0.1+Our+Conclusion+re+KTPL

The co-authors of this report are senior managers of two public libraries serving similar sized communities. The exercise of reviewing KTPL's marketing activities and reflecting upon how these compare to the recommended best practices in the development of a marketing strategy for both the organization as a whole as well as for specific products offered by the library has been invaluable towards our ability to contribute to our organizations. For Ms. Reid, this review presented the opportunity to delve further into the mechanics and philosophy behind the current strategic plan, how the offerings of the library have been traditionally developed, and into the details of the recent Community Needs Assessment. In conducting the research for this project, a number of free resources were discovered that provide excellent demographic and psychographic information on the communities within King Township. The research also presented the opportunity to openly discuss and critique the marketing and strategic planning activities of the library with the current acting CEO, who also has thirty years of experience at this library. These discussions have been immense learning opportunities for Ms. Reid to know more about the evolution of the planning and marketing processes, as well as have provided inspiration for the senior management team to consider the recommended processes involved in developing a strong marketing plan. For Ms. Stith, this exercise provided a helpful outline for the planning process given her library is lacking in many of these elements. A formal strategic plan has not been created since 2002 and is desperately needed to provide direction for marketing efforts. A new library director will be hired in August, and as Ms. Stith is largely responsible for marketing programs, she will now know what recommendations to make to the new leader. Since few of the tools and strategies used in the creation of this marketing plan do not require large capital investment, making a similar proposal for her library not only economically feasible, but required. In conclusion, this analysis has shown that the King Township Public Library has already invested in the time of staff and professional consultation to develop a strong and enduring strategic plan, with realistic and achievable goals and objectives. In many ways, the elements of strategic marketing plans and the development of the marketing mix for the library's product can be found, albeit done informally or intuitively. By adopting the steps of including measurable targets within objectives, more formally and frequently monitoring performance against objectives, market segmentation analysis, and more external promotional activities, KTPL has the opportunity to reach potential users in the community who are unaware of the wealth of modern resources and information tools that the library offers the residents of the Township. The need for a full time staff with a focus on marketing has been identified within a formal Community Assessment, and continues to be an objective of KTPL's Board and management team. However, pressures to hold or reduce costs suggest that funding for this resource is not something that will be soon incorporated into the operating budget. Until then, providing current staff with the opportunity to understand the best practices associated to strategic marketing practices through performance objectives and professional development will go far to enhance this library's ability to serve its community.
 * Conclusion **