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project description of story- and data-driven qualitative brand audit/market research for public libraries seeking to demonstrate ROI to their stakeholders via innovative community sentiment/insight mapping techniques
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DATE CLIENT STRATFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY
go public!methodology | sentiment | insight | data visualizations | social media | brand
FEBRUARY 16 2012
the library has no walls
mapping the next library
scope
In October 2010, the Stratford Public Library won a $31,000 CSIF grant to undertake a new kind of strategic planning process: one driven by the community stakeholders, in their own words, telling their own stories.
This simple concept meant the community itself would co-create answers to the myriad questions about the future of the library: bottom up, not top down...predicated on the concept that ‘we’ is smarter than ‘me.’
This report details the process, its results and the prospects for a future library in Stratford.
The project had four distinct aspects:
a community ‘visioning’ town hall, filmed and transcribed to capture key sequences to inspire
stakeholder conversations twelve ‘community collaboration’ sessions, each with a distinct sub-community, inspired by film clips from the
‘visioning’ sessiona community outreach comprised of a ‘wordle’ poll and
‘coffee catcher’ sessionsa social media program to index all local results against ‘new library’ research and commentaries on the Internet
This presentation examines the rich
qualitative data from the community co-creative
sessions, expressed not in numbers but visualized as
a ‘pattern language.’
Instead of filling out a form or writing a prepared ‘mission statement,’ stakeholders were asked to share stories...their stories about the library.
Their shared stories comprise Stratford’s ‘collective intelligence’ around the idea of ‘library.’
methodology
Rarely polled stakeholder communities like at-risk youth, small business and the nonprofit faith/service sector participated.
First, the numbers.
1 visioning session12 community collaboration sessions13 different constituencies reached (including three youth subgroups)59% female 41% male
In the co-creative sessions alone, over 150 different themes emerged from thousands of human interactions amongst some 125 engaged people
over 18 hours of conversations recorded and mapped
Hundreds of conversational ‘turning points’ emerged, which identified dozens of possible solutions.
We listened. Profoundly.
These shared community stories sparked conversations, rich in sentiment (how people feel about a topic) and insight (precise intuition about a topic).
How did we inspire these conversations?
First, we designed a welcoming, intimate setting to relax the participants. (Details like lighting and music were key considerations).
Using film clips (from the October ‘visioning’ townhall and YouTube) and a simple word game, we launched conversations revealing story threads about ...
...the ‘once and future’ library.
And then got the heck out of the way.
The result? Laughter, frustration, nostalgia, reflection, real live argument: a rich window on participants’ past experience and future expectations of the library.
It was intense: participants were amazed that their time together went so quickly.
The shared stories were recorded live and mapped simultaneously.
The conversations were recorded and annotated by LiveScribe® digital audio pens and live-mapped by Compendium.
At each and every session, we noted a strong sense from participants that ‘great session: we’ve been heard.’
We then identified hidden patterns in the texts generated by the maps and LiveScribe notes.
Once Compendium captured key conversational ‘turning points,’ we confirmed the emotional triggers sparking co-creativity.
snapshot of 2mins of conversation from ‘arts/culture’ co-creation session re role of librarians
‘turning point’
‘turning point’
‘turning point’
The LiveScribe interactive maps benchmarked key comments, in context, against the session’s actual audio recording.
snapshot of 22mins of LiveScribe conversation
from ‘youth #1’ co-creation session
re future of librarians
The conversation maps were analyzed for context and topic frequency.
German ‘concordancer’ freeware called TextStat analyzed term frequency and context.
theme in contextsample query string
libraryaccess healthcare
information
And ‘hotspots’—where the conversations sparked new ideas—were identified and classified.
Seven story themes emerged.
These themes naturally segment how people think about libraries.
PLACE/SPACECULTURESELFCOMMUNITY
‘THE UNQUIET LIBRARIAN’*
RESOURCESTECHNOLOGY
CONVERSATIONAL THEMES
*active, visible, noise-tolerant, available ‘human search engine’
Thematic responses were mapped against seven modes of interactivity (q+a styles) around the table.
Those q+a styles pinpoint seven ways two people resolve ambiguity in the course of a conversation.
The results yield data weighted for ‘mention frequency’ (from TextStat) within the seven themes.
Then we mapped the styles against the themes, uncovering hidden patterns.
...but expressed via icon sets, with icon size proportional to frequency-of-mention weight
Here’s a prototype datavisualization.
iPads
salon
comfy chairs
youth ‘ambassadors’
media commons
community hub/‘living room’
better marketing/branding
icon size directly proportional to mention frequency
The relationship between participant interactivity
and story created rich sentiment and insight
data, in context.
sentiment measures the aspirational—what we feel in expectation
insight measures the experiential—what we actually experience
And here’s what they said, thought, and want: the aspirations of a community exploring their future library.
sentiment
There’s tremendous power in naming concepts. If you can name a concept, you can advocate for it or refine it...and demand it.
Plus, if we know which topics arise in which context, we have a powerful predictive basis for think about the future.
Sentiment analysis is key to this naming process: what triggers participants’ feelings about the library?
Sentiment incites people to actually do something.
Sentiment segmented into three categories.
passions: ‘hot’ beliefs not likely to change
passions include> inspiring architecture> ‘quiet’ v. ‘community zones’> library = community ‘living room’ (comfy chairs)
more passions> libraries must curate huge information flows, especially community data> books are beautiful
passions
give us more useful community data!
kill overdues, dude!
we want activist librarians who show us stuff
software classes +> Photoshop + FinalCutPro + Illustrator!
where’s the WOW FACTOR?
help at-risk patrons inclusively
They’re not negotiable sentiments.
paradoxes: discoveries that contradict received wisdom
Paradoxes contradict received wisdom.
Key paradoxes include> youth prefer traditional human library services> seniors prefer evolving core library services, as long as access is good
paradoxes
you’ve got all this data...and no business librarian? huh?
I’m 15 and I want an old fashioned librarian!
I’m 72 and I want digital knowhow now!OK: show me something I can’t get at home!
why’s it so hard to promote wonderful “free stuff”?
‘Pick ‘ems’: ‘cool’ beliefs that are negotiable
‘Pick ‘ems’ include > hyperlocal databases to explore local history and business research > sharing ‘leads’ for new discoveries
pick ‘ems
new building or Carnegie?
green/LEED yes...but lots of parking too?
love a café...but will it fly with downtown merchants?
coordinate community events planning?
can we have iPads instead of desktop computers?
can I work off my fines with volunteer work?
do we hafta call it a library?
sentiment data maps(from seven themes)
COMMUNITY @ LIBRARY
great library +> attract new talent to Stratford
economic generator!
transport hub for teens, seniors
deep, rich shared community experiences
optimize library resources via savvy community partnerships
SELF @ LIBRARY
libraries spark all forms of creativity
share story/life experiences with others
libraries cross generations
data isn’t everything—human connection is
‘give me context!’
CULTURE @ LIBRARY
gathering place / opposite of ‘outreach’
culture to people ‘where they are’
‘club hub’
‘bring people together’
film nights!
more curated lecture series
balance technology + human
don’t forget Festival tourists
PLACE/SPACE @ LIBRARY
‘zoned space’+> a salon for everybody, quiet or noisy
comfy chairs (huge!)
critical to downtown vitalitydigital café!
‘NO WALLS’/seamless service
‘third space’ for busy families
secure/safe/accessible
a beautiful building at the centre of community: inspire us!
performing arts/visual arts space
TECHNOLOGY @LIBRARY
digital media lab for tweens/teens...everybody!
community media commons
games = learning
‘gimme a complete search experience—live and online!’
teach us software, not hardware!
‘can you publish my book, please?’
RESOURCES @LIBRARY
better fine/hold system
volunteer book delivery
free database access: who knew?
smarter web experience
curate community data please!
market library resources better NOW!
less shelf space...more study space
university-grade texts!
showcase local business stories
more arts events in-house +> dance theatre poetry
‘THE UNQUIET LIBRARIAN’
GO TO THE COMMUNITY!
specialty branches?
get out from behind that desk!
give teens more responsibility (brand ambassadors)
teach! learning is marketing!
curate more +> organize less
focus on creativity
insight
Insight measures accurate intuition: we broke insight data down by participating subgroup categories.
All participant data visualizations are generated from the brand
trust
love of books/book experience
relaxation
adventure
‘part of community culture’
connectedness to the world
personal growth
self-confidence
respect for others
concentration
patience
persistence
self-motivation
access
safety
comfort
open space
location
barrier-free
convenient technology
discovery
knowledge
critical thinking
collaborative skills
power of observation
creativity
digital media literacy
seniors
adaptability to change
trust
love of books/book experience
relaxation
adventure
‘part of community culture’
connectedness to the world
personal growth
self-confidence
respect for others
concentration
patience
persistence
self-motivation
access
safety
comfort
open space
location
barrier-free
convenient technology
discovery
knowledge
critical thinking
collaborative skills
power of observation
creativity
digital media literacy
arts/culture
adaptability to change
trust
love of books/book experience
relaxation
adventure
‘part of community culture’
connectedness to the world
personal growth
self-confidence
respect for others
concentration
patience
persistence
self-motivation
access
safety
comfort
open space
location
barrier-free
convenient technology
discovery
knowledge
critical thinking
collaborative skills
power of observation
creativity
digital media literacy
UWay youth
adaptability to change
trust
love of books/book experience
relaxation
adventure
‘part of community culture’
connectedness to the world
personal growth
self-confidence
respect for others
concentration
patience
persistence
self-motivation
access
safety
comfort
open space
location
barrier-free
convenient technology
discovery
knowledge
critical thinking
collaborative skills
power of observation
creativity
digital media literacy
@risk youth
adaptability to change
trust
love of books/book experience
relaxation
adventure
‘part of community culture’
connectedness to the world
personal growth
self-confidence
respect for others
concentration
patience
persistence
self-motivation
access
safety
comfort
open space
location
barrier-free
convenient technology
discovery
knowledge
critical thinking
collaborative skills
power of observation
creativity
digital media literacy
Falstaff youth
adaptability to change
trust
love of books/book experience
relaxation
adventure
‘part of community culture’
connectedness to the world
personal growth
self-confidence
respect for others
concentration
patience
persistence
self-motivation
access
safety
comfort
open space
location
barrier-free
convenient technology
discovery
knowledge
critical thinking
collaborative skills
power of observation
creativity
digital media literacy
service/faith
adaptability to change
trust
love of books/book experience
relaxation
adventure
‘part of community culture’
connectedness to the world
personal growth
self-confidence
respect for others
concentration
patience
persistence
self-motivation
access
safety
comfort
open space
location
barrier-free
convenient technology
discovery
knowledge
critical thinking
collaborative skills
power of observation
creativity
digital media literacy
small business
adaptability to change
takeaways* (in bite-sized chunks)
*for future reference
Library patrons are values-driven: they support you not for what you do but why you do it.
1
Libraries are in the story business. SPL needs a clear, cogent ‘brand story.’
2
The library experience couldn’t be more personal: ignore this at your peril. (Interpersonal skills—the ‘unquiet librarian’— are paramount.)
3
SPL isn’t an airline: “customer service” is not what people want.
4
No: what they want is smart, convenient access, on their own terms, mediated by smart, accessible librarians.
5
SPL better mean business about how it tells its own story...and especially to business itself. (Marketing especially.)
6
Even people who don’t use the library love the idea of a beautiful, well-used public space.
7
Never underestimate the power of a comfy chair. (Hint: laptops and tablets don’t need tables.)
8
Play is learning. Learning is play. Don’t get in the way of either. And each requires a distinct library environment.
9
Libraries aren’t just about technology. They’re a safe haven for contemplation, research and exploration.
10
And the biggie—in a single sentence...
Libraries build participatory culture.
11
There is literally not a single aspect of modern culture the library cannot democratize—‘bring to the people.’ Not one.
12
Because the ‘next library’ has no walls.
13
And, in the immortal words of one 19 Stratford year-old: ‘grow that culture!’
14
That sounds a lot like a core strategy for the future of the Stratford Public Library.
That’s all, folks. Thank you.
Chinese pictogram for ‘collective wisdom’
proud contributor of $35,000 in in-kind knowledge sharing to this project
The support of the Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, is acknowledged