Back in 2018, I sat in front of 400-ish library professionals at the Library Marketing and Communications Conference, and tried out an idea that had been rattling around in my head. What if libraries looked at how they engage with customers using the framework of a marketing funnel?
At the time, my goal was simple: to give library professionals a way of describing how people discover, engage with, and become loyal users of their library’s services; while also identifying holes in that funnel that stop customers from engaging. At the time, I summed up my observations in a blog post.
That talk and post sparked more conversations, and by 2019, I wanted to find another way to explain the concept. So I found myself sketching out the funnel in a video.
A year later, I wove it into my book Library Marketing and Communications: Strategies to Increase Relevance and Results. Then in 2021, I broke it down further in a Marketing Library Services article, showing how each stage applies uniquely to our field.
Of course, once you start thinking about funnels, you can’t help but notice the holes and obstructions. Over the past few years, I’ve continued to help libraries focus on problems with the funnel—the unnecessary steps, outdated rules, or confusing processes that keep people from moving smoothly through. Earlier this year, I listened an episode of the Freakonomics podcast series on a concept called “sludge,” referring to the frictions, barriers, or burdens that prevent people from acting in their own best interest. This dovetailed perfectly with the funnel concept, and I elaborated on the concept and libraries in this blog post.
So here we are, seven years after that LMCC conference. Has the conversation about library access and marketing changed? I believe it has. And while I certainly won’t take all the credit, I do think the funnel metaphor has nudged things along. But even more, three big forces have accelerated this shift:
- The pandemic. It exposed gaps in access and forced us to take digital experiences seriously, not as “extras” but as core services.
- Equity and inclusion. We’ve deepened our understanding of access—not just in terms of fines or policies, but in the way we design systems, spaces, and communications to truly welcome everyone.
- Cultural acceptance of marketing. More leaders now recognize that marketing isn’t manipulation—it’s simply connecting people with resources that can improve their lives.
Looking back, I see how far we’ve come since that first “salad spinner” joke. But I also see how much work is left to do. The funnel is still useful, but only if we keep evolving it—removing sludge, keeping equity at the center, and remembering that the end goal isn’t just “conversion.” It’s creating lasting relationships between people and their library.
I’d love to hear from you: how has your library’s approach to marketing and access shifted in the past seven years? And do you still see holes in the funnel, or sludge getting in the way?
Cordelia Anderson Consulting 