Community Engagement & Communications
Through community engagement, the Library uses new and existing methods to increase public awareness in Baltimore about the collections, programs, services, and resources available at the Pratt.
Online healthy cooking demo with a local chef for Pratt Test Kitchen
Altar making program celebrating Dia de los Muertos with local artisans
Continue to move toward data-driven, action-oriented approaches to communicating with customers.
Create deeper engagement with existing library cardholders and encourage greater library usage, including collection use, and increase retention rates.
Work to engage non-users through data, partnerships, and other qualitative and quantitative means to identify and respond to community needs and aspirations.
Use prattlibrary.org more fully to provide needed services and communication through this virtual setting, recognizing that many customers are solely digital users.
Educate and encourage Library leadership, board members, staff, community leaders, customers, and donors to serve as ambassadors and advocates for the Library.
Fiscal Year 2021 Progress Report
In FY21, the Pratt is working towards engaging the community and increasing public awareness.
Initiatives
In alignment with the goal to engage the community, the Library has used data-driven, action-oriented approaches to communicate with customers, and worked to create deeper engagement with existing library users.
The Library has also worked to engage non-users through a variety of channels and worked with stakeholders to serve as ambassadors and advocates for the Library.
The newly reorganized and redesigned Pratt Library website, August 2020
Customer testimonials from email surveys, sharing their library love
Successes
- Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Pratt eCard holders has significantly increased from around 6,000 to over 32,000.
- In August 2020 the Pratt successfully launched the new Pratt Library website, redesigned and restructured for better user experience.
- In FY21 Pratt librarians made more than 6,300 wellness calls, reaching out to check on active Library customers.
- The Pratt has launched several initiatives to re-engaged lapsed cardholders and engage new customers.
- Donor communications have been expanded to educate and connect donors to the work of the Library.
Progress
The Library is midway through the completion of this goal.
In FY 2022/2023, the Library will focus on reaching re-engaging cardholders, increasing email communication and engagement with current cardholders, and getting more data about lapsed cardholders to inform Library leadership decisions.
Q4 FY2022 Snapshot
Snapshot of Community Engagement & Communications progress as of June 30, 2022
Pratt Publications
Stay up to date with regular publications from the Pratt Library.