Co-Chairs:

• June Dickenson, Brampton Library
• Shelley McKay, Hamilton Public Library

Committee:

• Brian Francis, Toronto Public Library
• Annesha Hutchinson, Richmond Hill Public Library (on leave)
• Mary Kapusta, Calgary Public Library
• Robert Simeon, Mississauga Library
• Laurel Taylor, Halifax Public Library
• Liz Zylstra, Prince Edward County Library

OLA Staff Liaisons:

• Gina Freitag, Ontario Library Association
• Emily Burns, Ontario Library Association

2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023

Last Update: August 2024

Mandate:

The Marketing Think Tank Committee is committed to:

1. Nurturing excellence in library marketing for Ontario Library Association members and other libraries across Canada.
2. Creating engaging and valuable marketing education and connection opportunities.

Objectives:

The OLA Marketing Think Tank Committee will:

• provide specialized expertise on Think Tank programming/events;
• identify marketing issues and resources applicable to the audience;
• identify opportunities for networking among the library marketing community;
• participate in logistics for Marketing Think Tank event(s); 
• communicate and promote Think Tank event(s) to their professional networks;
• work with OLA staff liaison(s) to book speakers and ensure expenses are within the allocated budget;
• debrief following events to discuss achievements and learnings.

Deliverables:

The goals of the OLA Marketing Think Tank Committee are to:

• plan an annual virtual learning event for library professionals involved in marketing and communications; 
• market Think Tank program(s) and encourage Super Conference proposal submissions through professional networks; 
• provide consultation as needed on Super Conference proposal selection as it relates to marketing- and communications-focused content;
• fundraise through the procurement of event sponsors relevant to the industry.

Composition:

Membership should consist of 8 – 10 members including a Chair or two co-Chairs, and shall represent the diversity of the following sectors:  

• Academic, ideally representing college and university;
• Public, ideally representing diverse needs: rural/urban, large/medium/small;
• OLA staff representation (1 – 2 liaisons);
• Current student (optional)

Qualifications:

• Currently working in a library marketing and/or communications capacity or role
• An interest in sharing expertise on topics such as (but not limited to):
  • issues and crisis management;
  • analytics and reporting;
  • public consultation;
  • development of communication strategies;
  • brand development;
  • digital marketing (ex. social media, SEO, online engagement, etc.).
• OLA members who have an interest in a leadership role in library marketing and communications

Resources and Budget:

Resources required for this committee include:

• OLA staff support for:
  • videoconference arrangements;
  • completion of meeting minutes, as needed; 
  • maintaining a public Marketing Think Tank web page on the OLA website;
  • posting/archiving of materials on OLA website
  • maintaining the committee distribution email list
• Funds for expenses related to event programming (i.e. speaker honoraria)

Timelines

The committee’s active period typically runs from June – December and consists of virtual monthly meetings, one hour each in duration, in preparation for Think Tank programming (i.e. developing event format, conducting speaker outreach, performing session/speaker introductions, etc.), in addition to attending the Think Tank event(s), 

Documents & Communications

A rolling Meeting Agenda should be available to all members. Meeting minutes should be noted in the agenda by OLA staff or a designated committee member during each meeting. These items will be distributed to committee members through email prior to the monthly meeting and also archived in the Marketing Think Tank folder in the OLA GDrive. Communication between meetings is conducted through email.

Type of Committee:

     ✓ Standing Committee (responsible for a specific program or function)

      Task Forces (time-limited tasks on a specific topic)

      Action Groups (development of a limited program or activity)

Term of Appointment: 

The term for OLA Marketing Think Tank Committee members runs for a minimum period of 2 years with overlap to ensure knowledge transfer and consistency. Committee members are recruited from the OLA membership at large, as required. 

A Chair or co-Chairs will be appointed by the Committee for a minimum term of 2 years to ensure knowledge transfer and consistency. The Chair / co-Chairs are responsible for:

• facilitating meetings and reviewing the agenda;
• reinforcing programming deadlines;
• liaising with OLA staff;
• welcoming new committee members;
• providing the Welcome and Closing addresses at Think Tank events as needed (optional)