Do you ever have it happen that different parts of your life converge? That happened to me today. I taught a marketing class and talked about how important it is to know why you are offering a program/service/product. That libraries need to find out what their patrons want, see what in that listing of desires matches what the library's mission is, and then decide what to pursue. At that point, if one of your goals is to increase awareness of the library, you still don't want any program that increases awareness, even if it is an idea that the patrons mentioned! You aren't trying to be all things to all people -- libraries do have a distinct mission!
Then I was sitting in a class about innovation. A brand manager mentioned that one of the reasons a product idea makes it to market is if it has a strategic fit for the company -- that trying to be all things to all people tears the company apart, damages brand equity, and decreases profit.
So I offer this to you: there are times when you will be tempted by an idea because it is cool, because you are concerned that your patrons aren't coming in the way you want them to, because other libraries are doing it....whatever the reason you are attracted, take the time to think about strategic fit!
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