Using other people’s ideas!

Editor's Notes

• #3: First port of call – librarywales.org Hope all using it and familiar with it This is the public facing site Click on login – insert username and password and click through to the …
• #4: … staff toolkit (this is only accessible via the password, so not public facing and therefore hasn’t had the same rebrand as librarywales! Lots of free marketing (and other) resources here from documents to training sessions from artwork downloads to other people award winning ideas Focussing on the marketing section though…
• #5: … you can see there is a long list of resources directly under this section – I’m going to briefly take you through these so show you all the free stuff that’s on here! Firstly you can see (hopefully) it says ‘new strategic marketing plan toolkit’ Unfortunately this isn’t new it’s been up there a while – we are still working on tweaking and updating various elements of the toolkit at present…
• #6: … this does what it says on the tin basically and Kay is happy for it to be shared with library staff – it is a downloadable word document with lots of hints and tips to help you formulate marketing plans for your service – a good starting point…
• #7: … moving on, many of you will be familiar with the Bibli family (particularly aimed at the public sector libraries) – for those who aren’t – the family were created as part of the Fancy That libraries campaign held in January 2011 – and show how libraries services are relevant for all ages. There is artwork for each member of the family – posed as above and also an ‘action shot’ which can be downloaded for use – there is also a document in this section with guidelines for using the artwork. There are also five films promoting one of the library services – free books, free internet access, free family history resources, free activities for under 5s and somewhere to meet your friends – these films can also be downloaded and used to promote your services… All available in English, Welsh and subtitled versions for use in a variety of ways – on information screens, at events, in presentations, etc Lauren Bibli has her own Facebook/Twitter accounts…
• #8: Again for the public libraries – we have worked with Bookstart to produce template documents for staff to use locally. The trust had undertaken some research and discovered that where professional promotional materials about the library service where used in the Bookstart bags, there was a much great take up of library membership. Wrexham Library’s leaflet was held up as an example of best practice and we have worked with the same illustrator to come up with three templates available in english and welsh and with or without joining forms – which again can be downloaded , your own local messages inserted and printed as required locally.
• #9: This toolkit is aimed at all library sectors and contains the key principles you can use to improve your library for you and your customer. The document is also designed to challenge which was at the time (2006/07) typical thinking about libraries and introduce techniques that retailers and innovative libraries, both academic and public, have used around the world
• #10: If you have been lucky enough to get a grant from CyMAL to undertake a refurbishment, there is a section on the toolkit with some case studies from Cowbridge, Swansea, Wrexham and Rhymney – these include details of how they dealt with closures, relocations and reopenings and there is ‘guidelines’ document taking some of the best practice from these case studies, plus some ideas of our own.
• #11: Last year we produced a film primarily for the FE sector promoting libraries and using a bit of an Inbetweeners/Ferris Bueller style theme to it – basically a boy gets girl story. The film is available in Welsh, English and subtitled versions and can be downloaded from our YouTube channel or I’ve got some on DVD This is the promotional poster, complete with QR codes taking the reader direct to the film on the YouTube channel – again available to download from the staff toolkit in A3, A4 and A5 format.
• #12: Innovation Awards A great resource for pinching other people’s ideas!! The marketing awards have been running since 2009 and are open to library staff in all sectors – FE, HE and Public All the entries received, not just the winners are here on the toolkit We have had very high quality entries covering a huge range of marketing activities from festivals, quizzes, internal marketing. Induction activities for students long term campaigns, outreach activities, partnership events and initiatives targeting very specific audiences – eg. NEETS, Visually Impaired, Job Seekers – with ideas for promotional materials, getting the press involved, bringing audiences in and lots more – take the time to have a look I’m sure you’ll find some ideas.
• #13: Marketing Messages Created at the early stages of the marketing work Whole range of artwork in various sizes from A5 adverts through to 10ft long street banners Again free to use as they are, inserting your local information where required, or use elements of them – just the quote or the strap line.
• #15: The 2006 – 2011 marketing strategy including the research documentation and implementation plan The subsequent annual marketing plans The new strategy for 2012 – 16 future plans will also be up here Would like to here what your plans are – would you be happy to share them here?
• #16: Past Campaigns This is where we put all the artwork from past campaigns – lots of empty belly posters, artwork ideas and elements from the artworks plus press releases and any other relevant information. We usually print a certain amount of promotional material, but then allow people to download and print locally whatever they require. Current or future campaigns are given a section of their own and then moved here when they have passed -
• #17: Last year commissioned photographer to travel around Wales and take photographs in FE, HE and Public libraries across Wales They were for use in the Libraries Inspire policy document – there are over 500 photographs consent has been obtained until 2016 from all participants – the life time of the document and they can be used by library staff across Wales – in reports, presentations, promotional material – however you wish. High res images can be downloaded direct from the toolkit. There is really something for every possibility from children to older people, ebooks to computers, mobile libraries and large print, staff helping users, activities, book clubs and loads more
• #18: An overview again from the early days of the marketing work We do national press releases on various topics, or linked into the national campaigns – to help you we pproduce local templates for you to use and insert local information
• #20: This area has lots of information on reading and literacy projects, training and promotions. The main area of interest for ideas is the Reader Development Grants section You can find details of bids for grants (successful and unsuccessful) for all sectors – plus the evaluation reports from the successful bids – these go back to 2008 and there are lots of really great ideas here for both reader development and information literacy activities. The guidelines for getting the grants are also up here including the most recent ones which were sent out a couple of weeks ago – we offer two levels of grants up to £500 and up to £1000
• #21: Latest promotion – again artwork available on line to use – some printed materials sent out – pages created on librarywales.org Press releases, online stories and social media
• #22: Finally, what can we do to help you and you do to help us! Press releases – make sure we are on your mailing lists and send us copies of press releases (english and welsh) and photographs that we can use on librarywales.org Use the press releases we send you to generate local coverage Keep us informed if you have any news stories – library reopenings, staff achievements, new book clubs, doesn’t have to be a press release just something of interest to library staff and library users. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and make sure we are following you (links on next page) re-tweet or comment on the posts that we put up there – this will help to raise both the national and local profile of libraries Find out who your marketing champions are and keep in touch with them – encourage them to feedback to you after meetings and keep you up to date with news from us – they get enough emails! Finally – I hate this phrase but sharing best practice – don’t keep quiet about things that are going on with your library – good and bad. Don’t be precious about your successes share them so that the everyone can use your ideas!!