12/10/2025
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Eastern

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Communication and Community Engagement, Marketing

Storytelling and empathetic communication are powerful, often underestimated tools in marketing and outreach. Centering empathy for your patrons' needs and experiences in your communication strategies will enhance the efficacy of your reach and will help you better understand who you’re serving. Applying storytelling best practices alongside empathy-centered communication will ensure you’re drawing in your audience meaningfully and sustaining their engagement, and your patrons will better understand how your library can meet their needs. You’ll leave this session with clear communication strategies and tools that simultaneously support your community and your services.
 
Learning objectives:

• Identify your unique audiences.
• Understand how to better communicate how your library can meet your audience’s needs.
• Gain confidence in interviewing and storytelling.

Presenter:  

Deborah Hakes leads marketing and communications for Georgia Public Library Service, which was named Library Journal's 2020 Marketer of the Year. She is a communications leader with expertise in storytelling and building brands for nonprofits, public health, and libraries. Hakes has served on the board for the Library Marketing and Communications Group since 2021, including currently as vice president. 
 
She has a passion for amplifying the voices of those who do good and telling stories that drive people to take action and has spent her career at state, national, and globally-focused nonprofit organizations. She began her career at The Carter Center in former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s communications office, telling stories and raising awareness of international programming. At Welcoming America, she built the communications department from the ground up for a growing, new nonprofit. Currently at Georgia Public Library Service, she works to broaden awareness of the value of public libraries to build engagement and support, and she provides counsel to libraries to build their own communications expertise. 
 

Setting: Live Virtual
Online via Zoom
UNITED STATES

Melissa Lattanzi

Who should attend:  Anyone wanting to know more about the power of storytelling and empathy
Competencies:Communication, Community Engagement and Marketing

Non-Member Cost:      $40
NEO-RLS Bronze Member Cost:  $24
NEO-RLS Silver Member Cost:   FREE
NEO-RLS Gold Member Cost:    FREE
NEO-RLS Individual Member Cost:  $20

Can't attend on the date or time listed? Sign up anyway!  This webinar includes archive access for later viewing at your convenience.
 
It’s never too late to save your library money. NEO-RLS Memberships are pro-rated! Call us today to join.

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12/10/2025

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