WORCESTER—The Worcester Public Library recently garnered national recognition with an honorable mention in the 2024 “Library Journal” Marketer of the Year Award. The award, which highlights outstanding marketing efforts in the library sector, acknowledged Linnea Sheldon, WPL’s community relations and communications manager, for her leadership in creating the viral “March Meowness” campaign.
The campaign, which gained international attention, offered patrons the chance to have fees forgiven in exchange for a picture of a cat, helping reduce barriers to library access.
This innovative initiative made a significant impact in the Worcester community and beyond, clearing fees for 930 accounts and prompting the library to forgive fees for an additional 4,717 patrons. The initiative also led to a surge in library visits and card registrations, which jumped by more than 10 percent during the campaign. More than 10,000 cat photos were submitted from around the world, and the campaign was even featured on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.
Sheldon and the New Users Task Force, the team behind the campaign, were praised for addressing a key challenge facing WPL: fees preventing certain groups, including school-age children and unhoused patrons, from utilizing library services.
By introducing the fee-forgiveness exchange, the campaign helped make the library’s resources more accessible to these vulnerable populations.
Jason Homer, executive director of WPL, lauded Sheldon’s creativity and dedication, saying in a statement, “Linnea’s innovative approach to marketing has not only brought attention to the library but has also made our services more accessible to those who need them most.”
The “Marketer of the Year Award,” sponsored by Library Ideas, honors libraries that have significantly boosted community engagement through inventive marketing strategies. Sheldon’s work, which also includes rebranding efforts and effective communications during the COVID-19 pandemic, has positioned WPL among the top three libraries nationwide for marketing innovation.
Sheldon and her team, which includes Victoria Zayas, Alicia Rogers, Tara Jankowski, Cheryl Lindsay, Kate Pontes, and Allison Pavao, were honored with a Key to the City by Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty for their efforts.
This year’s top honor went to Wilmington Public Library in Delaware, while San Jose Public Library in California also received an honorable mention. For more information on the 2024 award winners, visit Library Journal’s website.
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