Public Relations for Academic Libraries in the Digital Age

Abstract

The digitization of science has significantly widened the range of tasks and services of science libraries such as the German National Library of Economics (ZBW). Primary materials are now digital, and research data management is an important new field of activity. This development may appear logical to libraries, but it is not so to scientists, who have been socialized to see the library as an analog space. Against this backdrop, ZBW designed a campaign to change this outdated perception among German economists. An evaluation of the campaign’s results showed quantitative and qualitative improvements. German economists now know ZBW as a library that conducts its own research, that is committed to science policy, and that builds new technical infrastructure.

Keywords

• image campaign
• science library
• evaluation
• digitization of science
• long-term engagement
• public relations
• academic libraries
• Germany