University of Illinois Library Strategic Communications and Marketing for Today’s Library

1. University of Illinois LibraryStrategic Communications and Marketing for Today’s Library Guiding Values Accept nothing less than excellence as our standard. Provide services and content that advance the endeavors of faculty, students, and primary external constituencies both in traditional ways and through new collaborative partnerships. Address the needs and opportunities of diverse and increasingly global, interconnected, constituencies through the services we offer, the scholarly content we make available, the instruction we provide, and our engagement with external communities. Speed the transformation of the current system of scholarly communication to one that advances the distribution of knowledge through more affordable and accessible methods. Protect our users’ rights to privacy and freedom of thought and expression in a free and open society. Create a nimble and adaptive institution.

2. Strategic Communications and Marketing Committee Our purpose is to promote awareness of the Library among users within the University’s academic community and advocate greater recognition for the Library's services, initiatives, and innovations among broader audiences outside of the campus. The Committee develops expertise and assists the various Library units in the marketing of products and services, collaborating with Library faculty and staff to identify relevant marketing messages and strategies.

3. Strategic Communications and Marketing Committee Current Members Scott Schwartz, chair, schwrtzs@illinois.edu Becky Smith, becky@illinois.edu David Griffiths, dngriffi@illinois.edu JoAnn Jacoby, jacoby@illinois.edu Lisa Hinchliffe, ljanicke@illinois.edu Heather Murphy (ex officio)

4. Objectives • Provide greater awareness of and understanding about the Library’s collections, programs, services, and initiatives. • Develop resources, guidelines, and tools for promoting resources and services offered by Library. • Foster a Library-wide team approach (i.e., internal marketing culture) to advance marketing and communications efforts.

5. Strategies • Promote a broad, three-year “discovery” theme To foster greater awareness among target audiences, the first three years of the marketing campaign will promote the Library as a place of discovery. The theme for year one will be “Uncover and Discover.” For years two and three, themes will focus on “Your Bridge to Discovery” and “Discover: Here, Now, and Tomorrow.” The Library-wide campaign theme will provide a unified message for communications and marketing activities.

6. Strategies • Create and make available a “Library-in-a-Box” To enhance Library-wide marketing activities, the committee will develop “Library-in-a-Box” to connect Library units and staff with display items and other resources needed to showcase the Library at various campus, community, and national events. These resources and tools will promote professionalism and consistency in marketing the Library (a feedback form regarding effectiveness will be included).

7. Strategies • Develop promotional literature / materials and purchase giveaways To elevate awareness of the Library at various events and service points, the committee will develop promotional literature and purchase giveaways to consistently promote the “discovery” theme both on and off campus in accordance with campus guidelines.

8. Strategies • Increase advertising in target media outlets To effectively promote the Library, strategic advertising in the following target media outlets will be purchased. This strategy will ensure publicity that promotes the “discovery” theme, properly educates internal and external target audiences, and conveys a clear and positive image of the Library and academic libraries.

9. Strategies • Award annual, competitive marketing grants to Library units To foster an internal marketing culture, the committee will award grants to Library units for proposed marketing activities that incorporate the “discovery” theme. Funds will be awarded based on the results of an bi-annual competition, for which formal award criteria will be identified.

10. Strategies • Create an annual recognition award for Library staff and/or units This strategy will recognize through monetary or non-monetary means those Library units and/or individuals who have demonstrated creativity and efficacy in marketing activities that incorporate the “discovery” theme. Funds will be awarded regardless of the receipt of annual marketing grants (identified in Strategy Five); rather, the SCMC will select awardees based on guidelines and/or criteria yet to be established.

11. Explanation of Strategic Communications and Marketing Committee Grant Request Form David Griffiths

12. Examples of Possible Giveaways with themessage:University of Illinois LibraryUncover and Discover

13. Examples of Possible Giveaways with themessage:University of Illinois LibraryUncover and Discover

14. Examples of Possible Giveaways with themessage:University of Illinois LibraryUncover and Discover

15. Strategic Communications and Marketing Committee website http://www.library.uiuc.edu/committee/strategic/