Since I first started working in libraries in 2000, I’ve heard the word creative used often to describe staff and the work they do. I’ve heard things like:
- “Staff develop new and unique programs as an outlet for their creativity.”
- “If we stop letting staff create their own flyers, we’ll stifle their creativity.”
- “Book displays are a way for staff to express their creativity.”
- “If we make things more consistent or uniform, staff will lose their creativity.”
Over time, I’ve come to understand that in many of these conversations, creativity often stands in for individuality—the personal touch staff bring to their work and the sense of ownership that comes with doing things in a way that feels natural or intuitive to them. And that’s understandable: libraries attract people who care deeply, who bring their whole selves to their role, and who want to contribute meaningfully.
At the same time, a lot of my career has focused on balancing this need for individuality with strong marketing and branding practices. And that’s where a shift in how we think about creativity can be helpful.
Marketing as Creative Problem-Solving
Marketing is often seen as structured or even restrictive, but it’s actually highly creative—it simply starts from a different place. Instead of beginning with the staff member, marketing begins with the audience.
It asks:
- What do people need?
- What problems are they trying to solve?
- How can we connect them with services that will genuinely help?
This is creativity, expressed through design thinking, empathy, and problem-solving. It’s a creativity focused on impact rather than personal expression.
Branding as a Cohesive Experience
Branding works the same way. A brand isn’t about enforcing sameness for the sake of it; it’s about shaping the perception your community has of your library. A cohesive brand helps people recognize your services, trust what you offer, and feel confident navigating all the ways the library supports them.
Consistency doesn’t erase individuality. It provides a shared foundation so that the experience—no matter who delivers it—feels reliable and welcoming.
So Are We Losing Creativity?
I don’t think so. In fact, I believe we’re widening the definition. There’s a particular kind of creativity that thrives when we’re solving problems, reimagining services, and designing experiences that matter to the people we serve. This kind of creativity leans on imagination, which to me is even more expansive than creation. Creation is additive—making more things. Imagination is transformative—rethinking what’s possible.
Imagination lets us ask:
- What do our audiences really need?
- What if we stopped doing something that no longer works?
- What else could we try?
That’s a powerful, forward-looking form of creativity.
Where Individuality Truly Shines
And of course, individuality still has a meaningful place in libraries. Staff expertise is one of the greatest assets libraries have. Deep knowledge of research databases, early literacy, archives, local history, technology support—or simply the ability to connect naturally with patrons—are all unique strengths that deserve to be seen and celebrated.
Those strengths aren’t just creative; they’re irreplaceable.
A Broader, More Purposeful Creativity
So maybe the question isn’t whether consistency stifles creativity, but how we can expand our understanding of what creativity looks like in a library setting. When we view creativity through the lens of imagination, problem-solving, and service design, it becomes something larger—and something that can drive libraries forward.
This isn’t about taking creativity away. It’s about channeling it into the places where it can have the most impact.
Cordelia Anderson Consulting 