Four Ps (so far)

Product

Wellington City Library (WCL) has over 600,000 books, 450,000 magazines, and 85,000 CDs, DVDs, videos, and other items available for loan. Collections are available in a variety of languages reflecting Wellington’s culturally diverse population. The Central branch houses many records, indexes, legal resources, and microfiche newspaper archives; all of which are for in-library use. In addition to the physical collection WCL has many digital offerings including subscriptions to databases, online newspapers, e-book and e-audiobook services.

Facilities such as meeting and music rooms, free wifi access, computers, and photocopiers are available. WCL is accessible to people with disabilities and has several technologies to assist people with sensory impairments, as well as large print collections, and a housebound service.

Events offered include presentations, game nights, book groups, story-time, and baby rock n rhyme, these events attract over 2,800 adults and 48,000 children per year. English language conversation classes are run at three of the twelve branches.

This wide range of resources and services is diverse, accessible, and reflects WCL commitment to being a community focal point.   

Place

WCL is owned and managed by Wellington City Council (WCC), it has 12 branches across Wellington so it is accessible to a large percentage of Wellington’s population. Its Central branch is situated in the CBD making it convenient to many office workers, and close to general shopping areas, and cafes. Its close proximity to main bus routes and access to parking makes it easy to travel to.

Opening hours between branches vary all have limited open hours on a Saturday and all except the Central branch are closed on a Sunday. Central library is open until 8.30pm on weekdays meaning so it fits in with most peoples’ work schedules.     

WCL has a website and offers digital downloads of e-books, e-magazines, and audiobooks as well as access to some of their premium databases. Users can also have items delivered by courier at their cost and permanently housebound users can have items delivered to their home at no cost.

Price

WCL receives 90% of it’s funding through from rates and 10% from other revenue sources such as overdue fees, DVD/CD rental, etc however demand for DVD and CDs is declining due to the availability of this content online and overdue fees are decreasing on account of reminder services such as Library Elf. Another dilemma when relying on overdue items for revenue is as people accumulate more overdue fines they are less likely to return to the library; and opting to stop using WCL in order to avoid payment of these fines. A story featured in the Dominion Post this year stated WCL was owed over $1 million in fines and lost items [1].

While most items are free for WCL members to borrow there are certain items such as DVDs, bestseller books, and magazines that require a negligible fee. Membership is free for all ratepayers and residents of Wellington, as well as people studying at a NZQA approved course or working in Wellington. People outside of Wellington City can join for an annual subscription of $100 or pay a $2 charge on all items borrowed.

Promotion

The favoured methods of promotion from WCL are online through their website, multiple blogs, and social media. WCL has an extensive website that allows patrons to access a range of online resources from home as well as manage their library account by searching for, reserving, and renewing items. While users can join the library through the website they still must visit a physical branch to supply documents.  

Social media channels including Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, are used to share events, news, and information about resources at the library and relevant of interest articles, videos, and websites. WCL social media tends to focus more on promoting and talking at their followers rather than interacting with customers, this is reflected in the lack of two way dialogue seen on their profiles. Their reach on social media is limited due to the severe lack of followers sharing posts and tweets.

Printed promotional material at WCL is very limited, a few brochures, bookmarks, and flyers were available; these focused on information about borrowing, joining, and charges. Printed promotional material about available resources was extremely limited and was only found inside the library.

As WCL's promotional material (online, social media, and printed) is mainly visible only to active library members they are unlikely to reach new audiences so are 'preaching to the choir'.


References

1. Chapman, K., Wellingtonians owe more than $800K in overdue library fines and fees, in The Dominion Post 2015.