March Meowness Brings the Cats & the Crowds
Worcester Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
In March 2024, the Worcester Public Library embarked on a transformative endeavor known as “March Meowness,” aiming to redefine community engagement with a focus on equity. The genesis of the initiative emerged from the library’s New Users Task Force, a collaborative effort to welcome back community members, along with the marketing expertise of our Community Relations and Communications Manager. The idea was simple, yet innovative: patrons could regain access to library resources by submitting a cat photo instead of paying fees. This lighthearted approach aimed to spread awareness and emphasize inclusivity.
The crux of the initiative was to get people talking, to help spread the word about fee forgiveness, and to welcome people back to their public library. Another added component of such a fun and lighthearted program was the removal of any apprehension the patrons may feel about owing fees for lost or damaged materials.
Challenge/Opportunity
The initiative was a response to lingering account restrictions despite the library’s abolition of late fines in 2020. Many materials had been lost or damaged over time, hindering access for community members, particularly those facing financial challenges. Reflecting on the community’s needs, the library questioned the traditional practice of retaining items such as a 1976 backyard tennis court construction book in a city where per capita income hovers near $33,552. The library had attempted various strategies, including facilitating affordable replacements for lost items, yet library usage continued to decline due to persistent financial barriers.
It became clear that preventing access over lost items was unjustifiable, disproportionately affecting families, students, and those experiencing homelessness. Recognizing the essential role of public library services, the Worcester Public Library sought to eliminate these barriers through a groundbreaking fee forgiveness program.
Key Elements of Innovation
The goal was to get people talking, highlight the library as a fun place that welcomes everyone, and forgive fees on lost and damaged items to get people back in and using their library, with the ultimate goal of providing equitable library services to all members of our community. We hoped to generate some buzz, and use the potential virality of March Meowness to increase awareness, and introduce the public to our offerings. We often referred to it as “hiding the vegetables” - or in other words creating this fun and silly initiative that really had its roots deep in the idea of equity and inclusivity.
The gimmick of using cat photos in lieu of payment for lost or damaged items was an innovative strategy to reach our goals, welcoming people back to the library, spreading the word, and improving our image. It also served to improve staff morale, increase positive interactions with our community members, and ultimately provide a positive perception of the library field across the globe.
Achieved Outcomes
The response was remarkable. Cat photos flooded in from across the globe. The campaign successfully raised awareness of the goal of welcoming people back to our library. WPL was featured in hundreds of news articles from around our nation, as well as many other countries. Our social media interactions were in the hundreds of thousands, and our website visitors increased by 46% from the prior month.
In addition to these statistics, we were able to track the true impact of this campaign. When comparing February 2024 to March 2024, the number of visitors increased 10.7%, circulation increased 9.2%, and new library cards issued increased 10.2%. In addition, staff cleared 930 accounts of fees for patrons who physically visited the library. Due to this success, our Board of Directors also agreed to clear any remaining accounts of existing fees. This led to the clearing of an additional 3,787 accounts, for a total of 4,717 people who no longer have fees on their accounts.
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