The Muncie Visitor's Bureau is trying to reach out to the community in a different way; they are installing information kiosks around Muncie to raise awareness of local businesses and attractions.
While much of the information on local businesses is already on the web, the kiosks allow Muncie attractions to tell their stories and have them all concentrated in one place. A quick search on Google places the Muncie Visitor's Bureau in sixth place, after a private company's website, the City of Muncie website and the local newspaper's website.
The visitor's bureau decided to purchase the kiosks after they realized it was difficult to give out information to visitors and residents about local businesses, Jim Mansfield, executive director of the Muncie Visitor's Bureau, said.
"We found there were a lot or people that didn't know how to find the visitor's bureau," he said.
"Now, not only visitors, but also residents can learn more about their community."
Ten kiosks were bought and six are already installed in different areas in Muncie for people to look at and search for businesses that are close to them.
The visitor's bureau purchased the equipment through the help of a $38,000 grant awarded a year ago by the Ball Brothers Foundation. All 10 kiosks, including the software and their installation cost $45,000. There will also be a fee the visitor's bureau will have to pay for maintenance.
The kiosks that have already been installed in Minnetrista, the Horizon Center, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, Cardinal Greenway, Comfort Inn and Signature Inn, have been a success in the two last weeks since they was installed, Mansfield said.
"Just in Minnetrista we had 1,600 hits in since the kiosk was installed, two weeks ago," he said.
And two of the four remaining kiosks could be installed in Ball State University, Mansfield said. The visitor's bureau talked with the university for permission to install one of the kiosks in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center and use the other one as a movable kiosk to be in display during main events on campus.
Kay Bales, vice president for student affairs, said in an e-mail that the university is "exploring the option and have not yet reached a decision." She said a decision will be made in the next few weeks.
Mansfield said if they are installed on campus, the kiosks will be a success among students.
"Here on campus there are about 18,000 students, many of whom might not be familiar with what Muncie has to offer," he said. "They are like visitors to us."
Mansfield said people can sign up for newsletters and e-mail themselves discount tickets, which will be offered in the kiosks. These are all efforts to connect students with the rest of the community, he said.
"I would expect many students to use them, and hopefully they will become more familiar with Muncie's businesses," he said.
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