Browsing by Author "Jayaram, Veena"

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    Public relations in University and Technikon libraries in South Africa
    (1993) Jayaram, Veena; Vermeulen, W.M.
    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.