Comments on: Rebranding Your Library http://acrlog.org/2006/01/23/rebranding-your-library/ Blogging by and for academic and research librarians Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:32:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Barbara Fister http://acrlog.org/2006/01/23/rebranding-your-library/comment-page-1/#comment-624 Barbara Fister Thu, 26 Jan 2006 18:47:40 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/?p=154#comment-624 Except those connoiseurs of crabbiness. (Are there any?) Seriously, the choice of coffee vendors just had never occured to me. Starbucks would appeal to a different group than, say, MacDonalds or Tim Horton's and people who can't afford a three buck coffee confection may (?) read significance into its being hosted by the library and feel as if they're entering some boutique cultural space that doesn't have them in mind. I'm not advocating for MacDough or Starsky's, mind you ... though lightening up about food and drink policies is something I do think is important to making libraries hospitable. It's a little easier in an academic library than in a public one to decide what would appeal. Just ask the students. Except those connoiseurs of crabbiness. (Are there any?)

Seriously, the choice of coffee vendors just had never occured to me. Starbucks would appeal to a different group than, say, MacDonalds or Tim Horton’s and people who can’t afford a three buck coffee confection may (?) read significance into its being hosted by the library and feel as if they’re entering some boutique cultural space that doesn’t have them in mind.

I’m not advocating for MacDough or Starsky’s, mind you … though lightening up about food and drink policies is something I do think is important to making libraries hospitable.

It’s a little easier in an academic library than in a public one to decide what would appeal. Just ask the students.

]]> By: Alane Wilson, OCLC http://acrlog.org/2006/01/23/rebranding-your-library/comment-page-1/#comment-613 Alane Wilson, OCLC Wed, 25 Jan 2006 15:10:24 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/?p=154#comment-613 Whoops...sorry. Hit a button way too quickly....as I was saying...makes a good point about being aware of alienating people when redesigning library spaces. Mind you, not doing anything is just as likely to please no one. And I am reminded of some not so successful rebranding exercises: Cadillac, for example. In an attempt to draw in a younger buyer, the successful brand that appealed to an older buyer became a hybrid that appealed to neither. I can't imagine that comfortable, well-lit, pleasant, easy-to-navigate spaces with friendly staff would alienate anyone. Whoops…sorry. Hit a button way too quickly….as I was saying…makes a good point about being aware of alienating people when redesigning library spaces. Mind you, not doing anything is just as likely to please no one. And I am reminded of some not so successful rebranding exercises: Cadillac, for example. In an attempt to draw in a younger buyer, the successful brand that appealed to an older buyer became a hybrid that appealed to neither.

I can’t imagine that comfortable, well-lit, pleasant, easy-to-navigate spaces with friendly staff would alienate anyone.

]]> By: Alane Wilson, OCLC http://acrlog.org/2006/01/23/rebranding-your-library/comment-page-1/#comment-612 Alane Wilson, OCLC Wed, 25 Jan 2006 15:05:19 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/?p=154#comment-612 Goodness, I hardly ever leave comments on blogs and here I am again! Barbara makes a good point about Goodness, I hardly ever leave comments on blogs and here I am again! Barbara makes a good point about

]]> By: Barbara Fister http://acrlog.org/2006/01/23/rebranding-your-library/comment-page-1/#comment-557 Barbara Fister Mon, 23 Jan 2006 15:11:06 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/?p=154#comment-557 One thing we need to bear in mind as we "rebrand" is that if we adopt a particular look, feel, experience we run the risk of alienating those who don't relate well to that refurbished brand. I recently read a fascinating facinating article comparing user behavior in public libraries versus large bookstores. (Mckechnie, Lynne, et al. "Covered Beverages Now Allowed: Public Libraries and Book Superstores." Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences 28.3 (2004): 39-51.) Among the interesting findings was that there was a far more diverse population using the public library than the bookstore, the coffee they brought in was not pricey Starbucks, but rather from a fast food outlet (since it was Canada, it was from Timmy's, not MickyD's) and they seemed to be both more relaxed in their interactions with each other (greater sense of ownership of the space) and more likely to speak to staff. And over 60% of people observed left the library with books compared to 16% leaving the bookstore. (Of course, there is a price differential at work - but still, I was impressed.) Anyway, a note I made to self for my academic library - make sure that a new brand, whether going for a "sacred space" look or an upscale shopping mall look, or high tech, doesn't inadvertantly signal to some "this isn't your place." We need particularly to pay attention to those who already may feel marginalized or irrelevant when they try to use the library. Frankly, I'm less worried about how the library feels than how our users (and potential users) feel. One thing we need to bear in mind as we “rebrand” is that if we adopt a particular look, feel, experience we run the risk of alienating those who don’t relate well to that refurbished brand.

I recently read a fascinating facinating article comparing user behavior in public libraries versus large bookstores. (Mckechnie, Lynne, et al. “Covered Beverages Now Allowed: Public Libraries and Book Superstores.” Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences 28.3 (2004): 39-51.) Among the interesting findings was that there was a far more diverse population using the public library than the bookstore, the coffee they brought in was not pricey Starbucks, but rather from a fast food outlet (since it was Canada, it was from Timmy’s, not MickyD’s) and they seemed to be both more relaxed in their interactions with each other (greater sense of ownership of the space) and more likely to speak to staff. And over 60% of people observed left the library with books compared to 16% leaving the bookstore. (Of course, there is a price differential at work – but still, I was impressed.)

Anyway, a note I made to self for my academic library – make sure that a new brand, whether going for a “sacred space” look or an upscale shopping mall look, or high tech, doesn’t inadvertantly signal to some “this isn’t your place.” We need particularly to pay attention to those who already may feel marginalized or irrelevant when they try to use the library.

Frankly, I’m less worried about how the library feels than how our users (and potential users) feel.

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