Keeping Garland County Library Relevant
Garland County Library faces the same threat that libraries – and so many other historical institutions– across the world face. How do you stay relevant in the digital age? How do you remain a valued place in your community?
The library, located in Hot Springs, Ark., is now well-used and boasts a loyal clientele. But, library director John Wells worries about what happens in the future as younger persons fail to regard the library as a destination.
Garland County Library seems to be moving in the right direction but director Wells felt strongly the need for an objective assessment. He wante to make sure that the actions the library was taking were indeed ones that would keep the library relevant. If they were not, he was determined to find out what would.
After initial conversations with Wells and members of his staff, we performed a communications audit. Then we designed a series of focus groups to assess what residents knew and liked about the library, and hoped to get from it. The first focus group engaged frequent library users; the second, persons who seldom or never visited the library; and the third, staff.
The findings were presented to a group of library and community leaders to focus on a plan of action. The resulting suggestions fell into three main categories: branding and awareness, facility improvements, and redesigned website.
February 5, 2015
Branding, Digital Communication, Outdoor, Photography, Print, Radio, TV, Web