As the new year unfolds, it is important to pause and reflect on the accomplishments achieved as an organization, and celebrate those individuals who support the Library’s mission and vision.

As the Director of Libraries for the Neuse Regional Libraries (NRL), I am honored to work with a dedicated and talented group of individuals who go above and beyond each day to serve our communities in a caring and professional manner. The NRL staff play a significant role in the lives of our community members on multiple levels, and in turn our community members make a significant impact on our lives as well.

In 2019 the Library set out to share the NRL’s story of impact through effective marketing to demonstrate the library’s value within the community, and in the process we established a focused rebranding campaign in order to increase awareness of the various opportunities made available through the library. The development of this campaign was centered on the considerable input we received from the community during our 2019 Strategic Planning activities and on the areas of focus we identified through that process.

In order to maximize community involvement in the creation of a new library logo, the Library contacted the Graphic Arts and Imaging Department at Lenoir Community College. Dr. Hope Carroll was generous enough to offer the time and significant talent from the students in her department, and after visiting the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library and meeting with our Marketing Librarian, Jennifer Nelson, students submitted potential logos.

On January 2, 2020 the NRL unveiled the new library logo created by Lenoir Community College student, Cody Pearce and Sean Moore, NRL Technology Specialist that is modern, vibrant, and communicative of the Library’s priorities to inspire creativity, foster learning, and engage community.

The NRL also wanted to create a platform where community members could share their story of how the library has impacted their life, and advocate for the advancement of libraries. Over the course of six months Sean Moore, the NRL’s talented Webmaster, created a new modern streamlined and user-friendly website at www.neuselibrary.org. The new color palette and logo were thoughtfully applied, and every page of the site was redesigned in order to be faster, visually appealing, informative, and easy-to-use. Monthly programming schedules, hours, and contact information for each of our eight library locations are now easier to select, beautiful photographs of key Lenoir, Jones, and Greene County landmarks are distributed throughout the site, and access to individual library accounts and catalog listings has been simplified.

In addition, the new website features a platform where community members can share their Library Story, and help guide the future of the NRL. We would love to have you be a part of the Library’s story!

Thank you for your continuous support of the Neuse Regional Libraries, and we look forward to working together for an even brighter 2020. #newNRL2020