Raising the Library Profile to Fight Budget Challenges

Abstract

As university budgets tighten, academic libraries are becoming more aggressive and innovative in raising awareness of their services to protect needed funding. In the age of Google, that means marketing collections to both students and faculty as a key component of building a positive, essential profile. ProQuest is completing a study of academic library efforts to build awareness and market the breadth of collections. This article will summarize the results of that study, providing not only raw data on the state of marketing collections, but also: best practice techniques for raising awareness and protecting budgets; emerging models of success; role models for effective marketing; effective vendor support: where to turn for products that conquer barriers between libraries and users; and effective marketing support: where to turn for expert advice.

Keywords:

• awareness
• marketing
• vendor
• end users
• collection development

Notes

REFERENCES

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2. John Law, Observing Student Researchers in Their Native Habitat. Presentation at American Libraries Association Midwinter Conference. Seattle, WA, 2007.

3. Ibid.

4. Anne Prestamo, Is Google Winning? Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Big Gorilla, 11. 2009, http://conference.amigos.org/sites/default/files/prestamo_presentation.pdf (accessed September 24, 2009).

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6. Law, Observing Student Researchers in Their Native Habitat.

7. Head and Eisenberg, Finding Context.

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9. Ron Berry, Interview by Beth Dempsey. Ann Arbor, MI, 2009.

10. Ibid.