The aim of this Master?s thesis is to study the public library identity from a brand perspective, how the public library brand identitity is communicated through blogs and what is communicated in them.
The authors analyse the public library identity through selected concepts and a model within Aaker´s and Kapferer´s branding theories. These theories have been applied on literature and blogs as a method. The authors have examined literature about the public library identity in different works within Library and Information Science and political documents that applied to public libraries. An empirical study has been carried out on blogs published by public libraries in Sweden.
The result of this study has lead to the identification of different core and extended identities for the public library brand. The core identities have been identified as democracy, adult education (the swedish word ?folkbildning? has no correct translation in english, adult education is the recommended related term) and lifelong learning. The extended identities have been identified through how the public library different roles, presented identities in the literature, goals, products and services are connected and related to the identified core identities. By looking at the public library identity as a brand identity a more coherent picture of it appears. The development of the public library brand identity can be a way to discover a new and clearer identity for the public library. This paper argues that the core identities should be more communicated in relation to the public library as a brand. The core identities are the most long-lasting values of the public library. The extended identities should be more receptive to changes in the environment and adjust to it in ways which the core identities can be fulfilled. It is important that both the core identity and the extended identity are continuously discussed among the public library staff in order to develope a set of shared values.
Other results have been identified in the empirical study on blogs which shows that blogs are both a product and a communication tool for public libraries. Blogs are used to communicate the public library brand identity only to a certain extent. They mostly communicate the extended...
