...

What many people love about the Geek the Library is the flexibility in programming and advertising. In the next GeekNEWS email, the State Library will discuss its plans for producing localized content and promotional items as well as distributing mini grants to local libraries that engage their community in Geek the Library programs.

If you would like to learn more about Geek the Library and how it can work in your local community visit get.geekthelibrary.org. Also, stay tuned for more information from the State Library about the Geek Indiana Libraries campaign throughout National Library Week, including how to participate, program timelines, opportunities for state funding, success stories, Indiana-specific programming, and more.