Seats and desks in the McClay Library are at a premium in the weeks leading up to, and during exam time. Comments from the staff/student survey and general feedback highlighted a particular problem. Students were frequently holding desks for extended periods of time meaning others could not access them. Part of the issue was that students were unaware that this contravenes Library Regulations.
As a response the Marketing Group developed a targeted campaign to promote and raise awareness of library regulations, with particular emphasis on reserving seats at high demand times. At such times, students are reminded that they can only leave their desks for 30 minutes, after this another student is entitled to move their belongings to the side in order to use the desk. Library staff will support them in doing so.
- We created pull up banners containing an acronym (RESPECT) which summarised the main library regulations.
- A5 signs stating ‘Reserving seats: you can leave your desk for up to 30 minutes’ were distributed on Floor 1.
- Posters containing the same information were placed on the plasma screens and the self-issue machines.
- Each enquiry desk was issued with time-slips that could be distributed by staff, or students could take and fill out when they were leaving their desk.
- A targeted social media campaign was run simultaneously.
Following positive feedback and social media statistics it is intended that this campaign will be run each year at busy times. An additional pull up banner has been ordered to improve the impact of the campaign.