Strategic Planning, Outreach

Topic:

Develop a consistent and integrated library-wide outreach, engagement, and marketing strategy, including a designated unit and staff to support this work.

Themes:

Cohesive message/identity

  • Coordinate efforts across the Library
  • Strategies for telling our story; focusing on impact
  • Strategies for identifying audiences and targeting messages to those audiences (current and potential library users, donors, community members, students, faculty and staff, international scholars, campus decision makers and partners, funding agencies and other libraries and library professionals)
  • Strategies for marketing across platforms (social media, campus and community news outlets, Library website, etc.)
  • Assessment of marketing efforts and return on investment
  • Need for single channel to publicize events going on across the Library (frequently requested by users,; opportunity to increase visibility)
  • Graphic identity and branding

Support for marketing and outreach efforts in units and across the Library

  • Training and support
  • “Service center” not “command center”
  • Templates for signs, events, etc.
  • Checklist for marketing materials (graphical standards, accessibility, style guides)

Stakeholders (Groups):

All Library staff, especially Strategic Communications and Marketing Committee, Library Advancement, Library Administration

Hiring Plan Impact:

1-2 new hires:  Needs identified include a position to coordinate, assess, develop strategies for and support marketing efforts throughout the Library and for a graphic designer.

Recommendations:

Convene a task force to investigate and make recommendations to inform the November hiring plan.

Adjacencies with other Topical Areas:

  • Experts
  • Master Plan
  • Education & Training
  • Scholarly Communications
  • Support Research Groups
  • Organizational Culture
  • Research Data Services
  • Discovery