Metro Pop-Up Spots
Submitted by kiley.ingram on Tue, 07/12/2016 - 10:10
Type of Pilot Project:
Public Service
Describe Project and Impact:
We will bring temporary pop-up libraries to locations throughout the community in order to reach underserved populations and attract new members.
Project Description and Expected Outcomes:
Staff will visit a variety of locations to set up Metro Pop-Up Spots: temporary libraries. The Metro Pop-Up Spot would include materials available to check out, iPads to allow customers to access digital materials and resources, a mobile hotspot to provide wifi for visitors, and staff available to sign up new members and check out materials using CarlConnect, provide reference and tech assistance, and lead storytimes and other programs.
Locations for Pop-Up Spot visits include, but are not limited to: housing developments, community centers, after-school programs, food truck events, farmer’s markets.
We have begun this project in the Community Libraries’ service areas, focusing primarily on Spencer (near Nicoma Park) and the neighborhoods and schools surrounding Wright. If the project proves to be successful, we plan to expand our reach throughout the Central Region, beginning in the Paseo district.
Materials needed for this project include tents for Pop-Ups at outdoor events and a van to transport materials, as well as technology and furniture, marketing materials, contractual purchases (insurance for the van, wifi data plan for the hotspot), and other consumables.
The expected outcome of the Metro Pop-Up Spots project is to increase market penetration in the Community Libraries’ service areas (and throughout Oklahoma County, upon future expansion of the project). Our goal is to increase new library card sign-ups for the Community Libraries by 20% in the first year of this program.
Why should we select this project?:
If we want to reach our 20-year goal for every member of the community to use a library service, then we need to meet those potential members where they are. Families with limited access to transportation struggle to get to the library, despite interest in our materials and services. We’ve already begun this project at the Community Libraries by taking InterReach to Fred Factory Gardens public housing in Spencer. The families we spoke to there were thrilled to see a library presence in the community, because they are unable to reach our permanent locations.
We at the Community Libraries want to lead the system in InterReach because we feel it is the natural progression for our libraries. We were the Bookmobiles, and our purpose has always been to bring materials and services to the far reaches of Oklahoma County – to identify gaps in our service, and to make the library more accessible to all members of the community. We want to continue this tradition by expanding our services even further, and by developing new, exciting methods for reaching into our communities.
Constraints, Limitations, or Dependencies:
Due to the current small number of traveling staff at the Community Libraries, we would requisition two HT Associate Librarians whose primary responsibilities would be staffing the Metro Pop-Up Spots. We would like to staff the Pop-Up Spots with at least two staff members per visit, so until we can gain additional staff for this purpose, we will be limited in the number of visits we are able to make due to our scheduling needs. Upon expansion throughout the Central Region, we would depend on staff participation at DN and RE.
Source of Inspiration:
Kern County Public Library http://kerncountylibrary.org/popup-goes-library/
Suffolk Public Library http://evancedsolutions.com/popularizing-pop-up-libraries/
Houston Public Library http://houstonlibrary.org/get-involved/community-engagement/pop-library
Partner/Supporting Departments:
Marketing
Performance Indicators:
Market Penetration
Environment:
Extra-Library
Relationship:
Spark
Experience:
InterReach
Cluster:
New Members
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