As we know, the media like something dramatic, something different, something relevant to the news of the day or something novel.

Transcription

1 Media resurces Attracting media attentin Publicising LIW, literacy and the services we prvide t ur cmmunity is a vital part f the prfessinal practice f library and infrmatin service prviders and ther participating rganisatins. As we knw, the media like smething dramatic, smething different, smething relevant t the news f the day r smething nvel. It helps yu gain media attentin if yu directly invlve the media in yur Library and Infrmatin Week activities. A few years ag, fr instance, as part f Library and Infrmatin Week festivities, ALIA's NSW Branch walked acrss Sydney Harbur Bridge participants dressed imaginatively t shw a psitive, fun-lving image f librarians. They invited ABC radi persnality Simn Marnie t give the prizes fr the best-dressed grups and the event received excellent publicity. Inviting lcal identities t yur LIW event is a great way t attract media attentin t yur event. Tips n targeting the media Identify yur media utlets thrugh Margaret Gee's Australian Media Guide r ther such guides. The guide prvides the names f the editrs f specific subject matters. It is ften a gd idea t target the subject editrs, especially n mre 'meaty' issues. In mst ther cases the chief f staff decides whether yur stry will be cvered. Decisins are usually taken at a very late stage, and yu may need t 'hang-in there' t gain cverage, especially if yu target the bigger media. It is a lt easier t get the attentin f smaller, lcal media they are ften keen fr material. Send the infrmatin abut yur activities and issues t yur selected media tw r three weeks befre yur event. Imprtantly, fllw up by phne a week befre, especially if yur event presents pht pprtunities and then again the day befre and n the day.

2 Use yur lcal knwledge and netwrks when identifying yur target jurnalist yu might even cntact the librarians in natinal media rganisatins fr tips abut individual staffers yu can target. Gaining televisin cverage usually requires visual nvelty, clurful events, and smetimes high-prfile persnalities. The ALIA NSW branch harbur bridge walk mentined abve is a gd example. The walk was televised and radi-bradcasted. If yu want cverage, yu may need t develp yur event with televisin in mind. Make sure t time the event fr befre nn if yu are t get int the news that evening. Give the statin as much advance ntice as yu can and fllw-up with a phne call t keep up the mmentum and t clarify arrangements and appintments. T gain radi cverage, yu may need t identify a specific stry r angle, and ne r mre gd spkespersns fr the statin t chse frm. Yu and they wuld need t be willing t g t the studi when required, unless the statin will cme t the library fr yur event. Lcal radi is ften receptive t interview requests. Print media is the easiest t deal with. If yu want pre-event publicity, cultivate yur targeted jurnalists befre the event and prvide them with material that easily can be adapted the mre wrk yu have dne, the mre likely it is that yu get the cverage yu want. Remember that 'letters t the editr' are surprisingly effective, especially if they cme frm ne f yur users r supprters. Radi and print media can bth rely n a gd media statement and/r a telephne call fr a news stry and fr pre-publicity. Remember t infrm the free suburban press and cmmunity radi. Yu may want t cnsider purchasing ads in yur lcal media r cntacting the newspaper t see if they ffer free r discunted ads fr nt-fr-prfit events. Dn t frget cmmunity, gvernment and schl newsletters as a surce f advertising Tips n media interviews It s a great idea t rganise a spkespersn fr yur rganisatin. Make sure they are fully briefed n Library and Infrmatin Week and yur lcal events. Yu might als want t cnsider invlving a user f yur service r member f the cmmunity t give a qute r tw fr the interview.

3 If yu are interviewed n radi r televisin be well-prepared with the pints yu wish t make yu may nt get much time n air t make them and with statistics n library usage and services and the characteristics f the ppulatin yu serve. Ask, befre the interview, hw much time yu will have and what the frmat is (fr example, questin and answer). Be prepared t pass smthly t a new pint if yu are asked a questin which yu cannt r will nt answer. In all interviews, but especially n radi and televisin, be enthusiastic and psitive, especially abut the cntributin libraries are making and will make t the cmmunity. Tips n yur media kit The kit f infrmatin that yu send t the media will include the fllwing: A media release (a sample fllws). Infrmatin abut participants in yur event (fr example, backgrund infrmatin abut the persn wh will be a guest at yur event). Descriptins f library services. Highlights f library prgrams and statistics f use and ppulatin served as way f backgrund infrmatin abut yur library and infrmatin service. Tips n drafting media statements There is mre t gaining media cverage than sending ut a media release, but a media release is nevertheless a must. T be effective it must sell the sizzle as well as infrm abut the sausage. The first sentence and certainly the first paragraph must deliver the news 'hk'. Generalisatins r explanatins are nt suitable fr pening statements. A news stry must answer the questins wh, what, when, where, why and smetimes, hw and t whm. Always use the active rather than the passive vice. Fr example 'Billabng Public Library will pen n Sunday afternns frm 27 May', rather than 'There will be an extensin f library pening hurs n Sundays at Billabng Public Library'.

4 Ensure that dates, times, places and details fr further infrmatin (preferably with a named cntact persn) are included in the media statement. As well as including details f yur LIW event and all the exciting activities yu have planned, include sme general infrmatin n what kind f library yu are, wh yu serve, the types f services and the innvative prgrams yu ffer, library resurces, hw yu use technlgy, yur key statistics, and the cntributins that yur make t yur lcal cmmunity. Sample media release fr Library and Infrmatin Week Fllwing is a sample media release which can be edited fr use by yur library r rganisatin t prmte yur lcal events.

5 Library and Infrmatin Week 2018 cmes t < insert yur rganisatin here > On < insert the date f yur event > at < insert yur lcal time in bld >, < insert the name f yur rganisatin > will jin rganisatins frm Brme t Hbart, celebrating Library and Infrmatin Week Library and Infrmatin Week aims t raise the prfile f libraries and infrmatin service prfessinals in Australia and shwcase the many and varied resurces and services that libraries prvide t the cmmunity. The event has been rganised by the Australian Library and Infrmatin Assciatin t prmte the value f reading and literacy, the imprtance f Australia's bk industry and the rle f libraries. The theme fr Library and Infrmatin Week 2018 is Find yurself in a library. We will be celebrating by< insert details f wh is attending yur event and why yu have chsen them and any related clurful activities... > Fr infrmatin abut the lcal event, cntact < Yur details here >. Fr mre infrmatin n Library and Infrmatin Week arund Australia, visit r cntact the Australian Library and Infrmatin Assciatin, enquiry@alia.rg.au PO Bx 6335 Kingstn ACT 2604