Media release

Sponsored by PressReader, the IFLA PressReader International Marketing Award is presented by the IFLA Section on Management and Marketing. The Award honours organizations that implement creative, results-oriented marketing projects or campaigns. The Award recognizes the best library marketing projects from 2023, aims to encourage marketing in libraries and provides an opportunity for libraries to share marketing experience and expertise globally.

We were thrilled to receive 107 outstanding and diverse submissions from around the world. The ten finalists were selected based on innovative contributions to marketing in the library field. This year, the winning libraries will receive funds towards the purchase of new technology for their library-related activities to improve the services they offer.

First place receives €3,000, second €2,000, and third €1,500. The Award also honours the top 10 submissions with certificates of recognition and a Premium PressReader account.

Award winners

The 2024 winners are:

  1. Auckland Council Libraries (New Zealand): 100 reasons to have a library card 🥇
  2. Seoul Metropolitan Library (Republic of Korea): Seoul Outdoor Library 🥈
  3. Nanjing University Libraries (China): The sounds of the library 🥉

We loved how the top campaign by Auckland Council Libraries embraced marketing with their “100 reasons to have a library card” campaign. The campaign was based on clear insight and defined audiences and objectives. Not only did this campaign deliver on its aims of recruiting new members with 61% of recent members joining directly as a result ofseeing the marketing campaign – it also did a brilliant job of bringing to life the full breadth of library activities, using the community as advocates and delivering this in a fun and eye-catching way.

Seoul Metropolitan Library, our 2nd place winner, expanded their reach by bringing their library outside on a large scale –addressing concerns about safety post-COVID and taking the library to those who don’t usually use it. The campaign generated widespread media coverage, substantially increased user numbers and provided a mandate for longer-term funding for the library. The Jury also felt that the initiative provided great inspiration for libraries of all sizes.

In 3rd place, Nanjing University Libraries impressed the judges with a fun campaign designed to address behaviour concerns from students in the library. Campaign assets included the filming of a song, which brought a warmth and energy to bring users together and resulted in a significant drop in the number of complaints post-campaign. It showed how both marketing tactics and creativity can be used at a relatively low cost to tackle many different challenges libraries face.

“We are immensely grateful for the outstanding submissions we received this year. The dedication to our profession and innovation showcased by all entrants was truly inspiring. The decision was challenging as the scores were remarkably close across the board. Congratulations to our deserving winners; your achievements are a testament to excellence in library marketing,” says Nick Boxem, Management and Marketing Section Chair and IFLA PressReader International Marketing Award Jury Chair.

“Amidst the challenges of misinformation and AI-generated content, libraries have become even more essential for providing reliable information and fostering community engagement. The IFLA PressReader International Marketing Award highlights how creative library marketing can increase membership and build stronger community ties. This year’s winners, for example, have excelled in engaging their communities and expanding their reach through their innovative campaigns. Their efforts showcase the evolving and vital role of libraries today. PressReader is proud to support these initiatives, reinforcing our commitment to empowering libraries worldwide. Congratulations to all the winners for exemplifying the enduring impact of libraries in our society,” says James Fairbotham, Senior Global Sales Manager, Libraries & Institutions at PressReader.

Along with the top three winners, the next seven organizations and their campaigns (in alphabetical order) are recognized for their strategic, innovative, and successful approaches to library marketing:

  • Guangzhou Children’s Library (China): Library Cube
  • Jiaxing City Library (China): Initiating Popular Science Reading with Metaverse
  • Knjižnica Mirana Jarca Novo mesto (Slovenia): Family library card: Bridging the Youth Literacy Gap
  • Ruian Library (China): Xiao Cao’s Channel
  • Sistema Nacional de Bibliotecas Públicas / Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural / Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio (Chile): Digital Public Library lending points
  • Stellenbosch University (South Africa): Promoting the Library via TikTok
  • Toronto Public Library (Canada): What’s at Stake?

The Award Jury also recognized five special mentions. Although these campaigns did not place in the top 10, the Jury was very impressed and chose to highlight the following as examples of great library marketing:

  • S. Pushkin East Kazakhstan Regional Library (Republic of Kazakhstan): Preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of East Kazakhstan
  • Beihai Library (China): Railway Reading Post
  • Delft Public Library (South Africa): Delft Library Digital Cloud
  • Shanghai Library (China): RPR: Immersed in Classics Literature
  • Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Australia): Deadly Collection

Look forward to the online awards ceremony in August 2024 with many of the winners, finalists and honourable mentions presenting their exemplary campaign to the world, all hosted by IFLA president Vicki McDonald.

Members of the Award Jury are drawn from the membership of the IFLA Standing Committee on Management & Marketing. The Jury consists of library management and marketing experts Nick Boxem (Netherlands), Harriet Darcel (United Kingdom), Carmen Eastman (Australia), Fan Ji (China), Roxana Huaman Huriarte (Peru), Elena Stöhr (Germany) and Romeo Muvhulawa Matumba (South Africa). All Jury members had equal say and voice in the deliberations.

Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, IFLA (The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) is the global voice of libraries, representing the interests of the profession and working to improve services worldwide. With a member base from around 150 countries in all regions, IFLA’s mission is to inspire, engage, enable and connect the global library field.

Media Inquiries
Romeo Muvhulawa Matumba MuvhulawaM@dut.ac.za

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Press release [PDF]