MakingLibraries an Online Destination

Lesley Williams

Head, Information Services

Evanston Public Library

lawilliams@cityofevanston.org

Lesley Williams

Head, Information Services

Evanston Public Library

lawilliams@cityofevanston.org

The Problem…• People associate libraries with books and

children, not with online services.

• Librarians are NOT generally thought of as an online information source

“Data - what”?!

• People associate “database” with technology they don’t understand.

• Add multiple finding points for your online resources

• All online pathfinders have links to databases…

• Making online magazines findable…

• Not everything online is a “database”…

Let’s Get Radical!

Most of our potential users are NOT reading library publications or visiting library websites.

To sell our online services, we need to reach beyond our core audience

Strategy One: Community Partners

• Chambers of Commerce

• Hospitals

• Schools

• City Government

Do they link to your library resources?

Strategy 2: Consortia and Systems

• Can get more bang for marketing buck

• Easier to build awareness if everyone in state or region has same access

Inspire.net

• Has a $200,000 annual marketing budget

• Cable tv ads hit as many as 300,000 viewers per day

• Does targeted marketing to businesses, college students

Easier Access

• IP address range: used in Connecticut and Indiana

• Login with state ID or driver’s license: used in Michigan, Nebraska

• Login with personalized password: used in Maine, Massachusetts, Indiana

George Pettinico, Associate Director

Center for Survey Research and AnalysisUniversity of Connecticut

iCONN Market Survey

Presentation of Key Findings

http://www.iconn.org/iConnMarketingSurveyReport.aspx

Study Background & Objectives

The Connecticut State Library commissioned CSRA to conduct a statewide survey to:Collect background information on online usage

and habits in the stateMeasure awareness and usage of iCONN

Among those aware – how did they hear about it?Among users – how satisfied are they with iCONN?

Measure interest in iCONN among non-users – via a description of the service and its offerings What offerings are most appealing?

Gain some insight into how to best market iCONN

ICONN Marketing strategies

Insight #1: Emphasize offerings with the most widespread appeal.

Insight #2: For communications to targeted audiences, identify the offerings that appeal to various subgroups

Usage has grown from under 5 million logins in 2001 to over 19 million in 2005

Iconn ads in local media

• Appeared in non-library publications

• Targeted; different ads for business publications, schools, travel etc.

Strategy 3: Vendors• Have marketing experience, budget

• Most are uncomfortable targeting end users; may fear conflict of interest

• VENDORS NEED TO HEAR FROM US!!

How End User Marketing Helps

Vendors• Library product promotes the

individual subscription product.

• Patrons will encourage libraries to subscribe to a worthwhile tool.

Working the Media…

The Power of Advertising

• Can library online services become the bottled water of tomorrow?

Websites used…• John Kupersmith’s “Library terms that users understand”

www.jkup.net/terms.html

• Evanston Public Library - www.epl.org

• Hennepin County Library- www.hclib.org

• Portland Public Library: www.portlandlibrary.com/

• Indiana’s Inspire.net

• Connecticut’s Iconn.org

• ICONN Market Survey• http://www.iconn.org/iConnMarketingSurveyReport.aspx

• Gale’s accessmylibrary.com

Lesley Williams

Evanston Public Library

Evanston IL 60201

Lawilliams@cityofevanston.org

847-448-8646

Thanks!!