Public relations in University and Technikon libraries in South Africa
Public relations is the art of relating to and communicating with one's public. The study emphasizes the dualistic nature of the concept, i.e. identifying the public's needs and wants ; and, keeping the public informed. PR is a planned process and planning effective PR programmes requires academic libraries to conduct a PR audit. The traditional concept of PR as merely a component of promotion is challenged. The role of PR is re-examined, indicating that PR could be regarded as the more dominant function over marketing of which promotion is only a component. An analysis of the statements by the Inter-University Library Committee (IULC) and the Committee of Technikon Principals (CTP) on the role of academic libraries, lends support to the view that PR should not be restricted to being a component of promotion, but that the converse should apply, and that promotion should rather become a component of PR. The view that academic libraries have a "captive audience" and therefore need not concern themselves much with PR, is therefore, rejected.. A survey of university and technikon libraries in South Africa shows that although PR should be a continuous and planned process of evaluating human needs and keeping users informed, only 33% of academic libraries have formal, planned PR programmes. Furthermore, the existing programmes address mainly one aspect of the PR function, namely that of keeping users informed. Only 26% evaluate user needs. This indicates that, for academic libraries, the PR audit is not yet fully visible.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations