Geek the library

Geek the library Community awareness pilot campaign from OCLC/Gates $5M (developed based on the From Awareness to Funding Research) I just attended a session at ALA about the new Geek the Library campaign, designed to focus on probable and super-supporters of local libraries, and it looks like this campaign has the potential for use with public libraries and school libraries. It is based on market research, geared toward personal engagement and interaction, and has a strong call to action. It is important that this campaign is not designed to increase library use (that is already happening); it is designed to increase library funding and support. Research findings: Need for library has never been greater. Customers are making choices about how they spend their money…uneasy about future, have stopped making trade-up decisions/starting to make trade-off decisions Institutional trust is at all-time low 68% now have the trust focus=self-reliance Many rediscovering things really value Most Americans are unaware of how libraries are funded 70% of elected officials believe the libraries have enough money Only 37% of the public (no matter how much they profess the library’s importance) are firmly committed to voting for library funding There is no relationship between likeliness to support funding and use of the library Most people are not aware of transformational activities in libraries, but most are aware of traditional services Goal: Change conversation with public—less about information, more about transformational outcomes Reframe from: Information >Transformation Institution>Infrastructure Nice to have>Necessity Past>Future Altruism>ROI for me Campaign designed to: Change perceptions of libraries Increase awareness of library funding needs and stories of how the library transforms lives Change funding for libraries Change perceptions and attitudes of the supporters and funders, not the users Measure and evaluate all of the above 1. Create awareness=Get your Geek on..ads/radio/online pr/community events/launch at events that are already scheduled—captive audience ( What do you geek? chalkboard walls) 2. Engage people=Geek the Library…community programs—leverage visible events/emails/social media—from the library community to the markets + also the two-way conversation back from the community…sometimes the stories have a library connection 3. Act=Show your support…postcards that people can use to communicate with the community decision-makers about how the library makes a difference and needs more support Website 1. People can: • submit their own stories of what they geek • 30 second videos of a range of real people and what they geek • FB, flickr, YouTube, twitter • Gear purchase 2. People learn: • Debunk the 6 myths • How the library is making a difference today 3. Call to action • How to show your support • Spread the word • Change the library funding picture Pilot in IA and GA: Get your geek on. Show your support. Geekthelibrary.org What do you geek? The library supports it all. What do Nebraska library staff and supporters think of this campaign? Check out geekthelibrary.org and then click on Comment below and share your reactions.