Hannah Simpson

LIS 60609 - Marketing the Library

April 22, 2019

Marketing Plan Purpose:

The purpose of this plan is to increase loyalty and awareness of the Library in the run-up to an
election cycle that includes a levy for library funding. This marketing plan aims to do this by
increasing library card holders and passing the levy by over 60% of the vote.

Background:

The Library is a medium sized library just north of the state capital and is in the fast-growing
county in the state. Many of its residents commute to the major city located in the next county to
the south causing somewhat of an identity crisis for agencies in this county. Many of the
residents of the county tend to identify with the systems in the southern county, not the county
they live in. How can the Library stake its claim as the primary Library in its resident’s eyes,
when its last levy barely passed? The levy ten years ago was truly carried by one very involved
precinct and failed in most other precincts.

Key Audience & Message:

The last decade has seen a large growth in population in the county, but the percentage of
homes with library cards is below the average of other similar libraries in the state. So with this
campaign, the Library is not only trying to reach voters but also it is trying to reach voters
without library cards. The message aims to reach a broad audience but feel personal. To
develop a personal connection with potential voters without library cards the message will
always contain the word “Your” with lifestyle choices that the Library can play a role in. For
example Your Next Career Move, Your Zen, and Your Road Trip. This helps potential library
users envision a personal connection with the Library by fitting the Library into their existing life,
not making additional space for the Library in their already packed and busy lives.

Branding Goals:

The goal of this brand revamp is to instill the perception of the Library as a way to enhance
one’s life in whatever endeavor you’re taking on. People in the community should be reminded
that the Library is vibrant and adaptable for any lifestyle. The goal is also to create brand
recognization throughout the county so that when people see the brand colors, font, and general
style they should feel familiar with the Library’s brand. Although it hasn’t been too long since the
last Library brand overhaul, this revamp should help bring the Library into modern design
standards that people see around them every day.

Brand Communication Plan:

This plan will be subtle yet powerful. The graphics should be eye-catching and fresh, yet still
within the scope of the existing Library brand. The feel of the graphics will provide a template for
new social media channel cover photos, website features, and can be applied to other library
updates. It won’t be a jarring change to the branding of the Library, but rather an enhancement
of what is already there.

Luckily the Library has budgeted to work with a local creative agency to help create the brand
refresh before the levy. As the posters are the foundation of the refresh, they’re the first thing
that will be tackled. The posters that will live throughout the Library locations. The feel and
design of the posters will outline how the campaign is adapted to other media channels.

These posters will feature photographs of actual items from the Library’s collection in the
popular “flat-lay” style. Each poster will showcase items that fit into the aforementioned
lifestyles. The “Your Road Trip” poster would feature books on famous roadside attractions, a
circulating mobile hot spot, a tablet with Hoopla Digital options, and also a few stock images like
car keys and road trip snacks. The posters will also take existing brand colors and fonts and use
them in new ways to maintain the Library’s brand but catch the attention of the community.

For many non-active library users, the website and social media is the first impression they will
have of the Library. To gain new cardholders, and therefore new pro-library voters, these are
the first avenues that must be updated after the brand refresh characteristics are set. First,
profile pictures or cover photos on the Library's page will be updated to reflect the refresh. The
cover photos, in particular, will be a great opportunity to integrate the campaign. The flat-lay
items can be used to create the primary content of the photos with the “Your Library” text and
color block across the bottom of the photo. The cover photos can also be adapted for any
carousel or banner on the library’s website.

As this is part of a levy campaign, a set of posts should be created to inform the users of what
the levy is all about. In this case, one set would feature all the things you can get at the library
for what an average household pays in taxes. If a house valued at $100,000 pays $38 dollars a
year in taxes to the Library, they could purchase maybe two books a year with that amount, but
with a library card, there is no end to the number of books they can enjoy. Another set would
feature a frequently asked question about the ballot measure and the answer. Some of these
questions would be: How much is the Library asking for? Will my taxes go up? How is the
Library funded? The last set of social media posts would simply remind people that the Library
is on the upcoming ballot and of the date of the election. Each set should adapt the Your Library
scheme and flat lay elements to set apart from the other, yet remain a cohesive campaign. The
Library marketing team should schedule these posts on Instagram leading up to the actual
election day. On Facebook, the marketing team should intermix the FAQ and value sets as one
large album with a call to action not only to vote but to ask any question in the comments about
the levy. Creating and engaging in conversation this way will also work towards the goal of
building Library loyalty within the community.

Then it’s time to turn attention to more physical methods of spreading the brand update. It
should be reflected on common promotional items given out at school visits or at community
events. First and foremost, any regular newsletter should be revamped to reflect this fresh take
on the Library’s brand. If the Library is participating in community events (if it isn’t, it should
start) the display should be updated to reflect the brand refresh. For example, the revamped
branding can extend to the wrap on the new bookmobile and digital signage within the Library
locations. As the goal is to attract non-Library users, staff will be taking the Library show on the
road! The marketing staff will order a new set of fabric display for their geometrix pop-up in the
Your Library style featuring flat-lay items and ideas of how to make the library your own. This
large 3 foot by 3 foot looks more modern than a traditional trifold and is easier to transport as it
folds down into an over the shoulder bag. Its bright colors and unusual set up will attract
community members to the display table and provide an in to start the conversation.

Promotion:

All of the above-mentioned tools for the plan are crucial to be used frequently and mentioned
often. Library marketing staff will also create a palm card with all of the FAQs that reflects the
Your Library branding. These cards will go in each item on the hold shelf and in every set of
items a person checks out. They will also go to every event the library host or attends in the
community to get into the hands of as many people as possible.

Displays about democracy and the electoral process with signage about the levy in the Your
Library branding style is a great passive way to reinforce the idea of a modern library
empowering civilians to learn about the world around them and how the Library can help.

At community events, Library staff will bring an iPad and digital hotspot to encourage
on-the-spot library card sign-ups. This removes the barrier that some people find when it comes
time to get a library card. They can’t find time to make it into the physical branch, but by making
online sign-ups easy and quick. This is also a great opportunity to get the newly designed
newsletter into the hands of the new library cardholder or community member just stopping by
the event. The more people see what all the Library provides regularly, the more likely they are
to vote in favor of the Library. It behooves the efforts to get out into the community staff provides
a small quick activity that demonstrates the value of the library, whether it’s a small craft,
mini-experiments, or even something so simple as bean bag chairs and a small selection of
books to take a break and enjoy, it will all build goodwill and loyalty to the Library.

Project Timeline:

The election is set to take place in November 2020. It will take nearly 20 months to make this
campaign a success. Here’s how the Library will proceed.

- February 2019: Began conversations with staff and creative agency for design project
- March 2019: Staff begin gathering treatments of ideas (literal, tactical, and aspirational)
- April 2019: First draft of Your Library concept
- May 2019: Library staff gather materials to be photographed
- June 2019: Materials photographed and posters finalized
- August 2019: Concept applied to a pop-up trade show display
- September 2019:
- Posters finalized
- New community “trade show” display debuts at community First Friday
- Bookmobile graphics finalized
 - January 2020: Ribbon cutting for new Bookmobile at First Friday downtown
- February 2020: Posters put up in branches
- May 2020: Social media branding debut for “Your Library”
- July 2020: New newsletter redesign process begins
- September 2020:
- Palm cards in-hand with levy information and distributed
- Social media campaign post begins for levy information
- November 2020: Newsletter draft finalized and sent to the printer, including ‘thank you’ to
voters!
It may seem like a rather long process, but the Library marketing team will also be working on
regular library promotion of programs and services alongside this campaign. The Library has to
operate on the highest possible efficiency level going above and beyond their normal wonderful
service to the community at this time when people are more aware of how their tax dollars are
spent.

Assessment Methods:

As outlined in the purpose of the marketing plan, there are two measurable goals which will help
us assess the outcomes of the plan. These are the number of library cardholders in the Library’s
service district and the passage rate of the levy.

There will be other factors influencing these things that the Library marketing staff will have to
account for as well. What was total voter turn out like in this election compared to the last time
the Library was on the ballot. This will depend on so many factors, like whether this is a more
high profile election -- it is a presidential year, which means more voters will turn out than other
elections -- or if there’s extreme weather. Stormy weather, cold weather, or heat can people
from the polls and influence their attitudes in the voting booth whether they would like to admit it
or not.

But in the end, the Library marketing team has chosen two very easy success indicators to
measure. This will make getting buy-in from management and other Library stakeholders easier
for the team. The library card signups metric will also be helpful to gauge how the plan is going
while the campaign is still going on. It will tell the team if their plan is on the right track or if they
need to adjust by going to more or different events to sign people up for library cards.

Following this plan should set the Library up for a successful library campaign and happy
patrons after the levy.