50. évfolyam, 2004. 3. szám

Archívum

On autumn 2003, researchers of the Hungarian Library Institute conducted a survey on the marketing environment of libraries in three cities, Eger, Szolnok and Debrecen. The survey included questions on the appreciation of libraries, on the information needs of local citizens, about new library slogans that people would find useful for promotion purposes etc. The researchers intended to develop, on the basis of the outcomes, a survey method that can be adopted and used by other libraries too. 900 people were interviewed that were not members of any library at the time of the survey. The results revealed what kind of picture non-users have of libraries, and their opinions turned out to be useful for new strategies aiming to attract these people to the libraries again.

Most interviewees had a positive image of libraries. The most often mentioned features of libraries were

1. the cultured atmosphere of libraries,

2. the helpful attitude of librarians, and

3. the collections and services.

However, in many cases, the interviewees were not sure about what kind of services they can expect at libraries.

The image of libraries as reflected by the answers of local citizens can help library directors in the planning of their marketing strategy. Libraries should be more actively involved in the life of the local community, and in order to achieve this, they should strive to make the marketing of their services more efficient. The marketing strategies should target both the users and the local decision makers. One of the marketing tips can be to emphasise the availability of the new information and communication tools at public libraries, most often free of charge for users.

Országos Széchényi Könyvtár Észrevételek