Feature The analysis provided insights into how patrons were using the library's services. Perception: Customers living the farthest from the library use the mailing service the most. Reality: Distance from the library is not a good predictor of how much customers use the mailing service. "My own epiphany about planning after working for more than 30 years as a professional librarian is that the line between a library's strategic plan and its marketing/communications plan has begun to blur and merge. It is really all about connecting with people and building relationships built on real knowledge about each other. And the data that drives that is the GIS analysis." highly favored by segments whose characteristics include close proximity to the library; modest incomes; and a diverse range of household types, ages, and life stages. TSCPL is currently developing targeted marketing programs to increase use of both print and nonprint materials in these segments and identify other segments with similar characteristics that are likely to use these resources. The analysis has provided the library with a great deal of information about their current and potential users within the determined market segments. For example, those living farthest from the library are located in Shawnee County and are members of the area's largest population segment called Green Acres, which is spread throughout the rural parts of the county. Segment characteristics indicate that it is family oriented, well educated, middle class, and not ethnically diverse. It is also one of the most underserved library segments within the TSCPL. There are 23,999 people in this segment and 9,409 of them have a library account, which means that 61 percent of this group are not current library users. The segment represents 13.7 percent of the total population of the Topeka and Shawnee County area and 10.7 percent of the area's library customers. In addition, for those in this area that use library www.esri.com services, these patrons check out 1.32 items every couple of months. The TSCPL analysis has shown that to meet the needs of the overall community, service must be improved for this particular segment. TSCPL is currently considering various options, such as increased bookmobile visits, books-by-mail services, services through local schools, or opening local storefront facilities. After completing the analysis, the library was able to identify trends, patterns of usage, service, collection, and programming preferences, as well as barriers to using the library, most of which they were previously unaware of. Concluded Millsap, "Tapestry data has been especially helpful in getting to know our customers by looking at their lifestyle choices, consumer buying habits, and so on, as well as basic demographic information and comparing that to how they use (or don't use) the library. We now have a very clear picture of our open market potential, and we're beginning to understand the strategies we need to pursue to increase satisfaction of existing customers, increase usage of existing customers, and grow our customer base from 94,000 account holders to approach the 173,000 people that live in our service area. "My own epiphany about planning after working for more than 30 years as a professional librarian is that the line between a library's strategic plan and its marketing/communications plan has begun to blur and merge. It is really all about connecting with people and building relationships built on real knowledge about each other. And the data that drives that is the GIS analysis." Portions of this article appeared previously in the October 15, 2008, issue of Library Journal and are printed here with its permission. ArcUser Winter 2010 17