For the Media: Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese!

Press Release (.pdf)

Based on the adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries has created a visual way to remind people of the variety and wealth of resources, services, programs, and activities their library offers -- benefits that continue to bring more and more people through the library’s front door each day.

Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese! A Day in Pictures is a new promotional project by the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries, a program of the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) Foundation. Using the web resource Flickr, the project will share the digital photos that libraries across Wisconsin take on one day during the week of Nov. 1-8. The Flickr group will go live to the public and the media on Nov. 18, 2009.

Wisconsin library statistics show that during a recent year …

Public library circulation for Wisconsin’s 388 public libraries and their 79 branches was 59.9 million items
7.6 million visitors used public Internet computers in Wisconsin’s public libraries
1.7 million people attended Wisconsin public library programs
444,000 children attended library summer reading programs
During a typical week in Fall 2006, the 64 Wisconsin academic libraries handled a total of 21,437 reference transactions (including computer searches)
Throughout that same week, the gate count for Wisconsin’s academic libraries reached 448,809 visitors
During a typical school week, the number of classes visiting their school library media center ranged from 80 – 100 classes. (This is an average determined from total class visits to all Wisconsin elementary, middle school, and high school media centers.)

Numbers and statistics can be very impressive –- to read that 7.6 million visitors used public Internet computers in Wisconsin’s public libraries during a single year or that in a typical week the 64 Wisconsin academic libraries handled a total of 21,437 reference transactions does tend to grab your attention.

But … numbers don’t give you the full picture. What you don’t see in that “7.6 million” is the senior citizen who can no longer afford to pay for Internet access in her home but now comes to the library so she can continue to feel part of her community in an environment in which she feels comfortable and safe. “7.6 million” doesn’t give you the picture of the unemployed auto worker who spends countless hours job hunting online at his local library, peppering his helpful and knowledgeable reference librarian with questions about resume writing and successful job interview strategies.

And … “21,437 reference transactions” doesn’t help you visualize the late-in-life student returning to finish his education after many years away from school who needs a bit of extra help maneuvering the unfamiliar databases that will enable him to gather information for his class assignment. Nor does the 80-100 class visits per week statistic let you see the amount of time, intellectual energy, curiosity, and commitment spent by librarians across the state as they help these patrons find the information and resources they need.

That’s what Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese! A Day in Pictures hopes to accomplish through the online sharing of photographs --- to capture more of the “full picture” of library usage along with the essence of what libraries are today. The goal is to strengthen libraries’ existing base of support by presenting a better understanding of the kinds of resources, services, and programs libraries offer today.

Here are some suggestions on how you can use Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese! A Day in Pictures to develop interesting and informative print and online material for your customers:

When contacted by your local library(ies) about their plans for participating in the photo sessions the week of Nov. 1-8, don’t hesitate to ask for all the information you need to make a noteworthy local news story in a format that is easy for you to use.
View the Flickr group, Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese, at its unveiling Nov. 18th.
Learn more about the economic impact of public libraries to Wisconsin residents.
Visit the Department of Public Instruction to learn more about the impact of school library media centers on student performance.
The latest Academic Library Report issued by the U.S. Dept. of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics summarizes services, staff, collections, and expenditures of academic libraries in postsecondary institutions in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Search “Wisconsin,” and find out more about the resources academic libraries offer to state residents.

The Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries, which sponsors this event, is an ongoing, statewide effort that provides a collective voice for Wisconsin libraries of all types, focusing on developing and disseminating effective messages about the importance of all Wisconsin libraries.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries or its fun new library promotion, Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese! A Day in Pictures, we would be delighted to hear from you. Contact the following individuals to learn more:

Lisa Strand
WLA/WLAF Executive Director
strand@scls.wi.lib.us
608-245-3640

Patricia (Pat) Eschmann
WLA Foundation Communications Coordinator
eschmann@scls.lib.wi.us
608-245-3645