The John Cotton Dana Award honors outstanding strategic communication for libraries: the art and craft of getting the right message to the right audience at the right time, and getting the right results. These awards are an outgrowth of the Library Publicity Honor Roll, 1939-42 given in behalf of the Wilson Library Bulletin and the A.L.A. Public Relations Committee.
About
Year Began: 1946
Additional information about John Cotton Dana, the competition, and H.W. Wilson are available on the award's website
Awarded for “Try Poetry” – a year of building community through the borderless conversation of poetry. The program developed a long partnership with the public...
Built a “library of the future” responding to a voter approved funding increase. A new customer service philosophy and branding increased population awareness and use...
Awarded for its hugely successful campaign surrounding its acquisition of the Grateful Dead archives. In addition to coverage in many national newspapers and magazines from...
Awarded for “Rebranding the Edmonton Public Library,” a masterful blending of the work of professional designers and library staff that let each do what they...
Awarded for “Find Yourself Here” rebranding campaign, a unique, informative and fun way to position the library as an information source and inviting destination. Beginning with...
With 89,000 local workers unemployed, the library system reacted by creating the “Look to Your Library…Especially Now” campaign, designing an extensive outreach program guiding residents...
A library advocacy campaign that motivated and mobilized staff from 240 New Jersey libraries to identify messages and cultivate customer stories. These stories were used...
A library- and community-sponsored Battle of the Bands competition. Rockus Maximus truly maximized social media (making great use of YouTube, MySpace, Vimeo and Vizio online polling)...
A low-cost effort using the tag line “What’s your excuse?” The library began a multifaceted overdue fine amnesty program to help library patrons cope with the...
A fundraiser which raised more than $1 million to construct their first branch library through 22 separate creative public relations campaigns. With only a staff...
for creating a unique campaign that promoted the library to school age children from kindergarten to grade seven. The highlight of the promotion was the...
for “Space: Dare to Dream,” a dynamic interactive exhibit that was also an innovative approach to marketing traditional summer reading programs. The program made exemplary...
for “One Book, One City: Tackling Poverty Through the Arts.” This multi-faceted “one book” campaign, featuring the book Looking for X by Deborah Ellis, championed...
Each entry must include:
Use a sturdy presentation book or binder (maximum: 13" wide x 19" high x 2" thick).
Please read and follow these rules carefully. Entry Structure Copyright and Publication Permissions Caution: Follow instructions carefully!
Entries that do not follow the guidelines may be disqualified. Decisions of the judges are final. All applicants will receive feedback on their entry, and have an opportunity to ask for a review of their entry by contacting the Chair of the JCD Committee to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of their applications. Send all materials in one sturdy package to:
