The Fridge: internal communications at the State Library of Victoria

Eighteen months ago, and prior to the launch of its redeveloped Intranet, the State Library of Victoria revolutionised its internal communications with the introduction of The Fridge – a new, online, daily news service. A small icon – in the shape of a fridge – was posted on the desktop of every Library staff member. Staff were invited to click on the icon at any time, every day. When they did so, their computer screen filled with the image of an actual fridge covered in ‘post-it’ notes, photographs and postcards. These bits of paraphernalia – including a video box – contained Library news and interviews, plus profiles of staff, Library users and supporters. The launch this year of the Library’s redeveloped Intranet (The Fridge, part two!) enhanced this service, incorporating a range of features that support the provision of relevant and engaging news, streamlined project documentation, multiple forums for staff collaboration, and the occasional opportunity to ‘repackage’ material for an external audience via the Library’s website. Today, The Fridge remains a widely used and highly trusted Library tool. Hear Gregory Honeyman, SLV Marketing Manager, outline the State Library’s commitment to employee communication and The Fridge: to its contribution to the morale, productivity, performance and retention of valued staff; to its role in quantifiably lifting the operating ‘climate’ of the workplace, and helping to build a stronger workplace community. INTRODUCTION There are, of course, innumerable strategies and tactics that an organisation can employ in the service of its internal communications effort. Let me tell you about just one of those undertaken at the State Library of Victoria...