We Listened: the Streamlined Programs & Services Guide
by Kurtis Kelly, Estes Valley Library Communications Specialist
As Communications Specialist, I work with the Library staff to publicize the tremendous array of services and programs that happen at the Library, and in turn to listen to your feedback on those services.
In any given week, there is never a shortage of information to share. Instead, the real challenge is: How do we deliver information about Library resources and events in ways that are most convenient and useful for you?
Last year’s Patron Satisfaction Survey, completed by nearly 800 residents, provided valuable insights into that question.
You told us, for instance, that you especially prefer receiving Library news through email. We listened, and we’re continuing to expand our efforts in this area.
You told us that information in the newspaper and on our website is very helpful. We listened, and we’ll continue to keep you up-to-date through these avenues.
You told us that while our previous publication was valuable, it would be more useful in a simpler format. We listened, and last September, we introduced a new format.
Our Programs & Services Guide was re-imagined in a way to make it much easier to browse and identify programs of most interest to you. It’s designed to save you time through its convenient bird’s-eye-view of three months worth of Library happenings. In each issue, the Table of Contents will be focused into several key areas, including: Books & Authors; Kids & Storytimes; Citizenship; Current Affairs; Makerspace; Tech; and Workshops.
We strive to be thoughtful, resourceful and responsible in how we allocate our marketing budget, focusing our energies in ways that are beneficial to you. That goal informed two other changes we made this year.
One—by streamlining our content into these core areas, we can print fewer pages. This has allowed a transition from newsprint toward a concise stapled booklet, while remaining within our existing budget.
Two—based on your feedback, we shifted away from a mass mailing. Instead, the new Programs & Services Guide will be available for pick-up at the Library and at sites around town and around the valley. This yields a major cost savings, while still keeping the guide readily available, maximizing resources and minimizing waste.
The Program & Services Guide, designed to help connect you with the vital information of what’s happening each season at the Library, is funded through the generosity of the Library Friends & Foundation.
The all-new issue in its all-new format will soon be available for pick-up at the Library in print form. We welcome your feedback as we continue to align your information needs with convenient formats that serve you best.