Everyone’s Library
What does the library mean to you?
Partnering with Brighton & Hove libraries, we embarked on a fascinating journey to create a campaign designed to inspire future library users. The campaign builds on the idea that the library is a space that means different things to different people. What you make of the library is up to you, but what is always true, is that it’s free and open to everyone — Everyone’s Library.
The project aims to engage with young people between 12-19 and people who are interested in arts and culture who have not previously interacted with libraries – showcasing the abundance of services on offer. The process involved inviting feedback through surveys and multiple online workshops with different groups. This research-led approach aimed to gather information to develop library services for the future, tailored to the community’s needs.
By creating a large bank of images, from everyday scenes at the library to the rare book collection, the campaign shares multiple perspectives through a series of collages and six key statements to inspire action, and also includes a set of stickers emphasising key messages. The campaign saw posters and flyers all over the city – along with materials sent out to local schools and community centres.
PROJECT SCOPE
Community Research
Workshops
Campaign strategy & communications
Art direction
App design
Exhibition design
Social media campaign
Print campaign
“Working with Boyle&Perks was enjoyable, collaborative, creative and inspiring. They hit the brief we set within a tight timeframe and went consistently above and beyond.”
Jake Smith
Library service manager, Brighton & Hove City Council
As part of the campaign, an interactive exhibition with a bespoke digital app was installed at Brighton’s central Jubilee Library. This was developed from the notion that current library users could be the best advocates for the library, inviting them to leave a message in response to “What does the library mean to you?” The responses have been collated and continue to feed into the digital campaign and the library’s strategy for the future.
IMPACT
While still being measured from the campaign – the Jubilee installation saw almost 1,000 interactions, and has proved so successful it will be adapted into a portable version and tour libraries across the city.
