What’s Your Slogan?

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“Branding” is one of the buzzwords that media specialists are hearing a lot about lately, but because we are often locked into using our school name and mascot on everything we create, having a unique brand can present difficulties for a school library.  But what if we tied a slogan to our name, and used it on everything?

Think about marketing slogans that have resonated with the public.  I bet you can easily name the companies that use these taglines:

Have it your way.

Where shopping is a pleasure.

Expect more.  Pay less.

These slogans indicate that customer satisfaction is a priority, and that the needs of the consumer are being carefully considered.

So what’s your library slogan?

No one is allowed in the library without a pass.

You can only check out two books at a time, and if you return them late you have to pay a fine.

No food or drinks allowed.

There will be no emailing, games, or talking in the library.

Stop messing up the books.

“Oh no,” you say, “no one would choose any of those sayings as a tagline!”  Then why do I see these exact sentences (well, okay, maybe I’ve never actually seen that last one, but it’s been implied) in some form or another on nearly every library web page I’ve visited lately?  I won’t link to any of them here, but in my search for inspiring library sites I’ve looked at quite a few that feature a stern list of do’s and don’ts.  (Mostly don’ts.)  And most of them aren’t discreetly tucked away in a “Library Guidelines” corner; they are right there on the home page!

Yes, we need policies, and yes, we need to communicate them to our users, so a “No rules, just right” approach won’t work in the library.  But we have to “think outside the bun” and make an effort to show the many resources and services we have to offer our students, their parents, and the community.

Therefore, I hope these are the slogans that describe your library:

We never stop working for you.

You’ve got questions; we’ve got answers.

That was easy.

And perhaps most importantly:

The choice of a new generation.

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2 thoughts on “What’s Your Slogan?

  1. Wow Heather, this is awesome! You have put a positive spin on your guidelines (Keep your volume set on low! Whispering is best.) and you also explain the reason for your policies (Put any books you pulled from the shelves but didn’t check out in the book return or simply leave them on the tables. These items need to be scanned as “in library use” so that Ms. Loy knows which books are most useful to you and your teachers.) We’re all most likely to follow the rules when we understand the reason for them. Thanks for sharing!

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