The document discusses how libraries can use storytelling and data analysis to better understand and engage their communities. It introduces the OpenMediaDesk (OMD) methodology and Library Digital Relevancy Index (LDRI) framework. OMD involves testing social media posts and optimizing for maximum relevance. LDRI provides libraries with key performance data and a strategic analysis tool to improve their digital relevance and cultural impact. A pilot program will launch the LDRI framework with three libraries in November 2017.

1. tuesday 03 october 2017
thestoryoftelling:future-proofinglibraries
openmediadesk™| Library Digital Relevancy Index | winning the human heart
FOPL symposium | iSchool

2. ‘(We) want to understand/engage in the community. We really want to
understand what the community wants —and who the community is...
‘We want to know the mission and vision of the library is being realized—to
be sure we have a pulse on the community, that our decisions are grounded in
what the community needs from us, not what we think we should be doing...
‘How do we excavate the community’s stories, so we can demonstrate
impact, so we know we’re changing people’s lives?’
18 branch system serving 750,000 residents|October 2016
:: A LIBRARY CEO’s ASK ::
‘show me the heart of my community’

3. here’s why.
Becauseifyouwanttogrow
communitynetworks
throughstorytelling,you
havetobuildstoriespeople
wanttoshare.
Recursiveness(feedback
loops)buildsstoriespeople
wanttoshare.

4. To scale shareable stories (‘go
viral’ by design), you need stories
which incite action.
Why?
Because action in turn incites a
‘virtuous circle’ of story, sharing
and yet more sharing.
how’s that work?

5. …but when people interact
with stories in social media,
they also share behaviours
which are hugely valuable in
understanding the
community sharing the story.
Not only that…

6. Like this. (More
on this later.)

7. blinding insight

8. In other words, the recursive
patterns of how and why
those stories
are shared tells us a ton
about the people who share
them.
Big hairy hint: shared stories
are intelligence tools.
how we share stories
tell us who we are.

9. http://cdn.phys.org/newman/gfx/news/hires/2009/article_v.jpg

10. the wins
✤ create a clear, powerful digital brand for libraries
✤ tell the story of your library’s transformation to 'totally
cool, totally relevant cultural destination’
✤ increase rate of borrower/cardholder adoption and,
overall, a net gain in foot traffic for programming
offerings
✤ drive earned media coverage (local newspapers, radio,
TV) about the library’s ‘hidden reputation’
✤ identify key influencers for future library programming
✤ process interactivity/media/target audience behaviours
for ongoing deployment in successor initiatives
✤ establish the library as experientially rich for all comers,
without exception

11. ✤ all around you, in your
library, every single day,
there are people
struggling with their lives…
✤ …the conflicts they
confront, their sorrows,
their joys
…and what’s in
those stories?

12. ✤ I promise you this: in your
storytelling, make heroes
of your cardholders, library
visitors and community
partners …and your social
media will explode
✤ hint: it’s not about you—
your storytelling should be
about your community…
every story has a
hero.

13. ✤ …so they’ll tell their story back to you, on
the library’s social networks…a perfect
circle of connection, community and
library advocacy

14. Enter the media solution.
(Start the music.)

15. FOPL | OpenMediaDesk®

16. Better stories.
Faster. On target.
✤ OMD is also a
methodology for
realtime media testing
and data-driven
publishing, which pre-
validates stories before
they're published for
maximum relevancy to
targeted library
cardholder needs/
wants/aspirations

17. Here’s how
OMD works.
✤ First off, we align the team with a
‘coherence check/in’—we get on the
same page emotionally and creatively
before we lift a finger
✤ Then we treat testing/optimizing
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts
as if we were testing software (the
‘agile’ process)
✤ We take them apart (headline, caption,
image) randomize the components,
then A/B test each variant.

18. Test. Fail.
Reassemble. Retest.
✤ The whole idea is to give
ourselves permission to
fail as fast as we can…
✤ …in the process of
identifying the most
relevant story components
we can

20. Upshot?
✤ The OMD process is
recursive, generative and
emergent…
✤ …and inspires creativity
because, through
coherence, we’ve given
ourselves permission to
fail and support one
another

21. Life is a learning experience. But only if you learn.
Yogi Berra

22. Back in 2013, we
saw something.
✤ Digital disruption is a serious
threat to proving library social
return on investment
✤ So…how to ‘future proof’ libraries?

23. We built a data
framework to future-proof
libraries

24. We designed performance
comparators and wrote
algorithms…

25. And created the Library
Digital Relevancy Index
framework: this beauty…

27. For eight months, seven libraries
helped us pilot this framework
✤ Every month, participating libraries could see where their
library stood…transparently.

28. A roadmap through the data.
✤ For the first time, participating libraries
could see their mobile/desktop/tablet
patron ‘user experience’ effectiveness AND
✤ critical key performance indicators like
mobile bounce rate and ‘drive from social-
to-web ‘
✤ wuzzat? It’s how folks actually get to
your website from Facebook, twitter,
Instagram and more

29. We’ve developed a strategic analysis
tool for LDRI.
✤ …to get us from data to strategy
✤ —and culture change (the biggie)

30. LDRI INFERENCES: THE BIG PICTURE
digital
relevancy
awareness understanding interest support action
media
activity
• content creation
• social media
engagement
• library staff engagement
• stakeholder
engagement
• live events/destination
events
> > > >
intermediate
effects
• ^audience reach (FB,
Twitter, Instagram+)
• ^ social media
engagement
• ^ library staff
engagement
• ^live/destination
events
• key library brand
messages
• user generated brand
storytelling begins
• brand stories align w/
events, programs
• library mention
frequency
• expressed + opinions,
interest, awareness
• FB Shares, retweets,
linkbacks to website,
• ^ media from
journalists/influencers
• ^ community
expressions of support
• ^ social media network
fanbase
• ^ Likes, Mentions,
Shares, Comments
>
target
audience
effects
• unaided community
awareness
• library-mediated
community awareness
• ^ understanding of
library UX
• ^ understanding
community needs/
wants/aspirations
• ^ web visits
• ^ mobile 2 web
• ^ time on site
• ^ e-book downloads
• ^ inquiry chats, calls,
emails
• ^ event/program
attendance
• ^ attitude
• ^ productivity
• ^ endorsements
• ^ social-to-web
referrals
• ^ active advocates
• ^ user generated
activism
• ^ event/program
registrations
• ^ cost savings

31. And now, after a year of
refining via OMD—
LDRI is ready.

32. LDRI is all about better
storytelling, derived from
better data.

33. Why?
✤ Because people don’t buy
advertising spin any more.
✤ When they visit your website or
interact with your social media,
they don’t care about you. They
care about themselves.
✤ Empathy is the goal. Advocate for
your audience…and they’ll respond.
✤ Change the world. People will
support your brand in droves.

34. Where we’re going.
✤ Through OMD, we’re
turning library marketing/
brand storytelling
process inside out…
✤ …and beginning to induce
our audience to co-create
media with us…
✤ …our community becomes
our communications
publishing collaborator—
sharing their library
stories on our library’s
media channels

35. Remember our CEO,
at the beginning?
✤ OMD ‘excavates’ those stories
which make real-time community
intelligence possible

36. how do we get there from here?

37. We launch
LDRI.
The LDRI pilot launches with a three
library pilot Thursday 16 November
2017, with phase two launching
Thursday 15 February 2018.

38. How do I
participate?
Two ways.
If your library’s participated in OMD
and you’d like your library to be
considered for either or both of the
LDRI pilots—
OR
if you’re keen to have you library
participate in OMD—please contact
Stephen @stephen.abram@gmail.com

39. thank you.