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Promoting Libraries
The document discusses the challenges and opportunities facing libraries in the UK, highlighting a dichotomy between a positive narrative of library usage and a negative narrative of funding cuts and closures. It emphasizes the need to shift public perception and improve engagement through marketing and outreach strategies while addressing critical issues impacting the library sector. The document also outlines a SWOT analysis and suggests that fostering a customer-focused culture is essential for libraries to thrive.
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Promoting Libraries
- 1. The challenge ofpromoting libraries Nick Poole, Chief Executive, CILIP North West Member Network 18/04/2016
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- 4. Everything’s GREAT!!! 265 millionvisits per year, Code Green, loved and trusted, Read on Get On, new libraries opening, wifi.... The ‘positive narrative’
- 5. We’re all DOOMED!!! Cuts& closures, loss of professional staff, volunteers, amateurisation, Open+, privatisation, £0 book funds, no plan, no vision, no direction The ‘negative narrative’
- 9. If you wantto change the narrative, you have to change the reality. We can’t spin our way out of the real challenges facing libraries (and public and school libraries in particular) – we have to confront the underlying issues & take control of our own destiny
- 10. Our scope (12,500members, UK-wide) Consulting/independent information professionals Prison Further Education/Colleges Public Government and Armed Forces Research Health Care School Social Care Special Collections Higher Education (including LIS teaching staff) Industry (Extraction)* Law Industry (Manufacturing)** Museums, Archives, Galleries and Heritage Industry (Commercial Services)*** National Libraries Not working**** Not for profit/3rd sector/Charity Other * Any extraction industries, for example: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Quarrying ** Any Manufacturing industries, for example: Pharmaceutical, Aerospace, Automotive *** Any commercial service industries: Business, Finance, Communications, Hospitality, Retail **** Unemployed/Retired/Full-time Student/Career Break
- 11. We need tocreate a national agenda that celebrates & promotes all libraries, wherever they are, whichever community, company or organisation they support
- 12. Strengths • Strong, trustedbrand • UK-wide, inclusive offer • A universal need (literacy, skills) • Positive sentiment • Physical locations • Good connectivity • Customer service ethos Weaknesses • ‘Libraries’ = ‘public libraries’ • Complex value proposition • ‘Scope creep’ away from books • Lack of a unique digital role • Fragmentation • ‘Hovis’ nostalgia Opportunities • Embrace the diversity of the sector • Build influence • Create compelling (+ve) evidence • Learn to show off • Embrace ‘economic’ as well as ‘social’ • Carve out a new space in the market Threats • A ‘single story’ (that’s all bad) • Politically ‘toxic’ agenda • Lack of buy-in from decision makers • We don’t own our destiny • Separation between national/local • ‘Virtue signalling’ SWOT Analysis for libraries...
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- 14. Positive Negative Disengaged Engaged “I don’tuse the library myself, but it’s important that they’re there for other people”
- 15. Positive Negative Disengaged Engaged “I don’tuse the library myself, but it’s important that they’re there for other people” “I haven’t been to the library in years. It’s just not interesting/relevant to me”
- 16. Positive Negative Disengaged Engaged “I don’tuse the library myself, but it’s important that they’re there for other people” “I haven’t been to the library in years. It’s just not interesting/relevant to me” “I use the library all the time. It’s a great place to learn/work/study/spend time with the kids”
- 17. Positive Negative Disengaged Engaged “I don’tuse the library myself, but it’s important that they’re there for other people” “I haven’t been to the library in years. It’s just not interesting/relevant to me” “I use the library all the time. It’s a great place to learn/work/study/spend time with the kids” “Libraries have had their day. They were great when we were kids, but we’ve got the Internet & Kindle now”
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- 19. Positive Negative Disengaged Engaged Change thepublic/media profile of ‘libraries’ as an ‘aspirational’ activity so that even those that are disengaged have positive sentiments about them
- 20. Positive Negative Disengaged Engaged Invest inmarketing, outreach & keeping the product fresh to move people from being ‘disengaged’ to ‘engaged’ (to repeat customers) Change the national public/media profile of ‘libraries’ as an ‘aspirational’ activity so that even those that are disengaged have positive sentiments about them
- 21. Positive Negative Disengaged Engaged Invest inmarketing, outreach & keeping the product fresh to move people from being ‘disengaged’ to ‘engaged’ (to repeat customers) Change the national public/media profile of ‘libraries’ as an ‘aspirational’ activity so that even those that are disengaged have positive sentiments about them Challenge the critics through influence, evidence and delivery – nothing is as convincing as delivery!
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- 24. Profile by age(29,856 responses) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 <25 25 - 34 35 - 49 50 - 64 >65
- 25. Options • I nevervisit the library and don’t think it's the best use of public money • I never visit the library but think it’s crucial it’s protected for others • I visit the library occasionally, but wouldn’t care much if it went • I visit the library occasionally, and think it’s crucial it remains • I often visit the library, though could live without it • I often visit the library, it's crucial that it’s protected • There's no library anywhere near me but I'm not bothered by that • There's no library anywhere near me but I wish there was
- 26. Breakdown of responses 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 <25 25- 34 35 - 49 50 - 64 >65
- 27. Findings • 89% supporttheir (public) library, whether they visit or not • 23% never visit their local public library • Only 1% say they don’t have access to a local library • Support proportionately higher amongst 50-64 and 65+
- 28. Promotion... • Individual libraries •Clustered in towns/cities/regions • UK-wide
- 29. Promoting your librarythrough brand loyalty
- 30. Potential customer Customer Repeat customer Supporter Brand champion Buildingbrand loyalty in libraries
- 31. Potential customer Customer Repeat customer Supporter Brand champion Buildingbrand loyalty in libraries MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
- 32. Potential customer Customer Repeat customer Supporter Brand champion Buildingbrand loyalty in libraries MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TRIGGER • EVENTS • OFFERS • ACTIVITIES
- 33. Potential customer Customer Repeat customer Supporter Brand champion Buildingbrand loyalty in libraries MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TRIGGER EXPERIENCE • ONLINE • LOCATION • DESIGN • WELCOME • EVENTS • OFFERS • ACTIVITIES
- 34. Potential customer Customer Repeat customer Supporter Brand champion Buildingbrand loyalty in libraries MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TRIGGER EXPERIENCE RELATIONSHIP • ONLINE • LOCATION • DESIGN • WELCOME • EVENTS • OFFERS • ACTIVITIES • PERSONALISATION • TIMELINESS • RELEVANCE • CONTENT
- 35. Potential customer Customer Repeat customer Supporter Brand champion Buildingbrand loyalty in libraries MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TRIGGER EXPERIENCE RELATIONSHIP CALL-TO-ACTION • ONLINE • LOCATION • DESIGN • WELCOME • EVENTS • OFFERS • ACTIVITIES • PERSONALISATION • TIMELINESS • RELEVANCE • CONTENT • ‘SNACKABLE’ ACTIONS • CLICKTIVISM • FOLLOW-UP
- 36. Potential customer Customer Repeat customer Supporter Brand champion Buildingbrand loyalty in libraries MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TRIGGER EXPERIENCE RELATIONSHIP CALL-TO-ACTION RECOGNITION • ONLINE • LOCATION • DESIGN • WELCOME • EVENTS • OFFERS • ACTIVITIES • PERSONALISATION • TIMELINESS • RELEVANCE • CONTENT • ‘SNACKABLE’ ACTIONS • CLICKTIVISM • FOLLOW-UP • THANKS • OUTCOMES • FUTURE ACTION
- 37. Potential customer Customer Repeat customer Supporter Brand champion Buildingbrand loyalty in libraries MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TRIGGER EXPERIENCE RELATIONSHIP CALL-TO-ACTION RECOGNITION CUSTOMER DATA & INSIGHT
- 38. Potential customer Customer Repeat customer Supporter Brand champion Buildingbrand loyalty in libraries MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TRIGGER EXPERIENCE RELATIONSHIP CALL-TO-ACTION RECOGNITION CUSTOMER DATA & INSIGHT CUSTOMER-FOCUSED CULTURE
- 39. Home School College Work Leisure Our customer’s expectationsand attitudes toward libraries aren’t just the product of interacting with one library... People move between different kinds of library service at different points in their lives. How can we ‘hand our customers on’ to the next stage...?
- 40. Libraries are stronglysituated in a specific place/community/company or ‘quarter’ – how can you make use of this to encourage more people to use your services?
- 43. At a UK-widelevel, there is a huge amount we can do to harness the public goodwill toward and support for libraries (and to help people be better-informed about the different types of library)
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- 49. We need tosustain a steady supply of fresh, interesting stories from and about libraries, to keep the media, politicians & the public engaged.
- 50. But can wego further...?
- 53. Libraries are agreat product with fantastic brand recognition. The challenge is to use every medium at our disposal to enthuse people with the knowledge of what libraries deliver today and inspire them to pay us a visit.
- 54. Don’t forget! The CILIPPublicity & Public Relations Group’s Marketing Excellence Awards are open for nominations until May 6th See http://www.cilip.org.uk/publicity-public-relations- group/marketing-excellence-awards for details!