locating niche markets: using community analysis to stay relevant

Locating Niche Markets:Locating Niche Markets:Using Community Using Community Analysis to Stay Analysis to Stay RelevantRelevant

New Jersey Library Association2008 Annual ConferenceLong Branch, NJApril 29 - May 1, 2008

Hannah KwonHannah KwonPh.D. studentPh.D. studentRutgers University, SCILSRutgers University, SCILS

Locating “Niche” MarketsLocating “Niche” Markets

►Have a baseline knowledge of your Have a baseline knowledge of your communitycommunity

►Keep track of changes over timeKeep track of changes over time►Keep your “ear to the ground,” listen Keep your “ear to the ground,” listen

to community voices, and get out of to community voices, and get out of the library!the library!

= = Community AnalysisCommunity Analysis

Community AnalysisCommunity Analysis

►1. Why bother?1. Why bother?

►2. Who’s out there?2. Who’s out there?►3. What are their needs?3. What are their needs?

►4. How can the library help?4. How can the library help?

1. Why bother?1. Why bother?

►““In fact, the extent to which people In fact, the extent to which people will be supportive of libraries and will will be supportive of libraries and will provide money for them to continue to provide money for them to continue to exist depends on exist depends on the extent to which the extent to which libraries address the real needslibraries address the real needs of the of the people” (Zweizig, 1980).people” (Zweizig, 1980).

1. 1. Why bother?Why bother?

►““Information needs become more Information needs become more complex as our society becomes more complex as our society becomes more diverse. However, diversity in our diverse. However, diversity in our profession has not kept pace with the profession has not kept pace with the diversity in our communities. diversity in our communities. It is no It is no longer sufficient to rely on intuitive longer sufficient to rely on intuitive impressions in designing servicesimpressions in designing services” ” (Sarling and Van Tassel, 1999).(Sarling and Van Tassel, 1999).

2. Who’s out there?2. Who’s out there?

►How much do you REALLY KNOW How much do you REALLY KNOW about your community?about your community?

►Conduct a “community analysis” or Conduct a “community analysis” or “community profile”“community profile” CAMEO handbook: CAMEO handbook:

http://skyways.lib.ks.us/pathway/cameo/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/pathway/cameo/ PLA’s PLA’s The The New New Planning for Results, Planning for Results, 20012001::

http://http://www.lib.az.us/extension/npfr.cfmwww.lib.az.us/extension/npfr.cfm


►Quantitative approachQuantitative approach Numerical data, statistics give you an Numerical data, statistics give you an

overview of your communityoverview of your community Compare to nearby or similar Compare to nearby or similar

communities, state, and national datacommunities, state, and national data

Who’s out there?Who’s out there?

►Limitations of quantitative (Census) Limitations of quantitative (Census) data:data: OldOld BiasedBiased Focus on individualsFocus on individuals

Four Perspectives of Four Perspectives of CommunityCommunity

►Greer & Hale model, Greer & Hale model, 19811981 IndividualsIndividuals GroupsGroups AgenciesAgencies LifestylesLifestyles

IndividualsIndividuals

►Basic demographics – age, race, Basic demographics – age, race, education, incomeeducation, income

►But also type of household, type of But also type of household, type of employment, language spoken at employment, language spoken at home, number of homeowners, home, number of homeowners, number of cars number of cars

Finding out about IndividualsFinding out about Individuals

►The American FactFinder: The American FactFinder: http://http://factfinder.census.govfactfinder.census.gov

►Subprime mortgages: Subprime mortgages: http://http://www.dataplace.orgwww.dataplace.org

►Using GIS to map data: Using GIS to map data: http://http://www.geolib.org/PLGDB.cfmwww.geolib.org/PLGDB.cfm

GroupsGroups

►Groups tell us how people Groups tell us how people voluntarily voluntarily organize themselves around interests organize themselves around interests and affiliationsand affiliations

►What do people do when they get What do people do when they get together? What do these activities together? What do these activities reveal about local interest?reveal about local interest?

► Is the focus on community life in the Is the focus on community life in the neighborhood, or is orientation neighborhood, or is orientation towards larger metropolitan areas?towards larger metropolitan areas?

GroupsGroups

►Types of groupsTypes of groups ReligiousReligious EthnicEthnic PoliticalPolitical Hobbies (arts, sports, other activities)Hobbies (arts, sports, other activities) CivicCivic

Finding out about groupsFinding out about groups

►Community calendarsCommunity calendars►Local newspapers – one-week exerciseLocal newspapers – one-week exercise►Social networking sites?Social networking sites?►Keep your eyes and ears open:Keep your eyes and ears open:

Find “gatekeepers” (Agada) and “key Find “gatekeepers” (Agada) and “key informants”informants”

AgenciesAgencies

►““A corporate body located in the A corporate body located in the library service area for the purpose of library service area for the purpose of providing a providing a service service or a or a productproduct to to local residents” (Greer and Hale, 1982, local residents” (Greer and Hale, 1982, p. 363)p. 363)

AgenciesAgencies

►Types of agencies:Types of agencies: GovernmentalGovernmental Health care Health care ReligiousReligious BusinessBusiness CulturalCultural EducationalEducational InformationalInformational

Finding out about agenciesFinding out about agencies

►Phone book!Phone book!►Foundation Center print directoriesFoundation Center print directories►2-1-1: 2-1-1: http://www.nj211.org/http://www.nj211.org/ OR OR

http://www.211.org/http://www.211.org/► Idealist: Idealist: http://www.idealist.orghttp://www.idealist.org

List of groups and agenciesList of groups and agencies

►Worksheet #5 of CAMEO handbook:Worksheet #5 of CAMEO handbook:

http://skyways.lib.ks.us/pathway/cameo/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/pathway/cameo/wks5.htmwks5.htm

LifestylesLifestyles

►General patterns of behaviors that General patterns of behaviors that characterize community life and affect characterize community life and affect how individuals or groups relate to the how individuals or groups relate to the librarylibrary


►Claritas – MyBestSegments.com’s Claritas – MyBestSegments.com’s You Are Where You Live, ZIP code You Are Where You Live, ZIP code look-up look-up http://www.claritas.com/MyBestSegmehttp://www.claritas.com/MyBestSegments/Default.jspnts/Default.jsp


►Greer & Hale’s “walk-arounds” as Greer & Hale’s “walk-arounds” as “participant observation”“participant observation” Traffic patternsTraffic patterns Town’s daily rhythmsTown’s daily rhythms General atmosphereGeneral atmosphere How is the library perceived?How is the library perceived?


►Don’t’ forget – Don’t’ forget – numbers aren’t always numbers aren’t always right!right!

ANDAND

►You can only infer so much from the You can only infer so much from the numbers…numbers…

3. What are their needs?3. What are their needs?

►Qualitative approach - putting the Qualitative approach - putting the numbers in context, giving “voice” to numbers in context, giving “voice” to the communitythe community Community meetings, focus groupsCommunity meetings, focus groups ““key informant” or “gatekeeper” key informant” or “gatekeeper”

interviews: interviews: http://http://ppa.aces.uiuc.edu/NeedsAsmnt.htmppa.aces.uiuc.edu/NeedsAsmnt.htm

3. What are their needs?3. What are their needs?

►OUT-reach: to schools, agencies, OUT-reach: to schools, agencies, groups, town meetings, etc.groups, town meetings, etc.

►Match ability and interests of staff Match ability and interests of staff members with community analysis members with community analysis taskstasks

►Compensate staff fairlyCompensate staff fairly

A word on surveys…A word on surveys…

►Surveys are extremely easy to do Surveys are extremely easy to do poorly, and extremely difficult to do poorly, and extremely difficult to do well!well!

► If you HAVE TO do a survey, seek help If you HAVE TO do a survey, seek help in designing it.in designing it. Contact Jana Varlejs, SCILS, if interested Contact Jana Varlejs, SCILS, if interested

in MLIS student internin MLIS student intern

4. How can the library help?4. How can the library help?

►Look for the service gaps!Look for the service gaps! What does the library have to offer that What does the library have to offer that

other agencies and groups don’t have?other agencies and groups don’t have?

►Will the library administration and Will the library administration and municipality support you? What are municipality support you? What are their priorities?their priorities?

Tracking change…Tracking change…

►Start by talking to your local planning Start by talking to your local planning officeoffice

►Full community analysis Full community analysis at least at least every every 10 years10 years

►Annual “check-in” and update, with Annual “check-in” and update, with further data gathering on specific further data gathering on specific communities when necessarycommunities when necessary

Locating “Niche” MarketsLocating “Niche” Markets

►Niche markets can only be found if you Niche markets can only be found if you are familiar with your entire are familiar with your entire community and its history!community and its history!

►Good service is a result of knowing Good service is a result of knowing your community’s needs and if/how your community’s needs and if/how you can best and most appropriately you can best and most appropriately fulfill those needs.fulfill those needs.

The End.The End.

locating niche markets: using community analysis to stay relevant

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