Transcript How I became an outgoing librarian

looking for
inspiration?
a library marketing
case study from
Oxford Brookes
University
with
Antony
Brewerton
Subject Teams
• Arts, Social Sciences & Health Care
• Science, Technology & Built Environment
Functional Groups
Groups include:
• Information Skills Group
• Research Support Group
• Web Group
• Web CT Group
• Collection Management Group
• Special Collections Group
• Enquiry Services Group
• Disability Awareness Group
• & The Marketing Group
Oxford Brookes University Library
Marketing Group
Aims & objectives
1. To take responsibility for the co-ordination of marketing Oxford Brookes University Library and its
services, focusing particularly on:
* staff training
* publications
* marketing programmes
* PR initiatives
2. To identify the needs of different groups of Library stakeholders and develop services (in conjunction with
appropriate colleagues) to meet these needs. Particular use will be made of:
* focus groups
* suggestion forms
* questionnaires
* informal feedback mechanisms
3. To improve communication with all the Library’s stakeholders, using various methods including:
* Library newsletters
* targeted communications
* electronic publications
* informal networks
4. To raise the profile of the Library within the University and the wider LIS/HE sector by publishing and
promoting the Library in appropriate fora.
5. To keep abreast of developments in the field of marketing and to feed these into the Library’s working
practices as appropriate.
Strategic context document
•
•
•
•
Role/mission
University objectives/strategic priorities
Environmental context
How we can meet the challenges
- User-centred services
- More flexible workforce
- Information technology and systems
- Supporting the University’s academic portfolio
- Marketing
• Library service priorities for the year
“Baker’s ‘four essential features’ of marketing:
1. Start with the customer;
2. A long-run perspective;
3. Full use of all the company’s resources;
4. Innovation.”
M.J. Baker
The marketing book (1987)
Successes to date
Successes include:
• Surveys, questionnaires, focus groups
• New brand
• Style Manual
• Revitalised publications
• Displays Calendar
• Support of other Functional Groups
• Increased awareness of the need to market
• Outreach activities & events
–notably Freshers’ Fair
Successes to date
Successes include:
• Surveys, questionnaires, focus groups
• New brand
• Style Manual
• Revitalised publications
• Displays Calendar
• Support of other Functional Groups
• Increased awareness of the need to market
• Outreach activities & events
–notably Freshers’ Fair
“Purchasing agents don’t buy ¼ inch drills;
they buy ¼ inch holes.”
Theodore Levitt
“In the factory we make cosmetics;
in the drug store we sell hope.”
Charles Revson,
Revlon Cosmetics
Save time and
improve your marks
–all in one hour!
Successes to date
Successes include:
• Surveys, questionnaires, focus groups
• New brand
• Style Manual
• Revitalised publications
• Displays Calendar
• Support of other Functional Groups
• Increased awareness of the need to market
• Outreach activities & events
–notably Freshers’ Fair
Successes to date
Successes include:
• Surveys, questionnaires, focus groups
• New brand
• Style Manual
• Revitalised publications
• Displays Calendar
• Support of other Functional Groups
• Increased awareness of the need to market
• Outreach activities & events
–notably Freshers’ Fair
“The most valuable resource in
any library is the librarian,
but they can be even more
valuable outside the library.”
Muir Gray
Letter to senior NHS Managers (17 Nov 2004)
Aim of 2000 campaign
An opportunity to:
• market the Library generally
• highlight the network of subject support
available from the Subject Teams
• promote the Library’s enhanced induction
tours programme (as developed by the
Information Skills Group)
Web hits
Oct 2000
65,192
Jan 2001
67,595
Apr 2001
73,115
May 2001
133,599
Oct 2001
180,927
Jan 2002
228,201
Oxford Brookes University Library
Marketing Group
Aims & objectives
1. To take responsibility for the co-ordination of marketing Oxford Brookes University Library and its
services, focusing particularly on:
* staff training
* publications
* marketing programmes
* PR initiatives
2. To identify the needs of different groups of Library stakeholders and develop services (in conjunction with
appropriate colleagues) to meet these needs. Particular use will be made of:
* focus groups
* suggestion forms
* questionnaires
* informal feedback mechanisms
3. To improve communication with all the Library’s stakeholders, using various methods including:
* Library newsletters
* targeted communications
* electronic publications
* informal networks
4. To raise the profile of the Library within the University and the wider LIS/HE sector by publishing and
promoting the Library in appropriate fora.
5. To keep abreast of developments in the field of marketing and to feed these into the Library’s working
practices as appropriate.
Antony Brewerton
[email protected]