Who's spinning the library? Responsibilities of academic librarians who promote

摘要

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the responsibilities and challenges faced by academic librarians whose major responsibilities include the overall promotion of the library.Design/methodology/approach - A questionnaire was sent to seven library listservs asking respondents to describe their work duties, promotional activities, academic background, and professional challenges and concerns.Findings - This study garnered 215 responses. Respondents who completed the questionnaire identified as academic librarians whose major responsibilities include the overall promotion of the library. Librarians who promote face a plethora of challenges, including time restraints, lack of funding and limited support for their promotional efforts. These barriers place a strain on promotional work in academic libraries.Practical implications - The paper illustrates the roles and responsibilities of librarians who promote and the challenges and obstacles they deal with on an institutional and departmental level.Originality/value - This study provides a unique snapshot of marketing initiatives across various academic libraries, in the midst of a global economic recession.