Adventures of a Solo Marketing Librarian

Authors

• Samantha Paul, Valdosta State UniversityFollow

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

Solo marketing librarians face compounding resource constraints, often managing outreach, social media, and collection visibility with limited budgets and minimal staff support. This article presents three low-cost, creative approaches developed at a single academic library: a magnetic fishing rod tabling activity using pinback buttons that increases visitor engagement at orientation and open house events; a DIY camera stand assembled from repurposed equipment that reduces reliance on colleague assistance for social media content production; and a series of shelf visibility experiments using mirror tiles and motion-sensor lighting to draw foot traffic to a popular books collection. Each approach emphasizes the value of iterative, low-stakes experimentation and repurposing existing materials over acquiring specialized equipment or high-cost promotional items. (abstract by editor)