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**AN AWARD-WINNING LIBRARY MARKETING CAMPAIGN!**

Slideshow




Background

Over the summer, library staff reviewed results of the LibQUAL+ survey.** Three items jumped out as “Red Flag” concerns: 1) Modern Equipment; 2) Quiet Space; and 3) Space that inspires study and learning.

Since two of these items fell under the "Library As Place" category, staff developed a marketing campaign entitled Meet Me @ McQuade, which highlights the library as a place to conduct research, study, and learn. A committee of library staff members was formed to develop and implement a marketing plan to guide this campaign.

To improve the physical space, the library staff worked on modest improvements that will help in the short-term:

Defined quiet and group study zones throughout the library
Painted walls to brighten study areas
Rearranged furniture to create comfortable locations and purchased new modular furniture
Improved signage
Created new group study room on lower level
Fixed auditorium leaks and retiled the floor
Improved lobby space (new book displays, new benches providing additional seating)

These improvements, in tandem with a strong marketing campaign, will encourage more Merrimack College community members to meet us @ McQuade and utilize library services and resources.

** Financial assistance for this special project was made possible with Federal Funds from the Institute on Museum and Library Services administered through the Massachusetts Board of Library Comissioners (MBLC).

Marketing Campaign 2006-2007

Key Message

Meet Me @ McQuade
McQuade Library is a space that inspires teaching and learning - it is an inviting, comfortable place to do research, relax, converse with others, work collaboratively or study in solitude.

Strategies

How are we delivering this message?

Meet Me @ McQuade Logo
The Library Marketing Committee enlisted the help of Kevin Salemme, Director of Media Instructional Services, and together created a simple, sharp black and white logo. This logo appears on all McQuade promotional materials (such as library mugs, posters, t-shirts, and fliers).

Meet Me @ McQuade Poster Series
This black and white poster series is inspired by American Express' '"My Card, My Life" Campaign advertisements.

Each poster features a student studying in McQuade library and highlights personal tidbits such as their favorite class, favorite book, and more.

Jen Salamone '07, a McQuade Library student worker, came up with the idea for this poster series during a student focus group.

These posters are created by Kevin Salemme, Director of Media Instructional Services.

These framed posters are prominently displayed in the library lobby. They are also posted in the Student Center, residence halls, and various academic buildings on campus.

Social Nights

Social nights, held in McQuade Library Art Gallery, encourage students to take a break from studying and relax and socialize in the library. Library staff members provide sweets and a variety of home-baked goods, while Sodexho provides hot chocolate, tea, and coffee. The first 50 students who attend receive Meet Me @ McQuade mugs.

Game Nights

Game nights provide students with the opportunity to test their knowledge and compete against each other for library prizes. These games are held in the Alden Electronic Classroom on the third floor of the Library and incorporate elements of information literacy. For example, during Jeopardy night, some of the categories were Research Basics and Library Services in addition to popular culture questions. Prizes include campaign promotional materials. Former participants have even become celebrities on our posters!

Meet Us in Facebook

We kicked off the campaign by creating a friendly facebook account for McQuade and we targeted the "newbies" (Class of 2010 students), inviting them to be "friends" with the library. We had over 400 students connect with McQuade in Facebook. These students were able to access our website and IM reference service directly from our Facebook page. This account has evolved into the Meet Me @ McQuade Group on facebook. If you have a facebook account, please consider joining this group to be notified of upcoming library events!

Contests that Build Community

This campaign includes several contests. M&M contests encourage community members to stop by the circulation desk, guess how many M&M's are in a jar, and interact with staff members. Students who fill out various quick quizzes (with themes such as Hawaiian Trivia or International Students Week trivia) are eligible for library prizes. This winter, students were challenged to create their own poster promoting the library. The winning poster was printed and distributed across campus. Rules can be found here.

Campaign Website

This web page serves as a clearinghouse for information related to Merrimack College's Meet Me @ McQuade library marketing campaign. All McQuade library staff members included this URL on their outgoing email signatures, further promoting our message.

For more information about this campaign, please email Lyena Chavez.

Marketing committee members include Christina Condon, Head of Circulation and Joseph St. Germain, Evening Circulation Supervisor.

Schedule of Events

Fall Semester 06'

Midterms Social Night - Tuesday, October 16th, 2006 @ 6:30 PM

Finals Social Night - Monday, December 11th @ 6:30 PM

JEOPARDY! Night - Tuesday, November 14th @ 7:00 PM

Spring Semester 07'

Valentine Social Night - Monday, February 12th, 2007@ 6:30 PM

Social Night -- Tuesday, March 6th, 2007 @ 6:30 PM

Hawaiian Social -- Monday, May 7th, 2007 ALL DAY

For more information, email us at merref@noblenet.org
**Meet Me @ McQuade Campaign wins MLA PR Award!**


McQuade Library recently won two prestigious Massachusetts Library Association (MLA)* Public Relations Awards, which recognize and honor outstanding achievement in library public relations. McQuade Library received 1st prize in the “Coordinated Advocacy Campaign” area and also won the “Best in Show” prize during the MLA’s 17th Annual Conference in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. All entries were judged by graphic design, public relations, media, library, and advertising professionals. Evaluation criteria included graphic design, originality, and presentation. Over 85 entries were submitted from Massachusetts libraries of all types (academic, school, and special).

Circulation Supervisor Chris Condon notes, “The impressive number of students using the library this year, as well as the high turnout at library events, clearly reflects the effectiveness of our Meet Me @ McQuade campaign, as well as the notion that McQuade is an exciting place on campus. We’re honored to have received this recognition from MLA and will continue our marketing efforts next year.”

Below are a few comments from MLA judges:

-"It's excellent that this campaign was in response to a user survey and directly addresses users."
-"Met the goals as practically and inexpensively as possible."
-"I applaud your campaign to let students know what the library has to offer. The posters are great!"
-"Your results speak for your success!"

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*The Massachusetts Library Association advocates for libraries, librarians, and library staff, defends intellectual freedom, and provides a forum for leadership, communication, professional development, and networking to keep libraries vital. MLA has been working for libraries for over 100 years with over 1,000 members in the Commonwealth. For more information see www.masslib.org.
Campaign Featured at LibQUAL+ Share Fair

LibQUAL+, a user-based library assessment survey, was a catalyst to creating this dynamic marketing campaign.

Merrimack College's McQuade Library was represented at the 2007 LibQUAL+ Share Fair at the ALA Annual Conference held in Washington DC. Many librarians visited us at our display and learned how we used our LibQual+ results to develop a student-centered, successful marketing campaign.

Share Fair Handout (word document)

We enourage other academic libraries to bring the LibQual+ experience to marketing & build a responsive campaign that truly listens to and trusts users. Good luck!