Today’s Challenge for the Library
A group of people sits under a tree near the library entrance. A clear sunny day with a few people on the grass nearby. Parents are pushing children on the park swings. 12 out of 17 people are looking at their 5G connected mobile phones. Growth in digital and mobile technology is happening all around us. For better or worse, it is happening right now, and it is changing our lives. Libraries need to provide each customer the ability to set their preferences for how they want interaction and communication.
The internet-connected mobile world is here to stay. Technology is so great because it enables our communication with our neighbors, families, and peers. Libraries serve a wealth of information, services, companionship, health services, and much more. Thus, it is disappointing if someone is unaware of the services that their local library offers.
Perhaps the planet’s digitization has outpaced the marketing of the library. The challenge for librarians is how to use this digitization for productivity and for the community.
Our Journey
Our journey creating the Library Engagement Hub started when a group of tech advocates collaborated in multiple business ventures. “The explosion of online and mobile resources has created many challenges, and often overlooked opportunities, for libraries in terms of marketing themselves to the community,” says Dave Hoffman, co-founder of the Library Engagement Hub.
Even today, it’s virtually impossible for libraries to accurately determine how relevant they are to their community or to what degree they are engaged with customers in the exact manner each customer prefers.
For example:
- A set of customers attend a library activity/event
- New customers join or
- A periodic newsletter is sent to customers
These are not an assurance of maximum engagement, a tailored experience, or perceived importance within the community.
Growth in membership & usage of services is important to the longevity of a library. Moreover, it’s just as important to know where the growth trends are directed in terms of service demands, given that growth in membership and adoption of library services are two inextricably-linked key performance indicators for continued funding.
Library Services are Personal
The way we each use and view our local library is personal, built on our own set of needs. To match these specific needs across a broad range of community members, libraries need to provide each customer the ability to set their preferences for how they want interaction and communication. But how can we expect libraries to deliver this when there is a vast array of demographics with their own preferred communication channel?
For the library to reach any set of customers and also to personalize the communication, they need to separate their members into groups based on the contact method the customer provided when they joined the library. The likely groups are going to be those who provided an Email, mobile number, landline number, or any combination of these.
By leveraging mobility and web application technology, a key result is increased Library Service Awareness, Community Feedback, and user engagement with the library across a greater breadth of services. In this way, Marketing the Library has never been easier.
Library Engagement as a Service
Communicate with your customers in a way the customer prefers. Offer outstanding value to your community by knowing the specific library services each individual member needs and wants. Contact us to learn more about how you can meet the challenge your library is facing today.
