How did Read posters become the basis for national library promotion?
Peggy Barber, who was ALA associate executive director for Communications wrote about this. (article attached).
In the mid-1970s, then-ALA Executive Director Robert Wedgeworth decided to combine the membership promotion and public-relations staff positions. I joined the ALA staff in 1970 as director of the Office for Recruitment, then applied to head the new Public Information Office and got the job.
NLW moves to ALA
At about the same time, the leading publishing companies were becoming more business-minded, and promoting reading and libraries was no longer on their agenda. The National Book Committee folded, but not before asking Director Wedgeworth if ALA wanted to take on National Library Week. Without a second thought and with the ALA Executive Board firmly behind him, he agreed. All of a sudden we were in the poster business. ALA Graphics was in the delivery room.
Read series kicks off
The first Read poster was produced in 1980 and featured Mickey Mouse reading by a fire, with faithful Pluto lying next to him. Paul Brawley, then editor of ALA's Booklist magazine, secured permission to use Mickey's 50th birthday portrait for a magazine cover and helped us get permission for a poster.
Our PR pro Betty Steams suggested starting the Read series. I was hesitant, because many librarians had criticized the Book Committe's NLW materials as promoting books rather than libraries. But I agreed with her advice to make it strong, simple, and focused on benefits. What could be more strong, basic, and beneficial than "Read"?
In 1981 we sought out Miss Piggy. I wrote to Henson Associates and received a positive response from Creative Director Michael Frith, who had written children's books and was enthusiastic about a library Read poster. I bragged to anyone who'd listen that Miss Piggy was in the bag. Months went by and nothing happened. I was panicky and desperate, so we wired Miss Piggy a long-stem red rose saying we were waiting for her to become America's Library Spokespig. She responded "Mai Oui," and the poster was shot in New York City. New York Public Library provided books for the set, and the Henson folks created some wonderful new titles like The Days of Swine and Roses and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Frog.
I was really nervous that Miss Piggy's appearance on this poster as a librarian--glamorous, but complete with bun--would mean big trouble. I came into the boss's office wringing my hands and I whining. Wedgeworth looked up from his work, shook his head, and asked, "Isn't she a puppet?" He was right. There were very few complaints about Miss P's stereotypical librarian costume. The complaints we did receive came from children's librarians who feared her coquettish stance on a pile of books would inspire kids to do the same. There were also complaints from rare-book librarians who feared for the books themselves.
In the years that followed, Read posters featured Yoda, Annie, and Snoopy (in Spanish and English). We also launched the "Call Your Library " campaign, complete with posters by illustrator Tomie de Paola, and TV spots featuring actor Bob Newhart. For almost an entire season, Johnny Carson used reference questions supplied by librarians on the Tonight Show.
We also produced posters designed by award-winning graphic artists, such as John Massey. Remember the "Red/Read" poster, or the die-cut ones, such as the big gym shoe that said: "jog your mind...run to your library"? Most of these images were also distributed as print public-service ads and appeared in national magazines. I had this little superstition that when flipping through magazines in my dentist's office, if I didn't find a library ad, I'd need major repairs. Almost always, I was lucky enough to say: "No cavities!"
Then the question was how could we take the Read poster campaign beyond critters to real people? Writer-designer Bob Belinoff, who became one of our agency pros, helped us line up the stars.
PEGGY BARBER was ALA associate executive director for Communications.
Entire article attached.