Contact Information
Kathleen L. Dempsey
Medford, New Jersey, USA
[email protected]
Work Experience
Small Business Owner
Libraries Are Essential consulting company, established 2005 –
Started my own consultancy that offers “advice and consulting on library marketing, promotion, and public relations.” In this capacity, I give presentations, conduct workshops, write articles, create marketing plans, and advise clients.
- Online course, “Library Marketing Made Easy,” available via Novare Library Services and Niche Academy, 2024.
- Part of a team that won a 2010 John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award. I consulted for a campaign that was headed by Nancy Dowd. The New Jersey State Library won for this “Tell Us Your Story” campaign.
- Completed a marketing plan (including conducting market research and focus groups) for the 20-branch Ocean County (NJ) Library System (2007), working with consulting partner Dr. Christie Koontz (Florida State Univ.).
- Completed a 3-year marketing plan (including market research) for the New York State Library (2005), working with consulting partner Dr. Christie Koontz (Florida State Univ.).
- Various speeches and conference presentations, see separate lists for Selected Talks & Selected Writings.
Work History
Library Strategies, St. Paul, MN, Dec. 2021 –
- Works with Library Strategies’ clients to gather data, do site visits, moderate focus groups and SOAR listening sessions, draft Strategic Plans, and work through the Library Board approval process.
Koios, New York City, Feb. 2019 – Aug. 2021
- Marketing Consultant for Koios, a vendor that manages Google Ad Grants for libraries.
Information Today, Inc., Medford NJ, May 1994 –
December 2024
- Marketing Library Services transitioned from an independent publication to being a section in Computers in Libraries magazine. Now serving as curator of the MLS section of CIL.
December 2007
- Resigned as Editor in Chief of Computers in Libraries magazine.
- Continuing as Editor of Marketing Library Services newsletter.
Summer 2003
- Promoted to Editor in Chief of Computers in Libraries magazine.
- Continuing as Editor of Marketing Library Services newsletter. Became an ex-officio member of the Public Relations section of the Library Administration & Management Association (LAMA) so I could work on the Swap & Shop event that takes place at ALA’s Annual Conference.
January 2000
- Promoted to Editor of Computers in Libraries.
- Continued to attend trade shows; became part of the program committee and also moderated tracks for ITI’s annual Computers in Libraries conference.
- I continued full responsibility for MLS, attending more marketing sessions, joining the Library Public Relations Council, and accepting more speaking opportunities.
- Continued to edit and grow Marketing Library Services; hired its first columnist.
June 1995
- Promoted to Managing Editor of Computers in Libraries.
March 1995
- When ITI bought Computers in Libraries magazine, I stopped editing books and switched over to Associate Editor of CIL.
- I kept full responsibility for MLS.
May 1994
Hired for two editing jobs: books and Marketing Library Services newsletter.
- Work on the academic/info tech books included full copy editing and communicating with the authors.
- For MLS, I took full responsibility: Choosing and assigning articles (or writing them myself), editing each piece, planning the layout, working with a graphic artist, checking bluelines, paying authors, and writing subscriber letters.
Learned Information Europe, Ltd. / VNU Business Publications, London
July 1997 – December 2003
- Freelance writer and U.S. Correspondent for Information World Review, a U.K.-based information industry newspaper.
Handley Public Library, Winchester, VA, April 1993 – March 1994
June 1993 – March 1994
- As Circulation Clerk (part-time) I worked at the front desk, did light Reference work, and closed the library some nights.
April 1993 – June 1993
- I was Technical Services Assistant (part-time) on a database conversion project, working with records in Data Trek, Dynix, and SuperCat databases and reconciling which records matched the library’s actual holdings.
Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA, September 1992 – March 1994
June 1993 – March 1994
- As a Library Assistant, Serials Clerk (part-time) I maintained subscriptions in conjunction with EBSCO, supervised work-study students, opened the library each morning, and performed some Reference and Public Services duties.
September 1992 – May 1993
- As Information Coordinator, Shenandoah Valley Union List of Serials, I organized a union list database project involving 33 area libraries, including training, inputting, problem-solving, and supervising two other project employees. Also performed some Reference and Public Services duties.
North American Publishing Co., Philadelphia, Sept. 1989 – August 1992
August 1990 – August 1992
- Associate Editor, Publishing & Production Executive magazine
September 1989 – August 1990
- Assistant Editor, Publishing & Production Executive magazine
The Cable Guide magazine, Horsham, PA August 1988 – September 1989
- Editorial Assistant, The Cable Guide television schedule directory
Temple University Library, Ambler, PA, May 1986 – August 1988
March 1988 – August 1988
- As Bibliographic Assistant, I processed incoming serials and reference materials, administered the PC Loaner Program, performed Reference and Public Services duties, and supervised and closed the library on nights and weekends.
May 1986 – March 1988
- As Clerical Assistant for Access Services, I was in charge of the Media Center, the PC Loaner Program, and receiving and processing all Reserve materials. Also matched shelflist records to OCLC database to set up the library’s online catalog.
Education and Continuing Education
- Temple University, Philadelphia
B.A. in Journalism; Minor in English, 1986 - Certified Digital Marketing Professional: Passed DMP v 8.0 test on Jan. 11, 2021 to achieve certification. Online course administered by the Digital Marketing Institute and the American Marketing Association. Aug. 2020 – Jan. 2021
- edX, University of TorontoX: MOOC, LA101x: Library Advocacy Unshushed. Earned Honor Code Certificate, April 2015
- Strategic Marketing for Academic and Research Libraries, full-day train-the-trainer session, at the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) National Conference, Charlotte, NC, April 2003
- SLA Continuing Education Course: Developing a Marketing Strategy, 1996