Marketing has always been one of the hardest parts of library work.
Creating great programs?
That’s the fun part.
Building welcoming spaces?
Absolutely.
Developing collections?
Love it.
The difficult part is making sure people actually know those things exist.
Libraries spend countless hours creating incredible services, but if our communities never hear about them, they never have the opportunity to benefit.
That’s where newsletters become incredibly powerful.
A newsletter isn’t just another place to post your calendar. It’s one of the few tools that allows you to consistently tell your library’s story—month after month—showing your community that the library is active, welcoming, evolving, and full of opportunities they might not realize are available.
(Read: More Than Programs: What Makes a Library Worth Coming Back To)
A Tool to Help!
If you’ve ever felt like your newsletter turns into a rushed list of programs at the last minute, I created something for you.
The Library Newsletter Planning Workbook is designed to help you move beyond “what’s happening this month” and into intentional storytelling.
Instead of starting with a calendar, it guides you through:
- Defining your newsletter’s purpose
- Identifying your audience
- Choosing themes and focus areas
- Planning stories, not just events
- Highlighting services, collections, people, and partnerships
- Building a repeatable structure that actually saves you time
- And making sure your newsletter gets seen, not just sent
It’s built to help you stop reinventing the wheel every month and start creating newsletters that feel cohesive, purposeful, and community-centered. It contains hundreds of meaningful content ideas – including editable Canva templates!
👉 Grab the Library Newsletter Planning Workbook HERE
Start With Purpose, Not the Calendar
Before you ever open Canva or choose colors, ask yourself one question:
Why does this newsletter exist?
Every successful newsletter I reviewed had a clear purpose beyond simply listing events.
When I reached out to librarians around the country for this article, I noticed something interesting. None of them described their newsletter as “our monthly calendar.”
Instead, each librarian described a larger goal.
Crissi Brandhuber, School Librarian at Eastside Elementary School, explained that her newsletter exists to:
“shine a spotlight on the amazing things happening in the library, keep staff and families informed, and demonstrate how the library supports student success.”
View Crissi’s newsletter HERE
Colleen O’Connor-Fusselman, Library Technician at Grant Library on Fort Carson, started her newsletter because she realized patrons were relying on inaccurate information from outside sources. Her goal became ensuring her community had one reliable place to learn about library services and events.
View Colleen’s newsletter HERE
Prairie Hanson at Vermillion Public Library took an entirely different approach. Instead of creating a newsletter for everyone, she created one specifically for teens. Her goal wasn’t simply sharing announcements—it was increasing teen engagement by creating something teens would actually enjoy reading.
View Prairie’s newsletter HERE
I love that.
Because your audience should shape your newsletter—not the other way around.
Think Like a Magazine, Not a Flyer
One mistake I see fairly often is trying to fit absolutely everything into every issue.
Instead, think about your newsletter like a magazine.
Readers come back because they know what they’ll find. The specific content changes, but the overall structure stays familiar.
Several librarians I interviewed said consistency was the biggest reason their newsletters actually worked long-term. Rather than redesigning from scratch, they reuse a structure and simply update the content.
When readers know where to find information, they’re much more likely to keep reading.
Tell Stories, Don’t Just Share Dates
Programs absolutely belong in your newsletter—but don’t stop at the date and time.
Instead, tell people why it matters.
What will they experience?
What happened last time?
Who was there?
What made it memorable?
One of my favorite reminders came from Crissi Brandhuber:
“Tell your library’s story. If you don’t share the amazing things happening in your library, no one else will.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Include Things People Look Forward To
Every issue should contain something readers expect.
This is something several librarians have figured out beautifully.
Prairie Hanson intentionally includes fun elements like polls, jokes, recommendations, and interactive features because teens actually look forward to them.
Jennifir Huston from Boyden Library invites teen volunteers to contribute articles and book reviews, giving young people ownership of the newsletter while naturally encouraging their friends and families to read it.
That doesn’t mean every newsletter needs jokes.
But every newsletter should have recurring features people anticipate.
Readers return because they enjoy reading—not just because they need information.
Design for Consistency
You do not need to reinvent your newsletter every month.
In fact, I recommend you don’t.
Templates save time, reduce stress, and create consistency that your readers begin to recognize.
Most librarians I spoke with use tools like Canva, LibraryAware, or Constant Contact to build reusable layouts they simply update each month.
As someone who also leans heavily on Canva for design, I’ve included editable newsletter templates inside the workbook to help you get started quickly.
👉 Download included inside the Library Newsletter Planning Workbook!
Build a Newsletter People Can Scan
Most people don’t read newsletters top to bottom—they scan.
Use:
- Clear headings
- White space
- Photos
- Short paragraphs
- Recurring sections
- Callout boxes
The easier your newsletter is to skim, the more likely it is to actually be read.
Don’t Forget to Market Your Marketing
Creating a newsletter is only half the job.
People have to know it exists.
Libraries I spoke with shared newsletters through email, social media, printed copies at desks, welcome packets, outreach visits, and even QR codes around the building.
A newsletter should never live in only one place.
(Read: Library Social Media & Marketing Without a Marketing Team: What Actually Works)
My Favorite Advice
When I asked librarians what advice they’d give someone starting out, their answers were simple but powerful:
“Don’t chase perfection—chase consistency.”
“Let it evolve.”
After reviewing dozens of newsletters, one thing is clear:
There is no perfect format, but there is a shared outcome.
The best newsletters don’t just announce what’s happening. They remind people why the library matters. Every newsletter is another opportunity to invite someone through your doors.
And once they’re inside…
That’s when the magic happens.
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*This blog is intentionally ad-free. I want it to be a clean, distraction-free space. Here, public librarians can find practical ideas for youth services, outreach, and programming. There will be no pop-ups or sponsored clutter.
Some posts may include affiliate links for books or supplies I genuinely use and recommend. If you choose to purchase through those links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. It’s a simple way to support the work while getting materials for your own programs.
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