Summer is almost over and we are excited because that means Library Card Sign-Up Month is just around the corner! 

This is the library’s 5th year to celebrate the national holiday and we want to do things bigger and better! This is the campaign that received a prestigious national recognition, the John Cotton Dana Award, that is only awarded to eight libraries in the country every year. Last year was our biggest LCSUM campaign yet with over 70 businesses partnering to provide discounts to their customers who showed their library card. Our patrons, staff and other libraries look forward to hearing how much this campaign grows every year and we have you to thank for that!

This year, we look forward to having more businesses participate for FREE by offering a discount (whatever discount you like) to customers who show their library card during the month of September.  We hope to have over 75 participants and would like to add how patrons can support and shop your business online so you are getting as much business as possible. Participants receive the following benefits:

• 2 social media shout-outs in September on library social media pages and on cover photos (our Facebook posts reach an average of 15,000 people weekly)
• Featured in library digital and print magazine
• Logo on banners in library lobbies in September
• Logo on bookmarks handed out all over Saline County and to all patrons that pick up materials at the library

We know some businesses do not have the ability to offer a discount because of the type of business they are in. So we are opening up the campaign to include 20 sponsors. These sponsors commit to a one time donation of $100 to the library and in return not only will you get the above mentioned advertising but you will also get your logo on any billboards we purchase for the campaign and have the opportunity to be a guest on one of our two Table Talk Facebook Live programs in September. You can also be a participant and a sponsor to take full advantage of this promotion!

Last year our Mystery in the Library kick-off event was a huge success! We are still hoping to have a kick-off event but it will be virtual and we are trying to see how we can make that happen and involve our patrons or at least air it on Facebook live so you guys have a chance to show your personal side to the community and help you establish somewhat of a relationship with our patrons. Still working on the kinks for that but you have any suggestions, we are all ears!

We will print materials in mid August so we need to know who is participating by August 14. We want to announce our sponsors on August 1. If you know of another business you would like to see on our discount list, let us know!