Marketing the Libraries But what does that have to do with me??

What is Marketing? Marketing is the process involved in promoting, selling and distributing a product or service. It is finding what the customer needs and changing to meet those needs. It’s all about people. Constant internal and external communication is as important as delivering services, and that involves every employee of the Smathers Libraries.

Why market our libraries?  Greater use of the library by our customers (ie. Undergrads, Grads, Faculty and Staff).  Better decisions about what to offer at our libraries.  Better partnerships with faculty and administration.  Maintenance of the central position of the libraries in the campus environment.  Adequate funding from university administration.

What We Already Do The Information Station is one of the ways we let our users know how the library can help with their research needs. Getting outside the library walls is an important part of marketing.

Docutek ERes As a fairly new service, e-Reserves uses marketing to educate faculty and library staff about Electronic Reserves. All of these are examples of marketing:  Workshops/training sessions  Orientations  Brochures/flyers  Attendance at Campus-wide events like the IT Faculty Symposium

UF Libraries Homepage

Printed/promotional materials The libraries use a variety of printed materials and promotional items to market services or programs, and raise awareness

What Others Are Doing

What We Would Like To Do  Implement a comprehensive marketing plan to increase awareness of our services and to proactively project a positive image.  Identify/participate in a wider range of outreach opportunities.  Create a budget for marketing/outreach – ensures wider participation in events and a consistent approach to outreach activities.  Evaluate annually – compile/analyze feedback data and discern library-wide patterns (LibQUAL, focus groups, feedback from outreach programs, comments from users).

What We Would Like To Do  Participate in all relevant events !!!  Maintain a calendar of relevant events  Create a library orientation program for faculty and contact new faculty directly  Sponsor special library events (e.g., faculty author receptions)  Increased advertising (bus signs, table tents, ads in publications)

What We Would Like To Do  Facilitate discussions for staff on marketing and public image (build an internal marketing culture)  Create/promote outreach resources for staff (e.g., a template for handouts)  Improve internal communication regarding marketing/outreach  Gather and analyze feedback from individual staff, departments, units, etc.

So what does this mean to me?  Every interaction with a patron is a marketing opportunity  Successful marketing requires consistency in services and policies  Marketing is an all or nothing deal

What Would You Like To Do? This is a great opportunity to get involved and make the libraries a better place for everyone. What thoughts and ideas do you have?

Contact Us Carol Turner, Chair Chelsea Dinsmore Barbara Hood Jenna Miller Tom Minton Angela Mott John Nemmers Marina Salcedo