Conceptualization of the Libraries’ Brand Based on a Systematic Literature Review

Purpose: Today, challenges and opportunities have emerged for libraries as a result of the changes in the world of information and extensive access to the Internet and Web 2, durability of the stereotypical and old image of libraries, coinciding with the change of their roles, and changes in technology and the publishing industry. Therefore, branding for libraries is crucial to their sustainability in the complex world of information. The concept of brand in libraries’ context should be examined to provide a comprehensive definition of brand and its dimensions for libraries, managers, and librarians, and to guide them to understand its concept and the importance of branding. The purpose of this study is to identify the concept of brand for libraries based on a systematic review of the literature. Method: This research is a qualitative study with a systematic review of the literature based on the nine steps of the National Health Service (NHS) Center for Reviews and Dissemination. To do this, articles, dissertations, and theses on the subject of library branding were searched in 10 Iranian and seven global databases. The search period was from the beginning until June and July 2019 in the global database and from the beginning until September 2019 in the Iranian databases. The retrieved works were evaluated for quality and finally 36 English and 3 Persian researches were analyzed. The results of the study were validated based on the method of Creswell and Miller (2000) by using the methods of exchange with peer debriefing, the audit trail, and prolonged engagement in the field. For reliability analysis, the Gibbs method (2007) was used. Findings: Brand in libraries conceptualizes with 11 dimensions including brand identity, brand association, brand awareness, brand imagery, brand compatibility, brand quality, brand credibility (brand expertise and brand trustworthiness), brand superiority, and behavioral loyalty. Originality/value: The world of marketing and branding is complex. Managers and librarians cannot be expected to be familiar with these concepts and are able to go ahead in the right way of marketing and branding without being trained or studying in this area. This is the first study to conceptualize brand for libraries. Research results can be a proper guide to easily understand the brand concept and its importance for libraries, managers, and librarians. Public libraries, in particular, can adopt the results in order to attract and maintain more users.