Creating Engaging Library Experiences through Effective Content Marketing
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7710/1093-7374.1838Keywords:
library, library marketing, library communications, library marketing and communications, conference, marketing, communications, Oregon, Oregon libraries, introduction, academic library, libraries, librarians, northwest, information science, information literacy, social media, writing, library trends, books, donors, library donors, donor relationships, library funding, Oregon library association, quarterly, Oregon library association quarterly, American library association, ala, ola, reading, library success, success, library marketing department, evolving roles, new discipline, changes in libraries, career, careers, library careers, library career, new department, strategic marketing in libraries, library advocacy, Rajesh Singh, St. John’s University, content driven marketing, engaging content, creating content, library experiences, managementAbstract
A cherished goal of libraries and information organizations has always been to engage the community. The digital revolution is ushering in new ways to deliver and combine services in the prevailing experience economy. In a recent study of more than 1,000 adults in the United States and the United Kingdom, researchers found that 81 percent of Millennials, 79 percent of Gen Xers, and 78 percent of Baby Boomers value experiences more than they do material items (Pally, 2013). Moreover, we have a fairly good idea of the methods customers are using to read, review, research and consume library services and programming.
However, the challenge is not how communities’ information expectations are evolving—whether it is their preference for receiving information services via a library app, Twitter or Facebook—but to discover and manage what our communities value most and to transform their expectations into memorable and enriching experiences in physical and virtual environments. Can you imagine a future in the library and information science (LIS) profession where libraries are not judged by the size of collections and service offerings but rather by experiences? Well, it is already happening! This transformation calls for a shift in our marketing and communication approaches in order to provide robust and compelling library experiences to the communities we serve. In this article, I focus on how libraries and information organizations can create engaging experiences by embracing the SAVE (Solution, Access, Value and Education) framework and through effective content management.
Downloads
