We are privileged to closely accompany the National Library of Israel, one of the country’s most important institutions, and the treasurer of the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Jewish people in Israel and the diaspora.
The much-awaited opening of the new and innovative building of the National Library marks a monumental turning point in Israel's cultural landscape. With its rich repository of treasures as it moves to the breathtaking new complex in Jerusalem, the National Library of Israel sets out on a mission to make historical artifacts, rare items, and technological innovations accessible to the wide public for the very first time.
As millions of items, including books, newspapers, photographs, archives, maps, manuscripts, digital files and musical recordings had been relocated to the new building, the intricate process of the transition highlighted the importance of raising awareness and generating public engagement with the Library's diverse collections, as well as the diverse target audiences, with the wish to attract young and new audiences yet unaware of the Library’s unique offer.
Months before the National Library's doors swung open at its stunning new home, our team launched a thorough communication strategy, together with the Library’s spokesperson Vered Lyon Yerushalmi. We partnered closely with all the parties involved in this ambitious project, in order to craft and hone a tailor-made communication and marketing strategy, in line with the Library’s very unique needs.
We began by identifying our target audiences, from a communication and marketing perspective, ranging from the Library’s loyal friends, through culture and art enthusiasts, to the youngest of crowds. A core objective was to spark curiosity and attract new visitors from various audiences across the country to explore the Library, experience first-hand the new campus with its rich treasures, attend the exciting new events and tours, and enjoy the array of digital resources that the Library has made available to the public in Israel and worldwide as part of its overall renewal process.
Focusing on key milestones and content anchors, we created a strategic communication plan for the Library that leverages its many assets and provides a unique approach to the various target audiences. A significant spotlight we turned was toward the National Library as a new architectural icon in Israel, spanning 46,000 square meters and 11 floors, and representing an iconic and architectural landmark, both ecologically and artistically in the landscape of public and cultural institutions in Israel.
Some of the shelves in the Library had still been empty and the construction work not yet complete, when we went on an exclusive press tour for media representatives and influencers just before the grand opening of the new Library, to share with this private group the moment of the transformation as it unfolded.
During the tour, accompanied by a comprehensive press kit we had prepared in advance, we presented the story of the National Library. This journey spanned its pioneering founding days through the significant milestones of the legendary old building, to the Library’s innovative and technological transformation in its unique, new home. The visiting group readily shared with the public its impressions before, during and after the privileged tour.
The terrible events of October 7th and the consequent outbreak of the war presented a different reality and a real challenge granted the grand plan we had in store around the launch of the National Library's new premises.
With the unimaginable events still unfolding, the Library's management effectively carried out an emergency plan on several fronts, including immediate action to safeguard the rare treasures entrusted with the library, as well as the creation of unique memorial installations in honor of the fallen soldiers and in a call to free the hostages. One of the major tasks that the Library has taken on was to set up a national mission for real-time documentation of the atrocities – leading to the creation of the "National Memory Repository" project. This elaborate project is carried out in collaboration with numerous national and private documentation initiatives, ensuring that the testimony resonates for generations to come.
We have successfully positioned the National Library of Israel as a leading and innovative institution, preserving and presenting the treasures of Israeli and Jewish culture and heritage throughout the generations to the public.
We have done so through high-quality and widespread media exposure on various channels, emphasizing the importance of the National Library and its status and attraction as a center for culture, heritage, and education.
The changing reality following the situation in the country has brought on many challenges, but also opportunities, and indeed the Library has managed to take part and contribute to governmental, private and media initiatives, given its status as a national historic institution.
The results speak for themselves: the National Library's new building, dubbed "the most beautiful building in Israel," attracts enthusiastic response from diverse audiences who visit the Library and experience its various events, exhibitions and reading halls. The public space surrounding the National Library, deliberately designed without fences, is filled with visitors of all ages—elderly and young, school children, tourists, and curious delegations who arrive from across the country and around the world to witness and experience all the Library has to offer.
