Outreach Services Assessment Paper

For my management class I had to write an assessment of a couple of library outreach services. Here is the assignment criteria:

In this assignment, you will begin by conducting field research (through on-site visits to libraries, searching library websites, and/or interviewing librarians) and identify two or three examples of effective outreach services. In a paper of no more than 5 pages, you will describe each service and explain how you believe it is part of an effective marketing plan, identify the user group to which it is directed, and reference the elements of marketing plan as defined by Kendrick (see next paragraph) or draw on your other readings on this topic. If the Determine if the library uses social media or other technologies in its outreach – if so, what and how? Do not use a library, information center, special collection, or archive where you work. 

Kendrick defined an effective marketing plan as a plan that “will identify what drives users and build products and services around their needs; enable a highly differentiated service, not ‘one size fits all’; create value and inspiration to use the library; and do all this with as little cost as possible. It will provide a process to ensure maximum use of the public libraries by the public, attract non-users and develop loyalty behaviors in existing users, and will clearly influence attitudes towards the library—our ‘offer’ as the best, the winning offer (in terms of use of time) in the scramble for their attention.” (Kendrick, T. (2006). Developing strategic marketing plans that really work: A toolkit for public libraries. (London: Facet, 2006), 9.)

I choose to write about the Bibliocycle and bWell outreach services at the Boston Public Library. Here is my paper.

 Outreach Services Assessment Paper

Marketing Assessment Assignment

I am taking a summer management class -- "Management of Information Centers and Libraries". My current assignment is to examine marketing materials from a public library. These items have to be related to some type of outreach service -- loosely defined. During my trip to Boston to attend the 2015 SLA Conference I took time to visit the Boston Public Library. I found the following items to use for my assignment. Each of these items also has a Web surrogate so they exist both physically and digitally.

The Boston Library Overview

This item is a small booklet that describes the strategic plan of the Boston Public Library (BPL). Sized at approximately 4" x 4.25" and 30 pages. It provides a basic overview of the Boston Public Library, its services, and a high level listing of the BPLs' strategic plan.

The strategic plan is set of eight principles for "excellence" that help guide the BPL:

1. User-Centered Institution
2. Community Gathering
3. Special Collections
4. Center of Knowledge
5. Children and Teens
6. Access and Innovation
7. Sustainable Organization
8. Fun

Author Talks February - June 2015

Boston Public Library Copley Square author talks feature a wide range of talented writers. Hear authors read from their books, purchase a copy, get it signed, and learn about the creative process that gets such magnificent stories told

Norman B. Leventhal Map Center Card (Front)

The Leventhal Map Center, located in the Boston Public Library's McKim Building in Copley Square, is a place to explore history, geography and world events through their collection of maps dating from the 15th century to the present. Collection includes over 200,000 maps, and 5,000 atlases. It ranked among the top 10 in the US for the size of the collection, the significance of its historic materials and its advanced digitization program.

Concerts in the Courtyard

The courtyard of the Central Library in Copley Square is filled with music during these one-hour concerts throughout the summer. Music spectrum ranges from classical to jazz and from world to folk.
Wednesdays at 6pm and Fridays at 12:30 pm. Free to all.
www.bpl.org/concerts

Outreach Services

I also identified three actual outreach services that will discuss. The Bibliocycle, BWell, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Program.

Bibliocycle

Boston Public Library partnered with Boston Bikes to create the Bibliocycle – a bike and book trailer – to take to farmer’s markets, fairs, and other community events throughout the city. Massachusetts residents can sign up for a Boston Public Library card, borrow books, see demonstrations of the library’s digital resources, and more when the Bibliocycle visits.
Learn more about the BPL Bibliocycle
Three important things to know about the Boston Public Library Bibliocycle:

1. Bibliocycle checkout is limited to 10 items per patron per event.
2. Large quantities of items cannot be returned to the Bibliocycle. If you have many items to return, please visit a Boston Public Library location. View an interactive map of locations.
3. Fines cannot be paid at the Bibliocycle. Fines must be paid at a Boston Public Library location.

Request a Bibliocycle Visit
Show/Hide the schedule of upcoming Bibliocycle visits

bWell Center

Boston Medical Center's (BMC) bWell Center provides an innovative approach to educating and supporting families of the Boston Medical Center pediatrics department. Boston Public Library partners with the center to regularly bring books for check-out to the bWell Center that focus on health and wellness. These books can be returned onsite or to any BPL location in the city. The library also provides library card registration each month to families at the bWell Center as well as information about different library services and programs.

Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children

Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the health and safety of children through direct services to children and families and public advocacy on their behalf. A Boston Public Library children’s librarian provides monthly visits to MSPCC and brings a book deposit, offers story times, and promotes BPL services and programs.

I believe I have selected some great items for this assignment. Not I have to get to work on it.