When Michelle Newcomb, Communications and Development Coordinator for the Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District in Illinois, took on the responsibility of emailing patrons of the library, she wanted to create messages that were targeted and enticing, because she knew that was the key to effective email marketing. She focuses on delivering the right information to the right community member at the right time.

“Maybe I don't meet as many people every time I send an email, but I'm meeting the right people who really want that information and really want to engage with it,” states Michelle. “That has made a great impact.”

Michelle, whose library serves a population of about 15,000 people, sends emails to about 1,500 addresses each month. She keeps an eye on her open and click-to-open (CTOR) rates, as well as her bounce and unsubscribe metrics. Those numbers help her measure the effectiveness of her email strategy. When she sees something is working, she does more of it! And when she notices an email is not resonating with her community, the metrics let her know that she needs to adjust.

Last year, when we released the first-ever email metrics benchmark report, I was surprised (and yet, not surprised!) by the reaction from the library community. Staff were thrilled to finally have a concrete set of benchmarks, which is crucial to understanding how well their emails perform in key areas. Email metrics can help you see what is working and identify opportunities for improvement.   

Since these email benchmarks proved so helpful for libraries, we have updated the report again this year by crunching the numbers.  We analyzed data from over 250,000 emails sent to millions of subscribers by LibraryAware customers to create this report. 

Promotional graphic for the "Library Email Marketing Benchmarks Annual Report 2025" by LibraryAware. It features an orange envelope with a white sheet of paper inside, a pencil with an orange body and green eraser, and a paper airplane with a dotted flight path in the background. The title text is in white and green at the top, and the LibraryAware logo is in the bottom right corner.

Download the 2025 LibraryAware Email Marketing Benchmarks report.

How to use these new email benchmarks

Use this benchmark report to compare the effectiveness of your library’s emails and identify areas for improvement. You can also use this data to build a smarter, more strategic email marketing plan. Here’s how: 

Tips for improving open rates

  • Be consistent with your sender identity. Use the same “From” name and email address so subscribers recognize you in their inbox. If you’re comfortable, use the name of someone who works in your library, preferably someone who works at the desk or in a visible department, like "Jane from Children's Services." This drives home the human element of your library and makes people who come into the library more comfortable because… they already know who you are!
  • Your subject line is your first and best chance to get attention in the inbox. Use urgency (“Last chance to register!”) or curiosity (“You won’t believe what’s happening at the library”) to entice your subscribers to open your emails.
  • Segment your audience. Send targeted emails based on interests, age groups, or past engagement to increase relevance and open rates. Brookfield Public Library uses this great newsletter opt-in page to segment their audience by interests.

Tips for growing your subscriber list

  • Make subscribing easy and visible. Add sign-up forms to your website, event pages, and social media. Ask people to sign up when they get a library card, at programs, and at outreach events.
  • Offer incentives. Consider giveaways, free copies at the copy machine, or early access to big programs or events for your subscribers.

Tips for keeping unsubscribe rates low

  • Deliver value every time. Make sure each email has something useful, interesting, or delightful for your readers. For example, the Public Library of Albuquerque Bernalillo County sends this email letting readers know what books will soon be added to the collection, creating excitement and the immediate ability to place a new book on hold.
  • Monitor engagement trends. If your open rates drop or your unsubscribes spike, adjust your frequency or content strategy. Here’s more about the perfect timing for library emails.
  • Respect inbox fatigue. Quality over quantity builds trust and loyalty between your library and your subscribers. 

Bonus tip: Use benchmarks to tell your story

  • Share your improved metrics with stakeholders to demonstrate the impact of your communication efforts.
  • Use data to advocate for more resources, staff time, or training.
  • Celebrate wins, like a higher open rate or growing subscriber list, with your team and your community.

Download the LibraryAware 2025 Email Benchmarks Report

Discover key email marketing benchmarks for libraries in 2025, including open rates, growth rates, bounce rates, and unsubscribe rates, plus expert tips to improve performance.
Get the report

Angela Hursh is Manager of Library Marketing Content and Services for NoveList. She is reading Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. 

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Email & newsletters LibraryAware Library marketing