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Franklin Public Library (Franklin, MA) SWOT by Anne Berard

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Franklin Public Library (Franklin, MA) SWOT by Anne Berard

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Strengths: FPL is the oldest public library in the US and their website & SM market this well. Great mix of programs available for all ages. Genealogy, coding, book groups, Weekend Wiggles (for tots and caregivers) bad zombie movie series for teens. Regular posts to FB & IG.
Weaknesses: The FPL site is part of the Town of Franklin's municipal site. Navigating feels very municipal & dull...the Town's menu remains at the top of all library pages. SM links to Town of Franklin sites not to FPL pages. I had to look. Big turnoff--some wouldn't have gone the extra step.
Opportunities: FPL should post photos from their obviously excellent programming. Their Library of Things is great--more photos of unusual items--coffee urn, carpet cleaner, laminator,GoPro.
Threats: Being so entwined with the town's website & SM feels a bit suffocating.

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The Franklin Public Library is considered America's first public library. In 1778, when the town was incorporated, the designated name Exeter was changed to Franklin in honor of Dr. Benjamin Franklin. In return Franklin was asked to donate a bell for the town's church steeple. Acknowledging that "sense" was preferable to "sound", Dr. Franklin responded with an offer of books for the use of the town's residents. When the volumes arrived, a great controversy arose over who should be allowed to use them. On November 20th, 1790, those attending Franklin's town meeting voted to lend the books to all Franklin inhabitants free of charge. This vote established the Franklin collection as the first public library in the United States. The original Franklin collection is still housed in a book case in the library's Reading Gallery.

In 1904, the Ray Memorial Building was dedicated and the Franklin Library got a permanent building - a gift from the Ray family. That same year, the Ray family also established the Ray Memorial fund to provide for and maintain the building.

The Franklin Library Association ran the library until 1981 when the Franklin Public Library became a department of the town of Franklin. From 1987 to 1989, the Library underwent extensive restoration to maintain the original beauty and splendor of this beautiful classical Greek structure and to add a children's wing.

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The Franklin Public Library is considered America's first public library. In 1778, when the town was incorporated, the designated name Exeter was changed to Franklin in honor of Dr. Benjamin Franklin. In return Franklin was asked to donate a bell for the town's church steeple.

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EBRPL Social Media SWOT Analysis (by A. Nikitopoulos)

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EBRPL Social Media SWOT Analysis (by A. Nikitopoulos)

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Strengths: variety of posts about Baton Rouge community, not just library; tumblr is the most visually pleasing, but who looks there?
Weaknesses: irregularity of posts; too many posts on the same event (like One Book, one community); not enough actually library stuff -- mostly institutional boosterism (Stewart & Walker 2018)
Opportunities: more pets! more stories! more books! more links to resources!
Threats: too many other accounts out there; not enough user engagement (very few comments)

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SWOT Analysis: Chesterfield County by Rebeca P.

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SWOT Analysis: Chesterfield County by Rebeca P.

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The strength of Chesterfield County's digital presence is their relatively clear website navigation and strong visuals in their Twitter posts (https://library.chesterfield.gov/). However, you can't view either their Instagram or Facebook without having an account yourself. This can eliminate the number of extraneous, non-patron interactions but it can also prohibit some library users from finding the library's content. Their YouTube page is also not very strong, but there is a great opportunity to make it into a more engaging Storytime Library channel. Right now, it's mostly Storytime videos but it doesn't specify that's what's on the channel. Maybe it should be, if that's what it is used for. Another strength of Chesterfield's digital outreach is a monthly newsletter that highlights special events and promotions.

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A few strengths I noticed in this library's marketing is that they are fantastic at promoting programs and resources and keeping content consistent among various platforms (website, instagram, twitter, facebook).

An area of growth could be to have tailored social media accounts for each branch. Because this is such a large library system that spans two counties, patrons may be overwhelmed with so much information from all 15 branches that does not apply to them. I think it would be beneficial to have staff from each branch update about what is going on at that branch specifically, mixed with marketing that applies to the whole system.

Overall, I think this library system has a really strong grasp on using social media as a marketing tool! When I first moved to Little Rock, this library's website was one I frequented often to find out about local events. I can't say the same for a few of the smaller libraries in my area, but that's not incredibly suprising from rural Arkansas.

- Jordan Ford

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Special Event

Point of Interest

The Latest from CALS

Branches Open on Sunday Beginning in August.

We're getting back to business as usual, including Sundays at Dee Brown, McMath, Sanders, and Terry locations, 1-5 p.m., starting August 1.

Mobile Hotspots Available for Checkout

Don't have reliable internet at home? CALS can help. CALS has acquired a collection of hotspots that patrons can check out and use at home. Help with homework, work from home, or just use it to stream that show everyone seems to be talking about. A mobile hotspot can deliver a strong, fast, and secure online connection just about wherever you go.
Learn More
University Learning with Udemy

Your library card provides access to a wealth of knowledge, beyond the book. Udemy is an online university that offers specialized online courses, each comprised of on-demand videos, articles and certification upon completion.
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Point of Interest

A Message from the Executive Director

© AY Media Group

After the unprecedented challenges of 2020, the opportunity to begin restoring the full array of activities at the library in 2021 has made us more attentive to our re-engagement with patrons. As we move into the second half of the year, it's nice to feel as if we are on the path back to normal. We have spent the first half of the year putting into action the plans we laid out last fall and are working on even more.

Our branches have now been open for some time and we are beginning to layer back in some events and services that we had to suspend. The Galleries & Bookstore at Library Square has begun hosting food trucks for "What'chu Eatin' Wednesdays" as well as the return of Second Friday Art Night. And Six Bridges Book Festival will return this fall with a hybrid schedule of virtual and in-person sessions.

Our programmers completed a successful Earth Month campaign, Go Green with CALS, that included more than 1,700 environmentally friendly grab-and-go bags as well as a variety of events that took place virtually, in-person, and recorded. They're currently working through the Summer Reading Club, under this year's theme "Tails and Tales." Another program that we are excited about is the Rock It! Lab. This entrepreneur training initiative is in the Cox Building, where it can grow. We added a skilled, energetic coordinator to lead it. Leah Patterson has experience with her own start up business and knows the community of aspiring small business operators. She, along with Benito Lubazibwa, Executive Director of Advancing Black Entrepreneurship (ABE), have a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Rock It! Lab scheduled this month.

On top of new and innovative programming we have added new faces to the library staff. Our new Development Director, Eliza Borné, has already laid out an impressive plan for events and creative ways to work with our donors. Her efforts on Library Giving Day just a few days after starting at CALS were remarkable. Because of dedicated library supporters, we raised $9,258.50, which is more than double our Library Giving Day total last year.

We also have a few new faces on the Board including Audrey Evans and Susana O'Daniel from Little Rock, Mandy Gill from Perry County, and Jennifer Jamison from Jacksonville. We welcome them and are looking forward to the insight and direction they can bring to CALS.

We are also working toward making the lives of our patrons easier. In our ever-growing digital world, access to reliable internet continues to be a struggle for many residents in Arkansas. We are proud to have added one hundred mobile hotspots to our collection that patrons can check out and take home to continue their work, homework, and play away from the library. Our marketing department, working with Thoma Thoma, has created a video that encapsulates the spirit of the library system and we're excited to share that with everyone now. The 2020 State of the Library Report covers a multitude of information, including a wealth of qualitative data as well as several heartwarming stories of impact across our communities.

The popular and trusted Encyclopedia of Arkansas digital resource recently turned 15, proving that while new programing is important, the foundation we have laid with our existing programs is still strong. We also commissioned a 10-year CALS economic impact analysis last year. Boyette Strategic Advisors conducted the study which found that CALS created an economic impact of over one billion dollars during that period as well as a state and local tax impact of almost $31 million. CALS generated over $5.28 of economic impact for every tax dollar invested. If you haven't read the Boyette report, I strongly encourage you to take a look at it the economic impact that your local library has on the community in addition to the social impact.

These are just a few of the things that we have accomplished in the first half of this year. Growth and innovation at CALS come from the hard work of all 290 of our employees who are dedicated to helping patrons reach their full potential. Our patrons are an important part of the success, too, as the pandemic made clearer to us. Thank you for joining me on this journey as we continue to be the Library, Rewritten.

Gratefully,

Nate Coulter
CALS Executive Director

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Special Event Point of Interest We're getting back to business as usual, including Sundays at Dee Brown, McMath, Sanders, and Terry locations, 1-5 p.m., starting August 1. Don't have reliable internet at home? CALS can help. CALS has acquired a collection of hotspots that patrons can check out and use at home.

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Don't forget to include your name or initials so I know who you are!