Arlington, VA; New York, NY; Toronto, ON: Koios, the company that helps libraries show up first in Google results, made its first appearance at the Marketing Libraries Think Tank 2019 event to share knowledge about search engine marketing (SEM) and to propose a new national roundtable for library marketers.

Ontario Library Association's Marketing Think Tank took place in Toronto on Aug. 15 (http://bit.ly/OLA-ThinkTank19). Forward-thinking library staff gather annually at this event. Koios was a Think Tank sponsor, and its new National Sales Manager for Canada, Beatrice Pitocco, presented a session on SEM, detailing how nonprofit libraries can place free digital ads online via the Google Ad Grants. In addition, she proposed starting a national roundtable to enable Canadian librarians to share ideas and best practices in online marketing.

"The idea of working together to amplify library voices is at the center of this discussion," explains Pitocco. "We're bringing Canadian libraries together to create a moderated community on LinkedIn where library leaders and marketing professionals can openly discuss marketing strategies including search engine marketing, social media marketing, and vendor-backed marketing programs."

Already, Koios' Pitocco has begun working on the project with leaders from three prominent Ontario libraries: Shelley McKay of Hamilton Public Library (hpl.ca), Sandra Sydor of Barrie Public Library (barrielibrary.ca), and June Dickenson of Brampton Library (bramptonlibrary.ca) have agreed to serve as the founding members of the new roundtable.

"So many libraries contribute to the growth and success of the citizens in their communities," says Shelley McKay, Communications Manager, Hamilton Public Library. "We're excited to work with Koios and other libraries across the country to share what works best so that all Canadians will benefit from the services and resources offered by their local library systems."

The group will be named the "Search MArketing RoundTable," or SMART. Librarians from across Canada are invited to join the LinkedIn group. Marketing professionals from a number of libraries have already expressed interest, setting the stage for quick expansion and useful discussions.

"Library marketing professionals, regardless of the size or demographic of the communities they serve, need to advocate for vendor-supported product campaigns that recognize libraries as equal business partners," says founding member Sandra Sydor, Community Engagement Manager at Barrie Public Library. "The LinkedIn group will aim to spark discussions, inform members, and activate progressive library marketing campaigns."

In order to join this closed LinkedIn group, simply connect with Beatrice Pitocco at www.linkedin.com/in/beatricepitocco. You'll receive a notice from LinkedIn once you've been added to the group.

About Koios

Koios helps libraries show up first in local Google search results. Koios is a Google Partner, and one of only 24 Google Ad Grants Certified Professionals in North America—the only one specializing in libraries. The company was founded in 2014 when Trey Gordner merged his digital marketing expertise with his passion for public service. Koios' mission to help libraries show up online stems from the team's vision of free and democratic access to all human knowledge. The company was named after the Greek titan Koios (sometimes spelled Coeus), who sought to gain knowledge in order to anticipate the future. The purple tree logo, with a book at its roots and pixels in its branches, represents the transformation of libraries from analog to digital. For more information, please visit

www.koios.co.