We’ve been working with the fantabulous Aaron Schmidt for 9 months now – and we just birthed this baby. This letter to our users represents a TON of thoughtful conversations, deliberation and iteration, and just plain hard work by our staff here at CHPL. Couldn’t be prouder of what we are doing with and for the great community we serve.
Dear Chapel Hill,
Every time you interact with us, the experience should be simple, satisfying, and delightful. Lately, we’ve been making a lot of changes to help meet this goal – whether you walk through the door, visit us on the web, or call us on the phone.
As part of an ongoing user experience improvement project, we moved the magazines upstairs, shifted the holds shelves, interfiled paperbacks, redesigned telephone systems, and much, much more – all in the name of improving your library experience.
Behind the scenes
Not all of the changes have been visible. Behind the scenes, we’ve been asking ourselves and our community big questions like What is our purpose? What do we value most? What promise do we make to our community? Those questions led to great conversations and to new foundational statements that guide all we do and convey the promise that we make to you:
Our Mission
Sparking Curiosity. Inspiring Learning. Creating Connections.
Our Values
Opportunity, Hospitality, Stewardship.
Our Service Pledge
You are our top priority.
Fulfilling the promise
So how do we fulfill that promise? With our collections, services, programs, and spaces. When you approach the desk or post to our Facebook page. In our posters, library cards, signs, and more. To help us communicate that promise, we developed a new logo to reflect our new mission.
You’ll start to see the logo in all kinds of places – in the building, in emails like this, and on posters and stickers. We aren’t throwing out all the old stuff, just phasing in the new look. We used gift funds to pay for the logo design and we will use gift funds to purchase some giveaway items that feature it.
What’s next?
More improvements. Later this month, based on what we’ve learned in the user experience improvement project, we will launch a new website and reconfigure some of our stacks and service points.
It might be a little noisy and confusing while we do these things but the end result will make your library experience more simple, satisfying, and delightful. We promise.
P.S. Here’s a little more about our Mission, Values, and Service Pledge:
658.8 - Marketing, Management, Leadership, Libraries 
Nice job, Susan. I love it.
Thanks, lady! Hope all’s well with you!