Reaching a New Neighborhood: How Camas Public Library Used LibraryIQ to Grow Card Registration
THE CHALLENGE
Camas Public Library wanted to grow card registration in parts of the city where membership was lower than average. With limited outreach resources, staff needed to know exactly where to focus first.
THE SOLUTION
FINDING WHERE TO FOCUS
Staff used LibraryIQ's Community Map to see where patron density was thin relative to the population living there. Green Mountain, a growing residential neighborhood on the city's northern edge, stood out: card membership was below average, and it was an area the library hadn't yet reached with outreach.
PLANNING AROUND WHAT THE DATA SHOWED
With Green Mountain identified as underserved, staff planned an event to match — a low-pressure neighborhood gathering at Green Mountain Park with yard games, popsicles, and a cornhole tournament, promoted locally through the Green Mountain HOA boards and the neighborhood school rather than the library's usual channels.
THE RESULTS
FOR THE COMMUNITY
31 residents attended. Staff registered new library cardholders, introduced neighbors to library resources and services, and had direct conversations with people the library hadn't reached before. Several attendees expressed interest in future library programs in the neighborhood, including storytimes in the park.
FOR STAFF
The event strengthened the library's relationship with the Green Mountain HOA boards, opening the door to future outreach in the neighborhood. Equipment purchased for the event, including cornhole boards and signage, is reusable and now part of the library's ongoing outreach toolkit.
IQ TOOLS USED
Community Map