The other day, I was showing my daughter something on Instagram. As I held out my phone, she exclaimed, “Do you follow anyone besides libraries?!”
I do — but not many. In my role at NoveList, I spend every day helping libraries reach their communities using LibraryAware’s tools and templates. But tools are just the beginning.
The most effective marketing doesn’t come from automation or algorithms. It comes from you: Your voice, your creativity, your understanding of your community. That’s what makes it authentic and powerful.
Libraries like yours are driving circulation, boosting visits, and sharing the joy of reading by combining our templates with their unique voice. And part of the reason I follow so many libraries on social media is to find examples of this in action.
Today, I’m excited to share 15 of the best library promotions of 2025 created in LibraryAware — showcasing how libraries connect with their communities in meaningful, personal ways.
15 Best Library Promotions of 2025
Best summer reading email
This email, with its bold, colorful design, its clear call to action, and a countdown timer, was the perfect excitement-building strategy for Manhattan-Elwood Public Library leading up to Summer Reading. It made me want to sign up, and I live hundreds of miles away!
Best winter reading announcement
The lucky readers in the Attleboro Public Library community are already on their way to earning prizes! The library uses LibraryAware’s new Winter Reading mice templates to create this announcement and engage readers even though... get this... the entire building is closed! What a smart way to stay connected to readers during renovations. And LibraryAware templates made it easier!
Best Reading Challenge landing page
This page on the Cote Saint-Luc Public Library website contained everything readers needed to take part in the NoveList reading challenge, with a clean layout achieved using LibraryAware templates (and in case you missed it, we’ve just announced the 2026 Reading Challenge). A new set of templates for the new year is in LibraryAware, so start building your landing page now!
Best annual report
Using a two-sided poster template, Whiting Library created this attractive annual report that highlights its work and value. This piece is easy to share with the community, donors, and lawmakers.
Best event guide
This team at Kern County Library took a LibraryAware template and customized it with their own branding to create an attractive and informative event guide that parents can keep on hand and refer to throughout a month of fantastic programming.
Best newsletter with a customized header
The library staff at Elkhart Public Library created this eye-catching, branded header that attaches to every issue of their NextReads newsletters. It’s a visual reminder that the books in the newsletter are available at the library, and the folks at Elkhart Public Library only had to attach the header once... after that, it’s part of every issue, which is automatically created and sent by LibraryAware.
Best onboarding email
You never want to overwhelm new patrons with all the library has to offer. But still, you want them to know what’s available! Delafield Public Library walks that delicate line with this friendly, focused email that introduces three core areas of library service. A+!
Best targeted email
The Henderson County Public Library sends this email to teachers periodically throughout the school year. I bet the teachers who receive it view it as a lifeline, with events they can share with students and parents, and resources that make their day in class a little easier.
Best event email
A simple reminder email for an upcoming author event at Libraries Horowhenua, complete with a countdown timer (yes, I have a thing for countdowns!), is an effective way to promote big events, as Libraries Horowhenua knows. And with a click-to-open rate of more than five percent, this library has the data to prove its effectiveness.
Best event flyer
I just love this fun flyer from the Hastings Highland Public Library, don’t you? Its bright colors, layout, and clean text make it enticing and say to the viewer, “Hey, the library is fun! You should come here!”
Best book display sign
I love a good book display, and this one, put together by Chesterfield Public Library, follows all the best practices outlined in the Learn with NoveList course, Smart Merchandising: Book covers faced out, evenly spaced, complete with a coordinated, themed display sign. Perfection!
Best book carousels
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve gone to a library website to look for something specific, only to be sidetracked by book carousels. They let you browse and place holds anytime, anywhere. Caroline County Public Library put their carousels front and center on their website, and they’re easy to create because they come from their LibraryAware newsletters. They simply place the code on their site and bingo... they’ve captured the attention of readers visiting their website. So smart.
Best customization of a template
With a few tweaks, the staff at the Port Stanley branch of the Elgin County Library turned a bingo card template into their own branded masterpiece. I’m sad I missed out on this contest! I love how they slipped in a call to action to subscribe to their newsletter into one of the squares. Genius!
Best infographic
At the end of the summer, the Central Mississippi Regional Library System compiled all its stats into this colorful and fun template. All they had to do was add the numbers (well, after they did the math), and presto, they were ready to share the results of a successful summer with the community.
Best trend-setter
We know readers love trends, especially books that are getting a lot of buzz. Great River Regional Library takes advantage of that trend and uses pre-made Books with Buzz templates to engage readers on social media. NoveList librarians scour the media for the books, and our designers do the rest. All this library has to do is hit “post.”
When libraries share their voice, they do more than promote services. They build relationships and strengthen communities. I can’t wait to open my inbox or my social media feed to see what libraries are creating next!
Angela Hursh is the Manager of Library Marketing Content and Services for NoveList. She is reading Heartwood by Amity Gaige.
