Local library campaign praised

Powys County Council has been honoured in the Welsh Libraries Marketing Innovation Awards 2011.

 

The awards were open to all library and information services in Wales to recognise and reward marketing innovation. Libraries in Wales run innovative marketing activities throughout the year and the aim of the awards is to celebrate and promote this valuable work.

 

Powys County Council was named runner-up in the local authority category for the 'Fancy That' campaign - a New Year marketing campaign aimed at attracting new library members through a partnership with local sports and leisure centres. Winner of the category was Cardiff Central Library with Swansea Council in third place.

 

Kay Thomas from Powys County Council' Library Service, said: "We are delighted to have gained national recognition for our work. The campaign attracted a lot of interest and the end result was 150 new members joining the library service in just nine working days."

 

The awards were judged by Dr Jonathan Deacon, Reader in Entrepreneurship and Marketing at Newport University Business School and Chair of The Chartered Institute of Marketing Cymru. Dr Deacon commented: "Powys County Council demonstrated a simple but effective marketing campaign that was cost effective and sustainable. It just goes to show that good simple and clear marketing ideas, articulated well and with a visible value for the user will work every time."

 

The Marketing Innovation Awards is one part of the national marketing campaign for libraries in Wales, which forms a central part of Libraries for Life, the Welsh Assembly Government's strategy for libraries in Wales. The Assembly Government is investing £10.5 million between 2008 and 2011.