Locating Niche Markets: Using Community Analysis to Stay Relevant

1. Locating Niche Markets:Using Community Analysis to Stay Relevant New Jersey Library Association 2008 Annual Conference Long Branch, NJ April 29 - May 1, 2008 Hannah Kwon Ph.D. student Rutgers University, SCILS

2. Locating “Niche” Markets • Have a baseline knowledge of your community • Keep track of changes over time • Keep your “ear to the ground,” listen to community voices, and get out of the library! = Community Analysis

3. Community Analysis • 1. Why bother? • 2. Who’s out there? • 3. What are their needs? • 4. How can the library help?

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

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

6. 2. Who’s out there? • How much do you REALLY KNOW about your community? • Conduct a “community analysis” or “community profile” • CAMEO handbook: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/pathway/cameo/ • PLA’s The New Planning for Results, 2001:http://www.lib.az.us/extension/npfr.cfm

7. 2. Who’s out there? • Quantitative approach • Numerical data, statistics give you an overview of your community • Compare to nearby or similar communities, state, and national data

8. Who’s out there? • Limitations of quantitative (Census) data: • Old • Biased • Focus on individuals

9. Four Perspectives of Community • Greer & Hale model, 1981 • Individuals • Groups • Agencies • Lifestyles

10. Individuals • Basic demographics – age, race, education, income • But also type of household, type of employment, language spoken at home, number of homeowners, number of cars

11. Finding out about Individuals • The American FactFinder: http://factfinder.census.gov • Subprime mortgages: http://www.dataplace.org • Using GIS to map data: http://www.geolib.org/PLGDB.cfm

12. Four Perspectives of Community • Greer & Hale model, 1981 • Individuals • Groups • Agencies • Lifestyles

13. Groups • Groups tell us how people voluntarily organize themselves around interests and affiliations • What do people do when they get together? What do these activities reveal about local interest? • Is the focus on community life in the neighborhood, or is orientation towards larger metropolitan areas?

14. Groups • Types of groups • Religious • Ethnic • Political • Hobbies (arts, sports, other activities) • Civic

15. Finding out about groups • Community calendars • Local newspapers – one-week exercise • Social networking sites? • Keep your eyes and ears open: • Find “gatekeepers” (Agada) and “key informants”

16. Four Perspectives of Community • Greer & Hale model, 1981 • Individuals • Groups • Agencies • Lifestyles

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

18. Agencies • Types of agencies: • Governmental • Health care • Religious • Business • Cultural • Educational • Informational

19. Finding out about agencies • Phone book! • Foundation Center print directories • 2-1-1: http://www.nj211.org/ OR http://www.211.org/ • Idealist: http://www.idealist.org

20. List of groups and agencies • Worksheet #5 of CAMEO handbook: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/pathway/cameo/wks5.htm

21. Four Perspectives of Community • Greer & Hale model, 1981 • Individuals • Groups • Agencies • Lifestyles

22. Lifestyles • General patterns of behaviors that characterize community life and affect how individuals or groups relate to the library

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

24. Lifestyles • Greer & Hale’s “walk-arounds” as “participant observation” • Traffic patterns • Town’s daily rhythms • General atmosphere • How is the library perceived?

25. 2. Who’s out there? • Don’t’ forget – numbers aren’t always right! AND • You can only infer so much from the numbers…

26. 3. What are their needs? • Qualitative approach - putting the numbers in context, giving “voice” to the community • Community meetings, focus groups • “key informant” or “gatekeeper” interviews: http://ppa.aces.uiuc.edu/NeedsAsmnt.htm

27. 3. What are their needs? • OUT-reach: to schools, agencies, groups, town meetings, etc. • Match ability and interests of staff members with community analysis tasks • Compensate staff fairly

28. A word on surveys… • Surveys are extremely easy to do poorly, and extremely difficult to do well! • If you HAVE TO do a survey, seek help in designing it. • Contact Jana Varlejs, SCILS, if interested in MLIS student intern

29. 4. How can the library help? • Look for the service gaps! • What does the library have to offer that other agencies and groups don’t have? • Will the library administration and municipality support you? What are their priorities?

30. Tracking change… • Start by talking to your local planning office • Full community analysis at least every 10 years • Annual “check-in” and update, with further data gathering on specific communities when necessary

31. Locating “Niche” Markets • Niche markets can only be found if you are familiar with your entire community and its history! • Good service is a result of knowing your community’s needs and if/how you can best and most appropriately fulfill those needs.

32. The End.