Patchogue-Medford Library sits on Main Street in a bustling downtown with daily foot and vehicle traffic. An ongoing challenge has been how to entice these passersby through the front door. Using augmented reality technology, their sidewalk-facing windows were transformed for the summer into a stunning 30-foot “Oceans of Possibilities” interactive aquarium exploding with color! An intrigued community was invited to customize a fish to be uploaded then magically appear swimming in the tank. PML's creative marketing successfully lured all ages and segments of their population inside. Library card sign-ups surged, summer reading registration soared, while over 5,000 fish were created!
In this program, you will:
- Learn how to use augmented reality technology and scale it to any marketing campaign.
- Master a new level of outreach and advertising by using by utilizing whatever you may have to create your own interactive advertisement.
- Rock what you got! Learn how to scale your campaign to your community no matter the demographic or size.
- Conduct data measurement using statistics, surveys, QR codes, social media and more.
Presenters:
Laura Accardi, Library Development Assistant, leads a group of super creative staff at The Patchogue Medford Library. As head of the Promotions & Development Department as well as the consultant and head of the Graphics Department, she has created a work environment that exudes the passion, forward thinking and creative juices of her team. Together, they have created innovative, unconventional, and effective events and marketing campaigns beyond the scope of the library world.
An accidental library marketer and graduating first in her class from the school of hard knocks, life lessons, hard work, and her drive to make library marketing no longer a ho hum, mediocrity standard, she has propelled her library to new heights of marketing with tangible outcomes. Proudly the recipient of the 2016 Suffolk Library Marketing Award and the ELSA Excellence in Library Service Award, and her team the recipients of the 2023 American Library Association/ John Cotton Dana Award for an outstanding effective strategic communication campaign that showed results. Coming up on an 18+ year career at the library and 40 years as a community shaker and maker, she loves all things family, food, gathering, and design.
Michele Cayea is the Head of Community Engagement for the Patchogue Medford Public Library. She began her work there as a Teen librarian 13 years ago and has now found her niche in Public Relations as the social media and email marketing manager and community relations liaison for the school district and Patchogue-Medford Community. She considers herself to be someone who thinks outside the box and is very forward thinking. She became a librarian because she feels strongly about connecting people with resources and experiences; helping them develop the literacy and communication skills that are necessary to navigate today’s fast paced society. She believes in helping our community expand their thinking through library experiences, and to empower them to reach their academic, vocational, recreational and emotional potential.
Karen McCahey is Library Development Assistant for the Patchogue-Medford Library. A 30 plus year employee and lifelong resident, she is dedicated to connecting the library with the community through participation and partnership. She has been instrumental in taking the library out the front door establishing significant alliances with local businesses and non-profits, local organizations and community events. With an avid interest in local history, she believes in the educational value of linking today's community with its past. Using out of the box methods, she has developed unique library walking tours, bus tours, river ferry tours, historic pub and church tours, haunted trolley and cemetery tours.
Emily Spizzirri is a dynamic and energetic Community Engagement focused Librarian. She began her career as a Teen Librarian, but has always enjoyed working with other Library departments to expand her knowledge. She is currently the Sustainability Coordinator for our "green" Library and Public Services Pages Supervisor.
Code of Conduct
For questions, please email Taylor Peters, tpeters@lilrc.org
Program Recording: Yes
