150th Anniversary: Raising Awareness City-Wide
Columbus Metropolitan Library
Innovation Synopsis
In 2023 Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) celebrated its sesquicentennial with a year-long celebration that spilled well beyond the library’s walls. In addition to celebrating with the library loyal, CML took its story citywide through collaborations to reach those traditionally not using the library. In addition to commemorative gear, a retrospective book on the library’s evolution was shared with media and elected officials. “Library Card Days” encouraged the public to sign up for library cards by offering discounted deals or performances at 16 cultural organizations. A Street Squad of 28 CML staff were trained and equipped to represent the library in the community throughout 2023, participating in 33 community events and engaging over 10,500 people. But CML did not stop there. Additional creative partnerships allowed us to reach non-traditional audiences with the library’s story.
Challenge/Opportunity
“I had no idea the library does all that!” is a common statement when a new face arrives at a branch, a funder takes a library tour or someone asks library staff in casual conversation what they do. Regular users of the library know the depth and variety of services offered, but others equate the library with simply a home for books. The year-long sesquicentennial celebration provided a key opportunity to engage the community outside of typical library channels to celebrate the library. Goals were to celebrate at community events, share our 150-year history of positive impact, encourage people to visit our locations and acknowledge the diversity of the communities we serve and embrace. The challenge was to find new audiences for Columbus Metropolitan’s story to increase the library’s visibility and the awareness of its value to people who don’t consider themselves library users. What an opportunity to re-introduce people to today’s amazing library. Welcome, new library lovers!
Key Elements of Innovation
- A partnership with Central Ohio Transit Authority called Read & Ride offered passengers instant access to CML’s eBooks and eAudiobooks using their smartphones and complimentary onboard Wi-fi.
- CML worked with Land Grant Brewing to craft a “Read Ale” and host a staff-led CML history trivia night to reach young professionals. A second local brewery, BrewDog, hosted a Beer & Book Drive.
- OhioHealth Grant Hospital partnered with CML to offer welcome bags to 50 families with newborns. The 150th Anniversary tote was filled with board books and a “Future Reader” onesie.
- CML hosted the inaugural Columbus Book Festival in July 2023 bringing together 25,000 people from around the state and beyond to the doors of Main Library. The free event featured 139 featured authors, 100 indie authors, panel discussions, book signings, literacy organizations and more.
- CML commissioned a public artwork, the Egg Prize vending machine, for three months in the downtown Columbus Commons.
Achieved Outcomes
The library’s 150th Anniversary celebration was a citywide event, with community partnerships raising awareness of the library’s impact and value throughout central Ohio. The Book Festival and the Egg Prize reached families, downtown professionals and others creating lasting connections with literacy and CML. The library’s story was widely shared through earned media efforts and partnerships resulting in more than 83,000,000 impressions in 2023, including “Moment in History” television spots. Social media followers topped 135,000, with 15,258 new followers in 2023 across six platforms. CML issued 109,000 new library cards in 2023, and we saw a 27% increase in library visits from 2022. Community members were delighted with the partnerships that introduced them to the wide range of library services available to them year around.
