InspirationLab Launch CampaignSandra Singh, Chief Librariansandra.singh@vpl.caAugust 17, 2016

About Vancouver

First Peoples: Three Coast Salish First NationsIncorporated as city in 1886

115 square km / 605,000 people (2011)52% residents w/ first language other than English

Economy: Port Metro Vancouver, HQs for resource industry companies

Tech and digital sectorFilm and television industry

Biggest challenge:Housing affordability

About VPL (2015)

21 branches, including Central Library6.8 million in-person visits

6.4 million digital visits257,832 active cardholders

74,063 only used tech and digital resources9.4 million collection items used (physical and digital)

9,700 free programs277,000 program attendees

Inspiration Lab: A Brief History

2013-2015 Strategic Plan Consultation Asked staff to start thinking about a digital media

lab Met with Tech/Digital sector leaders to get

feedback Set budget: $600,000 and space: 7,500 sq ft Dec 2013-Feb 2014: Finalised components Fall 2015 - May 2015: (De)Construction May 2015: Launch event

the lab

CREATION STATIONS12 high-performance desktop computers providing: Microsoft Photo Gallery, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Movie Maker, Adobe PremierePro, Audacity, Reaper, Sigil, Adobe InDesign

DIGITIZATION STATIONSFlatbed photo/negative/slide scanner station; 8mm Video Cassette Walkman; VHS video tape-to-digital conversion station; Audiotape-to-digital conversion station;A/V Hook-up Stations

RECORDING STUDIOSSound Booths 1, 2 & 4 (1-2 people max.)Mixer; USB tabletop microphone; webcam; headphones

Live Room (4-6 people max.)Mixer; studio monitors; Pro-con; USB tabletop microphone; webcam

The Terry McBride Recording Studio (2 min. to 8 people max.)Studio Mixer; studio monitors; Pocket Cinema Camera (35 lens and short condenser shotgun microphone); dual LED light kit; Daylight LED Video Light with Remote; green screen; headphone distribution amplifier

Additional Bookable Studio EquipmentStudio Condenser Microphones: C-3 & C-1; ULTRA-DI DI100 box

marketing strategyand positioning

Targeting:

We wanted broad reach (lab is for everyone)

Appeal to early adopterswho are familiar with tech but without it at home

Small budget for advertising2,000 CAD plus staff time

Roughly 1,600 USD or €1,400

Created an identity for the Inspiration Lab1

Vancouver’s free digital media hub

A place that combines traditional, digital and new media in a custom-built space.

Dedicated to digital creativity, collaboration and storytelling.

High-performance computers, analog-to-digital conversion, sound studios, video editing and self-publishing software.

And all free to use with a library card.

Built concept around activities in lab: Discover, Create, (Self) Publish, Learn, Design, Imagine, Record + Edit, Share

Putting the identity and messaging to work with a limited budget.2

Making our small budget do big, big work

Fall 2014: Media advance (early media feed)

Launch Campaign (1st week of May 2015) Media relations Launch event Advertising and promotional materials Social Media

Media awareness began months ahead of launch

Every media interaction/interview reminded them that the lab was coming

launch event and media relations

Making our small budget do big, big work

Media relations and launch Media advisory of launch – 5 days in

advance of launch event Called each major outlet with a more

detailed pitch

Worked with online and weekly media in advance

Facilitated their stories ahead of time, with them publishing day-of

Gave a few media outlets a preview of space

Making our small budget do big, big work

Launch event Media Elected officials (City) Foundation and donors Staff and Friends

Launch event live-tweeted and streamed live via Periscope

#Inspiration Lab trending regionally

Launch event: Virtually every major news outlet in the city attended, including:Vancouver SunThe ProvinceCBC TV | CBC radioCityTVHuffington PostGeorgia StraightVancouver CourierWestenderCKNW radio

“This is kind of a creative playground where anyone can experiment with cooltechnology, without having to buy their own – and that is very enabling.”

—Sam Chandola, Founder and CEO of Victory Square Games

“If you aspire to be an artist, a publisher, a videographer, an author, a musician, a game developer – these tools are as important as a smartphone is to a journalist.”

—Andrea Reimer, Deputy Mayor

Earned media coverage

Vancouver Sun, Ottawa Citizen (syndicated use of the Sun’s piece), The Province, CBC TV, CBC radio, Société Radio-Canada (CBC French), CityTV (Toronto), Huffington Post, Georgia Straight, Vancouver Courier, Westender, CKNW radio (news coverage and a talk show), AM730, Vancity Buzz, 604 Now, DJ Magazine, Vancouver 24 Hours, Metro News, Jack FM radio, American Libraries Magazine, Sing Tao, Ming Pao, Fairchild TV (Chinese-language), reddit r/Vancouver, Asian Pacific Post

25 outlets and some of the content was picked up on syndication

2.5millionimpressions

advertising, promotional,social media

Making our small budget do big, big work

Advertising Leveraged City of Vancouver’s access

to bus shelter ad space “ditto” for digital signage

25 transit shelters around the city

digital signage at major intersection downtown

9.1millionimpressions

Making our small budget do big, big work

Promotional materials Variety of take-aways for launch and

VPL branches

Making our small budget do big, big work

Social media Re-skinned our Twitter and Facebook

pages using the Inspiration Lab identity for the launch

Making our small budget do big, big work

Total Cost of launch Promotional materials and posters: $2,000 Launch event: $1,200

Results Impressions: 11.6 million Trended on twitter

Vancouverhas embracedthe lab

Tours post-launch:

So popular, we had tours hourly for first two days

First month: tours (56) almost daily, with nearly 600 attendees

First 8 months:300+ programs

1,850+ attendees

4,400+ studio bookings, with 7,300+ patrons

“I don’t have money to pay to record an album. But I’ve recorded more than 20 songs already. I made a CD from the library that I’m selling now.”

—Alfredo Flores, musician

Documentary filmmakers (sound and video)

Podcasts

Community groups for music recording

What worked well?

Staff time on media relations

Leveraging relationship with City in lieu of ad buy

What was challenging?

Promoting a space/facility that was unfamiliar to the public

(this was where media relations was vital)

Do-over.

What would we do differently?

Create supplemental materials that contain far greater detail

VPL Marketing + CommunicationsAdrienne, Tina, Stephen, Maria, James (Stephanie, Marya not shown)

VPL Marketing + CommunicationsIn a city far, far away (well, a little ways) from Columbus, Ohio

Thank you