SPEC Kit 306: Promoting the Library · 13
Survey Questions and Responses
The SPEC survey on Promoting the Library was designed by Brian Mathews, User Experience Librarian,
Georgia Tech, and Jill Stover, Undergraduate Services Coordinator, Virginia Commonwealth University.
These results are based on data submitted by 87 of the 123 ARL member libraries (71%) by the deadline
of February 29, 2008. The survey’s introductory text and questions are reproduced below, followed by the
response data and selected comments from the respondents.
Research libraries expend considerable effort to be perceived as vital to students, faculty, and research scientists. They continually
promote their potential to enhance teaching and learning, to facilitate research with appropriate resources and expertise, and to
gain credibility in a world that competes for the information consumer’s attention.
Research libraries exist in a marketplace characterized by competing options, efficiency-minded consumers, and difficult-to-
penetrate social systems. Public relations and marketing, core elements of promotion, have taken on increasing importance.
Library communication strategies attempt to build loyalty and name recognition with students, faculty, and researchers. A broad
assortment of promotional techniques are employed to raise awareness and engage the consumer, including creation of library
brand and logos posters, flyers, and giveaways community events, activities, and press releases or simply creating a “buzz”
among constituents. Experimentation, innovation, and assessment gain traction as initiatives are floated, new communication
channels are utilized, and branding campaigns are launched.
Insight can be gleaned and ideas appropriated from compelling efforts to promote resources, services, and the image of the
research library. There is increasing interest in our community in the ways that libraries frame and deliver their promotional efforts,
in the new directions and initiatives that are tested, and in the tools and techniques employed to assess the impact on target
populations.
This survey seeks to identify how academic and research libraries are working in these promotional arenas to foster greater
understanding of the critical roles they play in the lives of their constituents. It seeks to identify the purposes of promotional
activities and strategies, promotional tools and techniques, samples of promotional materials, how libraries organize to do
promotion, the nature of library branding campaigns, and coordination of activities and reporting structures.
Survey Questions and Responses
The SPEC survey on Promoting the Library was designed by Brian Mathews, User Experience Librarian,
Georgia Tech, and Jill Stover, Undergraduate Services Coordinator, Virginia Commonwealth University.
These results are based on data submitted by 87 of the 123 ARL member libraries (71%) by the deadline
of February 29, 2008. The survey’s introductory text and questions are reproduced below, followed by the
response data and selected comments from the respondents.
Research libraries expend considerable effort to be perceived as vital to students, faculty, and research scientists. They continually
promote their potential to enhance teaching and learning, to facilitate research with appropriate resources and expertise, and to
gain credibility in a world that competes for the information consumer’s attention.
Research libraries exist in a marketplace characterized by competing options, efficiency-minded consumers, and difficult-to-
penetrate social systems. Public relations and marketing, core elements of promotion, have taken on increasing importance.
Library communication strategies attempt to build loyalty and name recognition with students, faculty, and researchers. A broad
assortment of promotional techniques are employed to raise awareness and engage the consumer, including creation of library
brand and logos posters, flyers, and giveaways community events, activities, and press releases or simply creating a “buzz”
among constituents. Experimentation, innovation, and assessment gain traction as initiatives are floated, new communication
channels are utilized, and branding campaigns are launched.
Insight can be gleaned and ideas appropriated from compelling efforts to promote resources, services, and the image of the
research library. There is increasing interest in our community in the ways that libraries frame and deliver their promotional efforts,
in the new directions and initiatives that are tested, and in the tools and techniques employed to assess the impact on target
populations.
This survey seeks to identify how academic and research libraries are working in these promotional arenas to foster greater
understanding of the critical roles they play in the lives of their constituents. It seeks to identify the purposes of promotional
activities and strategies, promotional tools and techniques, samples of promotional materials, how libraries organize to do
promotion, the nature of library branding campaigns, and coordination of activities and reporting structures.
