![Consumer Trends, Libraries and Constant Change Dodie Ownes Information Services Consultant Presented at the Colorado Association of Libraries Conference 2007 Nov. 10, 2007 [email_address]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/librarypowerpoint-100701211415-phpapp01/85/Library-powerpoint-1-320.jpg)
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- 1. Consumer Trends, Libraries and Constant Change Dodie Ownes Information Services Consultant Presented at the Colorado Association of Libraries Conference 2007 Nov. 10, 2007 [email_address]
- 2. TRENDS – moving in a new direction Shift, turn, revolve, bend, incline, extend Trends can be cyclical – watch intensity Longevity and intensity of cultural impact of trends varies greatly Your inclinations may not be mine, and that’s okay Trendsetters are tastemakers, arbiters, role models NPR, CSI, Halo 3, Target, The Simpsons, The Rockies, Amazon, Rachel Ray, Entertainment Tonight, skateboarding, Biggest Loser, Whole Foods
- 3. Trends – love ‘em or leave ‘em Mullets Handheld devices Designer dogs Library 2.0
- 4. Recognizing trends Mass media acceptance/recognition Consumer mass market adoption Validity, stability, measurable impact Retrospective or futuristic? New and improved – or repackaged Early adopters shape trends Ripple or tsunami?
- 5. Get Library Trend Savvy! Read/seek/share widely within the profession Reach outside comfort zone Print, online, blogs, discussion lists Participate in local, regional, national conferences, interest groups, workshops and social gatherings Shadow a colleague, trade jobs for a day Take a “busman’s holiday” Libnet LISNews Content Nation TOP 25 Librarian Bloggers
- 6. Get Real World Trend savvy! Read/seek/share widely OUTSIDE of the profession Reach outside comfort zone Print, online, blogs, discussion lists Participate in local, regional, national conferences, interest groups, workshops and social gatherings Keep eyes/ears/nose/mind open to all possibilities
- 7. How do consumer trends affect my library? Expectations, perceptions, and experience of library patrons Acknowledgement by library staff that patron expectations are constantly being reformed
- 8. Take your cues from the winners … Anticipate the need of the patron Take the category of patron into consideration when creating space, collection and services Encourage discovery along with meeting practical needs “ Our customers are the most important stakeholder in our business. Therefore, we go to extraordinary lengths to satisfy and delight our customers. We want to meet or exceed their expectations on every shopping trip. We know that by doing so we turn customers into advocates for whole foods.” “ While exploring the store, visitors may be inspired to pick up a few extra products. The store is laid out so they will not only find what they came for, but also be inspired by unexpected ideas and low-priced products as well.”
- 9. Monkey see, monkey do – try it!
- 10. Don’t wait ‘til they stop coming to you! Ways to reach out to the community Local media coverage Electronic newsletters Co-market with local cultural institutions Ask them what they want – hours, staff, collection, programs? Speakers Bureau Make your presence known and inviting Library Web site must be patron-friendly; landing page must be informative Staff must be accessible and visible in the community Host community groups as often as possible
- 11. Is that a trend ahead?! “ the teens keep asking us where the anime and manga is kept” “ if I can’t load it on my iPod, it’s not worth messing with” “ the middle school boys want us to have game systems for check out” “ audiobooks are circ’ing more than ever – should we look at Playaways?” “ I don’t do wires …”
- 12. Eyes wide open …. Make use of ILS reporting features to watch for jumps/dips in circulation of subject, media and genre categories Observe, observe, and observe more Exit polls and surveys Does someone keep moving the furniture? Consider every complaint as a suggestion Establish system to monitor effects of changes made in response to demand
- 13. Resource List Anderson, Chris. The long tail. 2006 Godin, Seth. The big red fez; how to make any Web site better. 2002 Johnson, Lisa. Mind your x’s and y’s; satisfying the cravings of a new generation of consumers. 2006 Kazanjian, Kirk. Exceeding customer expectations. 2007 McConnell, Ben. Citizen marketers. 2006 Underhill, Paco. The call of the mall. 2005 eMarketer e-newsletter MarketingVox e-newsletter PW Daily e-newsletter LJ Xpress weekly e-newsletter LJ Academic e-newsletter www.google.com/alerts Bloglines – consolidate blogs http://www.libdex.com/weblogs.html Free Range Librarian Tame the Web Librarian.net Lorcan Dempsey’s weblog The Shifted Librarian BabyBoomerLibrarian
- 14. Remember – trends are nothing to be scared of! An Introduction to Public Librarianship - Edmund V. Corbett (1952) The Effects of Television on Public Library Circulation Edwin B. Parker The Public Opinion Quarterly , Vol. 27, No. 4 (Winter, 1963), pp. 578-589