Monday 19 August 2013 Ashfield Library 10am-12pm

Apologies: Jan Richards (Central West), Carolyn Bourke (Fairfield), Robyn Owens (Bankstown), Catherine Buddin (Pittwater), Rosemary Lown (Kuringai), Merilyn Hills (Horsnby), Linda Heald (Kogarah), Tanya Ho ( Marrickville) Attendance: Therese Scott (Ashfield), Barbara Todes (Randwick), Maureen Brecknell (Lithgow), Sam Weir (Waverley), Cameron Morley (SLNSW), Joyce Azzopardi (SLNSW), Philippa Scarf (SLNSW), Kellie Husband (Liverpool), Melissa Schriever (Liverpool), Helen Kassidis (Burwood), Paula Pfoeffer (Canterbury), Kathleen Allen (Hornsby), Maria Allue (Manly), Shoba Abraham (Kuring gai), Emma Suyasa (Ashfield), Mark Norman (Rockdale), Christine Howard (Randwick), Liz Parker (Willoughby), Meg Dunworth (Willoughby), Corinna Pierce (Woolhara), Angie Morris (Woolhara), Ben Chan (Auburn), Gillian Wilson (Lake Macquarie), Adrianna Demmocks (Blue Mountains)

AGENDA

1. WELCOME TO ASHFIELD LIBRARY (THERESE)

2. STATE LIBRARY UPDATE (CAMERON) Cameron Morley suggested the Marketing Group proposal to promote online resources to the August 23 MPLA meeting. Explaining the idea to all Metro managers would be helpful. SLNSW happy to fund the Jess Squires workshop. There is great potential for a statewide project on promoting online resources. Joyce Azzopardi spoke of the Libraries Act! Card project which Randwick and Great Lakes are taking part in. We feel we can leverage off this project with promoting online resources. The Libraries Act! Card initiative managed by the State Library of New South Wales, aims to extend access to the State Library's eResources to all NSW residents. Instead of signing up for a State Library membership card, public library clients will be able to use their existing membership cards to gain access to these resources remotely.

A six month pilot will be undertaken at Randwick and Great Lakes Libraries commencing in October. The pilots will be launched by the State Librarian and respective Mayors of both Councils on 9 and 10 October 2013. The State Library's marketing team is currently developing promotional material for the launches.

Following successful pilots, the initiative will be rolled out to all public libraries from November 2014 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Library Act 1939.

3. UPDATE ON PROGRESS OF THE MARKETING GROUP (BARBARA)

• Brief outline of the new direction of the Marketing Group since meeting for the first time in May at Randwick Library, which about 10 people attended.
• At this meeting the group decided that we would like to develop a state-wide marketing campaign aimed at changing the overall perception of public libraries.
• Mindful of budget – and time-poor public libraries – we decided that we would like it to be relatively simple – preferably using social media/online resources.
• Previous ‘grassroots’ campaigns such as ‘Garage Sale Trail’ and ‘Compost Revolution’ initiatives were cited as examples of ‘ground up’, community-led campaigns which effectively used social media/online networking together with more traditional forms of advertising to engage communities and bring them together under a shared ‘call to arms’.
• To keep any resulting marketing campaign ‘workable’ for public libraries – i.e. not too resource or staff intensive – we discussed the idea of securing someone to help us develop a grass roots campaign strategy that could be easily rolled out across the state.
• A working group was set up comprising the ten people who had attended the marketing meeting to ensure that momentum wasn’t lost and that we could make progress before reporting back to today’s marketing meeting.
• Randwick Online Marketing Plan - copies of what Randwick has done to get kids aware of online resources via a quiz.

4. EXAMPLE OF GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGNS (BARBARA/THERESE) A fun look at the way that social media/online tools can be used to develop fun campaigns that promote a key message in a fun and tongue-in-cheek way – Dumb Ways to Die clip http://geekthelibrary.org

5. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT (SAM)

• Getting help developing a strategy – need specialist skills and ‘fresh eyes’.
• Republic of Everyone (social media strategists) and Goody Two Shoes.
• Goody Two Shoes has been involved in grassroots campaigns like ‘Grow it Local’, ‘Compost Revolution’ and ‘Vote Smart’ – see www.goodytwoshoes.net.au, www.facebook.com/Goody2S
• They are used to working with clients who “do things on the small of a crunchy muesli bar” (!); their skill lies in helping clients come up with campaigns to help build communities of supporters surrounding an event, campaign or brand and teaching people within an organisation/group how to manage their own communities, create online content and be more effective with resources.
• One of their other skills lies in helping clients get in touch and build relationships with other people/groups to partner and collaborate with.
• Jess from Goody Two Shoes has provided us with a project scope/quote which includes convening an insight gathering and strategy development workshop (maximum 15 people); presentation of the strategy to the broader PLN Marketing Group Network incl. tactic and strategy development; and subsequently delivering a broader workshop (around 25 people) on how to deliver the strategies/tools identified in any strategy we develop.
• After meetings with Cameron, the State Library may be interested in exploring the synergies between this project and their ‘One Card’ campaign and may consider putting some money and/or marketing resources towards this project idea.
• Joint Metro and Country libraries are also looking at a campaign to increase library funding and this can tie in at a grassroots level.

6. DEVELOPING THE BRIEF (SAM)

• At today’s meeting we wanted to confirm with the larger marketing group that we are on the right track with this proposal and that the group is happy for us to proceed. Want to take expressions of interest today for people to be part of a working group on this proposal.
• Mark Norman mentioned that the role of country libraries is important. We want to make sure that city and country libraries are part of it. Whatever we produce should be easy for all libraries to replicate. Jan Richards and Chris Jones can take the proposal to their groups.

• To give Jess a clearer brief, the group met again in June to workshop what type of marketing campaign we would like her to help us develop – the objectives, target audiences, key messages and strategies. • This is what we developed: Outcomes sought 1. Increase in overall membership – both online membership and ‘in person’ Library membership. 2. Increase in awareness and usage of libraries’ varied online and e-resources, including 24/7 access to databases, e-books, e-zines and other applications. 3. Awareness of how public libraries have changed in terms of their services, outlook and community functions. Behavioural change sought 1. We would like people to think of libraries and all that they have to offer at the beginning of their thought processes about accessing information and services, be they traditional or electronic. 2. We would like people to use our online and e-resources more and to understand the value of our free, online services – most of which are available 24/7 and can be accessed from the comfort of people’s own homes – and to use them in greater numbers. 3. We would like libraries to offer more online membership and for people to become online members in greater numbers. Target age group The group felt that libraries already catered well to people with young families, seniors and children/tweens. Therefore, the group we would like to target with our marketing campaign is 20-45-year-olds.We would like people in this age group to learn that libraries are… • … not daggy • … free to join and full of free stuff – incl digital, online, WiFi • … 24/7 resouces • … near you • … for everyone • … full of hidden gems • … convenient

Strategies The group felt that the purpose of the wider campaign development workshop we would like to hold with Jess Miller would be to develop the strategies we can use to obtain our objectives and desired behavioural change. This workshop would help us refine our overall campaign objectives and develop strategies and tools that can be translated into an achievable and affordable, but hopefully high-impact campaign. Communication channels We felt that we would like to develop a campaign that is: 1. Quirky, interesting, grass roots/ground up 2. A film clip or advertisement that is generated by the community in some way and promoted via YouTube and/or other online and social media channels.

7. OUTCOMES SOUGHT TODAY • Are we on the right track with developing a grassroots marketing strategy and learning how to use social media/online tools to support this campaign? • Is the group happy to proceed with Jess Miller from Goody Two Shoes as the consultant? • Are we heading in the right direction with our strategy development work so far (i.e. age group focusing on and key messages?) • Who would like to be involved in campaign development? And at what level – i.e. part of working group, campaign development, initial strategy development workshop (bearing in mind limited numbers), roll-out, overall coordination. • Would anticipate working group meeting monthly and being available via email/wiki to provide regular input on strategy/campaign development with regular reporting back to the wider group.

The outcomes sought were wholeheartedly endorsed by the group. It was also suggested that we work with our own Communications Units as well as library staff, Council staff to get them all on board. This is a great opportunity for MPLA to become involved. After the strategy workshop with Jess Squires we will have more of an idea about the timeframe for implementation. By 3 months we should have a plan together to initiate the proposal. We need to build momentum and have buy in from all groups to get the campaign going. From this meeting the following people expressed interest in being part of these three groups: Those who asked to receive regular email/online updates about progress of the campaign:

Therese Scott, Ashfield Angie Morris, Woollahra Helen Kassidis, Burwood Gillian Wilson, Lake Macquarie Liz Parker, Willoughby Meg Dunworth, Willoughby Kathleen Allen, Hornsby Ben Chen, Auburn Pamela Davis, Auburn Adrianna Demmocks, Blue Mountains Maria Allue, Manly Kellie Husband, Liverpool

Those who nominated to be part of the strategy development working group (a sub-group of the broader PLN Marketing Group) expected to meet/collaborate about the project monthly:

Therese Scott, Ashfield Angie Morris, Woollahra Helen Kassidis, Burwood Liz Parker, Willoughby Kathleen Allen, Hornsby Adrianna Demmocks, Blue Mountains Maria Allue, Manly Kellie Husband, Liverpool Paul Pfoeffer, Canterbury Christine Howard, Randwick Barbara Todes, Randwick Maya Mausli, Randwick Sam Weir, Waverley Merilyn Hills, Hornsby Karen Mitchell, Lane Cove Those who are part of the strategy development workshop with consultant, Jess Miller:

Therese Scott, Ashfield Kathleen Allen, Hornsby Adrianna Demmocks, Blue Mountains Maria Allue, Manly Kellie Husband, Liverpool Paul Pfoeffer, Canterbury Barbara Todes, Randwick Christine Howard, Randwick Maya Mausli, Randwick Philippa Scarf, State Library NSW Sam Weir, Waverley Merilyn Hills, Hornsby Karen Mitchell, Lane Cove

The group undertook a brainstorming session on Internal Groups to target: State Library, Local Councils (Councillors), Council staff, library staff, Communications staff : we need to find champions from these groups. As a group we need to work on all of our connections. More suggestions: Tap into the existing groups from NYR and @your library campaigns; SSROC groups; MPLA meeting: Other PLN working groups: Library Youth groups to help produce final material; Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre; Country Libraries: package of info available to library managers to encourage participation.

Randwick Library have tried to promote their online resources with a great handout ‘online treasure hunt for kids’.

Meeting concluded 12pm

Next Quarterly Marketing Meeting TBC