Community Corner

Chelsea District Library Featured in National Case Study

The library's "Geek the Library" campaign has garnered national interest due to its success in Chelsea.

A case study documenting Chelsea District Library’s recent Geek the Library campaign was released Thursday by the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), a nonprofit membership organization that provides computer-based services to libraries worldwide, detailing the library’s community collaboration and partnerships throughout the campaign.

In June 2012, Chelsea District Library launched its "Geek the Library," kicking off the campaign featuring Howdy Holmes, president and CEO of Chelsea Milling Company, on posters and banners throughout town. Participation quickly grew to feature more than 400 community members: seniors, city workers, local business owners, kids, teens and families. Many participants are photographed holding a prop supporting their geek.

“We were very impressed with the Chelsea District Library team’s efforts to include and engage the local community in its campaign. They used 'Geek the Library' as an opportunity to strengthen local partnerships while solidifying the library’s position as an important community resource,” said Linn Haugestad Edvardsen, program manager for Geek the Library.

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Geek the Library is a public awareness campaign designed to highlight the vital roles that public libraries play in local communities. The campaign introduces the word ‘geek’ as a verb and illustrates that everyone is passionate about something.

Geek the Library was developed by OCLC with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

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