case study pr

8/12/2019 Case Study PR

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1.0IntroductionLibrary providing so many materials for users especially printed materials. Libraries

nowadays expend considerable effort to be perceived as vital to students, faculty, and

researchers. They continually promote potential to enhance teaching and learning session, to

facilitate research with appropriate resources and expertise in order to grab the information

consumers attention.

Based on our case study, the scenario given describes about Library AM as a mid-size

public library servicing the town of BA. The town is home to about 80,000 population comprises

of people from the middle income composition. The library has been in existence for more than

15 years, under the administration of the town council. The librarian is a professional and she

was the first librarian of the library. She helped set-up the library and become what it is now. The

library has a balance group of users of all age groups. The library image is almost completely

bound to its traditional printed materials.

The library started to offer the Internet service but chargeable at a rate of RM1.00 per

hour. There are 10 PCs dedicated for Internet service. The library has its fair collection of non-

traditional materials. In this library, the users of Library AM are among teenagers between the

age 13 to 17 who use to frequent the library for their homework and study. Plus, they also use to

go to the library as meeting place.


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2.0 Problem Analysis

From the situation faced by libraries AM, there are problems about user and materials

that has been provided in this library. In the town of BA, this library has been use as an

information center by people but now its not be seems as usual when the library has been

provided by an updated materials. This situation is worst and people dont realize that the

updated material is more important now. Before that, the library image is almost completely

bound to its traditional printed materials. So, the user only refers to the traditional printed

materials rather than updated materials that have been provided by library now. The traditional

printed material is good but sometimes it had not enough information to user. The updated

material is more details and more attractive to user. There are also has other thing that make this

library becomes less of uses such as:

The distance of walking or driving at library from town center make users unaware with

availability of fair collection of non-traditional materials

Internet services in libraries are charged at the rate of RM1.00 per hour

The senior citizen is still waiting for a guiding session on internet usage

Serious decline of teenage users visiting the library impact of the emergence of newest

technology and modernization of the town

The interaction of librarian with the user

3.0 Recommendation / Solution

3.1 Propose Solution

The problem that library has make rate of user becomes decrease and library not

be used as usually it is. This situation has given bad impact to the library as an

information center to people and not only it can give bad impact to the library but it also

make first impression of people to this library becomes negatively especially to theforeign visitor. From that, librarian should take some solution to avoid this situation

becomes worse. So, from the above, there are some propose solution that suitable to this

situation.


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3.1.1 Librarian should take some action to improve the condition

Through this propose solution, the librarian should take some action to the

problems that faced by library such as the distance of walking or driving at library

from town center make users unaware with the availability of fair collection of non-

traditional materials, internet services in libraries are charged at the rate RM1.00

per hour, the senior citizen is still waiting for a guiding session on internet usage

and the last one is the interaction of librarian with the user. In addition, the further

the walking or driving distance from town centers to the library, the larger the

number of users unaware of the availability of updated materials. Besides that, there

are only 10 PCs dedicated for the internet service. This make users can use the

internet for a short time only per person because there are a few PCs can be used by

user and they also should pay for this service if they want use that. Other than that,

there not have guiding session on internet usage to the senior citizen and this can

make senior citizen feel difficult to retrieve information through the internet.

Through the interaction between librarians with the user, the librarian is seen by

many as less approachable probably because of its facial complexion that lack of

smile. Actually it does not represent her true nature which is caring and helpful but

known only to those knew her personally.

3.1.2 Librarian should regain the interest of the teenagers to continue visiting and using

the library / Librarian should improve the interest of the existing users and attract

new user to the library

Through this two propose solution that has the same solution the librarian

should solve the problem of serious decline of teenage users visiting the library.

Those between age 13 to 17 who use to frequent the library for their homework and

studying seem to miss from the library. They use to go to the library as a meetingplace but their interest fading as time goes. It is not known now these teenagers

spent their time. This problem seems to the other existing user, they become lazy to

go to the library and they more prefer to stay at their home, chatting and messaging

via social network such as facebook and twitter.


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3.1.3 Librarian should make the library become visible and significant to the

community / Librarian should proof how vital the existence of a library to a

community

Through this also two purpose solution; librarian should find the

solution to the problem about impact of the emergence of newest technology

and modernization of the town. Furthermore, with the modernization of the

town, new entertainment technology and outlet begin to flourish and this

development goes well with the tonnages and other user interest. From that

they can retrieve information in everywhere and anytime that they want

without going to the library. New entertainment technology make they

becomes less ignore about the important of library and knowledge to them

and indirectly, the library will be seen as invisible and significant also

inexistence to a community.


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3.2 Justifications

3.2.1 Librarian should take some action to improve the condition

Based on the situation in the propose solution, the first situation that

the library faced is distance of walking or driving from the town centre to the

library. As an alternative to overcome this problem, the librarian should get

service from mobile library to convey information especially to rural area.

The advantage of using mobile library is all resident will get information

although they are far from the library. So, this will makes fair for the rural

villagers as they can get information same with the residents near to the

library.

Besides that, the users unaware of the existence of non-traditional

materials, it makes sense because the librarian does not take actions to

promote the materials that the library has. To attract users, the librarian

should use interesting method so that the librarian able to convey information

fully about the library to the users in different ways thus attracts them to go to

the library. Promoting activities can be taken through various medium, for

example, advertisement, flyers, notice and more.

As a public library, the librarian should not charge the users who use

the internet services in libraries. But, unlike other public libraries, Library

AM charged users at the rate RM1.00 per hour. This situation makes users

feel uncomfortable to access or study by using internet services. So, the

librarian should abolish the charge because for the students, they do not have

money unless get it from their parents. Plus, RM1.00 per hour is expensive to

them because they need time to search for the information. If, the librarian

doesnt want to abolish the charge, she should reduce the price for example,

RM1.00 for two hours. This situation will ease the burden of the students to

enjoy the internet service.


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Other than that, there are only 10 PCs provided for users to access

internet. This amount is too little in order to accommodate a lot of users who

want to use the PC. Thus, the users feel not comfortable to study as other

users are waiting to use the PC. To overcome this problem, the librarian

should provide more PCs because in this technology era, students need to use

internet service in order to retrieve updated information for their studying.

With the increasing numbers of PCs, all users can get the same benefits from

it and the users can study in comfortable and conducive environment. So, the

studying activities will be more efficient and effective.

Guiding session is important to ensure that all the activities run

smoothly. In this case, senior citizen is still waiting for the guiding session for

them to use internet service. This guiding session cannot be held because

Library AM have only 10 PCs. This situation will be difficult to the other

users who want to access the internet. But, addition number of PCs can

overcome this problem where guiding session could be held. Plus, the

librarian does not yet give them orientation makes them waiting. So, the

librarian should arrange a day at least once in a month to hold a guiding

session. This is very essential because, during guiding session, users will be

give education or train them to be more effective.

Next, the problem that Library AM faced is the behaviour of librarian.

The librarian seen less approachable makes users afraid to near or ask to her.

Although, it does not represent herself, but the librarian should be friendly to

all her customers. She should change her behaviour become more pleasant

and her face impression from lack of smile to be nice and pleasing. Other than

that, the librarian should improve her soft skills for example, interaction

among the users of the library because through interaction process the

librarian could retrieve information from the users pertaining unsatisfied

matters about the library. According to the scenario, she does not represent

her true image which is she is caring and helpful. So, the librarian should be

herself rather than pretending to be anyone else that unbeneficial to her.


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3.2.2 Librarian should regain the interest of the teenagers to continue visiting and

using the library / Librarian should improve the interest of the existing users

and attract new user to the library

To overcome this problem, the librarian should build conducive

environment for the teenagers to do their homework and study. To build a

conducive environment, the librarian should plan the position of the furniture

in the library. To make arrangement looks neat, the librarian could separate

the space into corner. For example, there are study corner, IT corner,

magazines corner and more. So, the users feel more comfortable to use the

library. Plus, the librarian has to ensure about the updating materials provide

to the users. She has to keep all the materials are up to date and reliable.

Besides that, the librarian should always hear the problem faced by the user

about the library and improve the problems. This situation makes users feel

more concern and comfortable to come to the library. To attract new users,

the librarian could use interesting and easy method such as giving notice and

flyers to the resident. But, the information in the notice and flyers should be

complete, interesting and colourful in order to attract users to read it. Plus, the

librarian have to use easy language so that they understand the information

that librarian want to convey and when new users come to the library, the

librarian should interact nicely and guide them on how to use the materials in

the library.

3.2.3 Librarian should make the library become visible and significant to the

community / Librarian should proof how vital the existence of a library to a

community

Library is the important agency in the world. Library as aninformation agency play crucial roles to the community that is provide

information to them. But, unfortunately, there is lot of citizen who does not

know the importance of library for them. So, to make community realize the

importance of library, the librarian can organize a seminar or campaign in

order to increase awareness of community about the library as an information


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provider. Plus, in seminar, the librarian can aware community about the

importance of becomes knowledgeable person in this advanced technology

era. Then, starting from that, perhaps the community can retrieve some

information from the seminar and realize the importance of library to them.

Other than that, the librarian should also implement digital library for the

community so that they can see the roles play by the library in different ways.

This situation makes them more attract to try access to the library digitally.

Thus, this will gives them assumption that the library plays important roles in

their daily lives not only giving them information but become as community

centre.


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3.3 Propose process

For the first situation that the library faced is the users unaware of the existence of

non-traditional materials, it makes sense because the librarian does not take actions to

promote the materials that the library has. To attract users, the librarian should use

interesting method so that the librarian able to convey information fully about the library

to the users in different ways thus attracts them to go to the library. Promoting activities

can be taken through various medium, for example, advertisement, flyers, notice and

more. According to the Answers.com, advertisement is the activity of attracting public

attention to a product or business as by paid announcements in the print, broadcast or

electronic media. Although this method need high cost, but the librarian should report to

the libraries headquarter such as National Library of Malaysia about the condition of the

Library AM and suggest to them ways to improve the library. One of the ways is by

advertising the library. Perhaps that National Library of Malaysia can provide some fund

to support the librarian advertise the Library AM. Otherwise, the librarian can carry out

activities that can raise some fund such as donation or sales.

Besides that, the librarian should give notice to the resident telling them about the

existence of non-traditional materials. Without notice, the residents do not know the real

situation of the library and what the library has. The notice will be distributed to all

villagers or will be view at the notice board available. This method is more effective

where the information reach the users as the notice is give by hand to them. Plus, the

usage of notice does not need high cost compared to the advertisement. The librarian can

create the notice but the notice should be interesting so that the users attract to read it. For

example, the librarian can put the image or printed on colouring paper to make it more

interesting. But, not only the notice, the librarian also should use easy language so that

the users will get the information that the librarian want to convey because the librarian

does not know the level of education of the villagers. So, the use of easy and simple

sentence will ensure the understanding of all the villagers. Other than that, the using of

bilingual language also better due to the knowledge level of English also cannot be

estimate.


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For the second problem is the distance from the town centre and the library. There

are villagers who are stay far from the library and this makes they are difficult to go to

the library. So, they cannot enjoy the benefits compared to the villagers who are near to

the library. As an alternative to overcome this problem, the librarian should get service

from mobile library to convey information especially to rural area. The advantage of

using mobile library is all resident will get information although they are far from the

library. So, this will makes fair for the rural villagers as they can get information same

with the residents near to the library. In mobile library, providing main

In addition, in this modern era, technology gives a huge impact to the community

surrounding. Perhaps, traditional ways does not affect people anymore as technology

provides convenient in order to find information instead visiting the library. Fortunately,

Library AM started to offer the Internet service but chargeable at rate of RM 1.00 per

hour. Plus, there are 10 PCs dedicated for Internet service. This facility sound quite

interesting and attractive, however, chargeable of Internet service make citizen especially

teenagers love to surf Internet at home rather than visiting library. Therefore, in proposed

process, library should take an action by reducing the chargeable of Internet service. Free

chargeable of Internet service might attract users to frequently visit library instead of

surfing in Cyber cafe or at home. In fact, library also can provide online databases for

users to find information through online databases where it is only available in library.

Thus, users especially students are able to retrieve information, articles, research paper,

and etc from library. The most popular online databases that are usually provided in

library are Emerald Insight, Ebsco Host, Science Direct and etc.

Besides that, the existence of Internet service and PCs in library also does not

give any significant if the senior citizen is still waiting for a guarding session on Internet

usage. Librarian plays an important role in this part of public relation where

communication skills are it elements. Most of the senior citizen are not familiar with the

Internet service regarding it facilities that can be explored by them. Therefore, librarians

can give a brief explanation to the senior citizen through library guide, user education and

demonstration for new service. Fleming (1990) defines user education as various

programmes of instruction, education, exploration provided by libraries to users to enable


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them to make more effective, efficient and independent use of information sources and

services to which these libraries provide access. In user education, librarians can

convince and convert traditional users into users of Internet-based resources and services.

Information literacy can contribute to develop information technology (IT) related

competencies among end-users as it includes basic computer and network literacy. The

aim of information literacy is to make information users capable of locating, retrieving

and using information. Here are some components in user education:

Librarians familiarizing users, who have little or no information seeking skills atall with broad range of library resources in order to develop library skills.

Librarians educating users on how to find materials manually or electronicallyusing on-line public access catalogues and CD-ROMs.

Librarians introducing users with new technology available in the libraryespecially senior citizen. For example, online database.

Online databases


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User Education

The next proposed process is regarding the attitude of librarians themselves as

professional information. As we know in this case study, the librarians less approachable

because of its facial complexion that lack of smile whose not represent the true nature. In

order to overcome this problem, librarian should be teached how to be approachable in

many ways:

Attending international seminar of librariansIn this seminar, librarians will be exposed on how to make good impression of the staff

and users. Plus, users can share information among other librarians regarding the image

and attitude of librarians. Participation in the activities of international will upgraded

librarian skills as information professional.

Learns public speaking (for presentation, demonstrations, etc)Image and attitude of librarians can be improved through public speaking where it very

useful during user education session, campaign, exhibition of library, notice and other

promotional activities.

Librarians self-awarenessInstead of attending seminar, librarians should realize the importance of attitude during

give services to users. Librarian should herself in other people shoes and think what users

feel if librarian do not give smile expression until her true nature is unrevealed. Self-


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awareness indirectly, helps librarian to be more friendly, helpful, approachable and

confident in front of users.

Perhaps, the existence of library will be taken into concern by the public through

campaign awareness organized by the Library AM. In this campaign, the most important

thing that should be applied in its objective is why library exits in Town of BA. Library

campaign can be organized during public holiday which is the perfect day to attract

citizen to attend some of activities during library campaign. Some of the activities are:

A programme training session throughout the campaignLibrary can organized and conduct a session on the importance of public library so that

citizen will be exposed with the benefit of library that they can get. During this session,

flyers and pamphlets can be distributed among the public regarding the overall activity

due to the objectives of library campaign.

Reading Campaign through awareness of knowledgeReading campaign is one of the activities that synonyms with library campaign. What can

be applied in this activity is that librarians can promote many type of collection of

materials in the library so that users are aware with library collection. In fact, through

reading users realize the importance of knowledge that can get from library. Competition

can be held in reading campaign such as quiz, online e-book, riddles that are related to

the library. Exhibition

Exhibition is one of the library promotional activities instead of library campaign.

However, librarian can organized exhibition as one of library campaign in order to

promote the uniqueness of Library AM to public. In exhibition, display stand,

information, multimedia, answer to question session should be included in exhibition.

Multimedia is one of the technologies that will attract users among teenagers.


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Some of library campaign activities;

Reading Campaign Program training session

Exhibition Multimedia


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3.4 Expected outcomes/ Results

Based on all of the problems that faced and also the ways that suggested, mostly

the outcomes can be positives and relevant. The supports from all of the staffs of this

Library Am and also the users around will make all of these ways become valuable. It

is due to first, the advertising that made by the staffs of the library. Colouring flyers and

pamphlets will make users more attractive to read and to know more what is collected

in this library. The listing of the new materials whether they are printed materials or

non-printed materials and also online materials will make users want to survey what all

those materials. From all these, users will be adding from time to time and one to many

users will come.

Furthermore, the programme training lesson will interact with the users and the

users will know more detail how to use library OPAC to detect where are the collection

of library materials for example, how to connect with other people by email and how to

regain new knowledge by internet.

The exhibition that using the boards, partitions, stands and multimedia that

displayed will make the users more understanding and more knowledgeable. The

attractive multimedia that made will make users want to know how to make it and they

want to learn how to create it, so, it is one of the information delivering when the staffs

teach the users how to create it.

Reading campaign is one of the way that always library used to attract all

Malaysian to read and acknowledge library materials. Reading campaign can attract all

level of ages and all parents can support their children to go to the library to make sure

their children love to read library materials. So, it will become a new habit which is

love to read and sad to leave the books for example.

From all of the seminars that will attain by the librarian, the librarian will be more

approachable and friendly. Maybe from the late faced of the librarian it illustrated the

librarian is fierce and cannot be approach. So, for this new faced, the librarian become

more smiley and easy to ask many questions that they want to know before. So, all of

the users will easily react with the librarian.


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4.0 Specific Public Relations Elements

Everyday, we are deal with other people and organizations in aim of specific

purposes. According to the British Institute of Public relations (BIPR), public relation can be

defined as the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual

understanding between an organization and its publics.(National Open University of

Nigeria, 2006) This means that, public relations is a part of organizations functions because

effective public relations could ensure its customers. Through systematic, planned and

continuous efforts, public relations can build mutual understanding between an organization

and its publics. Same goes to library, public relations is very essential to be applied to

librarian as they are deal with the users.

A public relation activity has always been associated with communication and

interaction. As a librarian, effective communication enables users to understand and

influence them to take actions. According to Tony Rosenbaum, communication is a process

by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of

symbols, signs or behavior. This means that, through communication, the information

conveyed from the sender to the other party which is the receiver through meaningful

symbols. In this communication process, the exchanging and sharing ideas, opinions and

facts take place. Communication usually occurs in two ways or bidirectional where the

librarian will get feedbacks from the users. There are few elements that librarian have to

make sure in communicating with the users. First is the information must be relevant and up

dated so that the users can get the most reliable information. Next, the information should be

convey in simple and organize so that users easy to understand and retrieve the information.

Moreover, public relation is also related to promoting or marketing product or

services. To librarian, they have to promote their materials available in library in order to

increase the number of users. They have to attract new users and continuing existing usersby establishing a long and strong relationship. Promoting activities can be done through

several medium such as advertising, distributing notice and more. To make promoting

activities success, the librarian have to creative in designing promoting activities for

example, creating interesting advertisement. This situation makes users attracted and visiting


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the library. But, the librarian has to make sure that the information in the advertisement is

complete so that users get fully information.

Although public relation is about communicating with publics, but the real world is a

public relation produces change in awareness, opinions, attitudes and behaviour of the

publics. For example, perhaps the education level of the users is still in lower condition

especially for the villagers in rural area. They do not know the importance of knowledge in

our daily lives. So, the role of the librarian is to increase awareness of the villagers thus

encourage them to apply good habits in order to build knowledgeable community. Plus, now

National Library of Malaysia held a reading campaign to aware community on importance

of reading in order to increase their knowledge so that community can shows good image of

our country to the world.

Here, we can conclude that, public relations is a discipline that has many

definitions but the numerous definitions have a lot in common that is involves mutual

understanding between organizations and its publics. In public relations, there are some

elements which will be implementing by certain job class as its routine activities especially

for librarian who have roles in influencing their users of the library.


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5.0 Conclusion

We can conclude that all of the public relation elements are very useful to attract

users to come visit and use libraries facilities. Library as an information agency are build to

provide information to the users not only to be a huge and beautiful building without any

observed by the users around. It will become a waste if no one comes to use it. So, the

librarian must think from time to time how to regain the public attention to visit and use the

library as much as they can. They never can sit and wait the user to come because it is not

one of the library objectives.

All of the public relation elements such as advertising via flyers and pamphlets,

multimedia presentation, reading campaign, guiding sessions, communication skills and

mobile library are the ways how to approach with all of the users and how to attract users to

come. All of these elements cannot be done in one time, so, it is great if these elements are

continuously done so, the users know that this library is not died.

Nothing can be done if no support and no tolerate with all of the staffs. It will use

skills, knowledges and also energy to make all of these public relation elements

successfully done. The function of Library AM days by days very poor and seemly cannot

be detect by the population of people. So, it will take time to make this library become fresh

and new. Thats why itneeds all of the supports from all of staffs to make sure all of these

elements are rolling continuously.

Public relation is the medium to make sure all of the staffs can be react greatly with

all of the users. It will make the users fell comfortable and love to visit the library without

any pressure from other side. The more visitors come to the library, the more successful

library planning it is. So, to create gorgeous phenomena between the staffs and users, the

great library planning must be established.

All of the activities must be planned from time to time and are flexible to be added

or to erase. Nothing is impossible if all of the staffs have a good collaboration.

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