Cardiff Metropolitan University Library wins CyMAL Marketing Innovation Award

Cardiff Metropolitan University Library Services have scooped a national award in the Welsh Libraries and Archives Marketing Innovation Awards 2014 – receiving a trophy and £500 prize for the promotion of their ‘I love DocDel’ initiative, part of the Document Delivery Working Group.

Cardiff Met formed one of eight library services from all sectors and two archive services that have scooped national prizes in the Welsh Libraries and Archives Marketing Innovation Awards 2014.

(L- R) Document Delivery Working Group members Geraldine Houlihan, Marie Lancaster, Carol James, Ana Luengo-Martinez. Other group members include Paul Wearing, Phil Davies and Marie Parker.

The awards were open to all library and archive services in Wales to recognise and reward innovative marketing activities which take place throughout the year and the aim of the awards is to celebrate and promote this valuable work.

The awards were judged by Dr Jonathan Deacon, Reader in Marketing and Entrepreneurship at University of South Wales and Trustee (former Chair) of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Cymru – Dr Deacon commented:

“Although these awards are to recognise marketing within the library and archive services across Wales I have to say that there are many aspects and illustrations of excellence in marketing that could equally be applied to any business or organisation within Wales. The majority of entrants displayed a clear focus as to what their objectives were and set about developing a marketing strategy to achieve their goals – what makes this applicable to many more business situations is that the strategies were low in budget but high in innovation and creativity – just proving that sophisticated and successful marketing does not depend on large budgets.”

Thirty six entries were received in total (fourteen more than last year) –from public, higher education libraries, further education and health libraries plus archives services.

Emma Adamson, Head of Library Division at Cardiff Met was thrilled for the team, ‘‘We are delighted that Marie Lancaster and the Library Services document delivery group have been recognised and have won the higher education category at this year’s CyMAL Innovation Awards, for the ‘I love doc del’ campaign. The campaign has made a real difference in terms of the Library document delivery offer and uptake within the University: in promoting the service of e-requesting from the British Library and direct to desktop delivery of research materials; all informed by staff and student feedback. It is gratifying that this excellent work has been recognised both within and outside of the University; and is truly well deserved.’’

Courtesy of Cardiff Metropolitan University.