Positioning services at the official websites of central libraries of RF constituent territories

Abstract

Positioning of the libraries’ services on their official websites is seen as an important way to increase their competitiveness and ensure the growth of the number of readers and remote users.
The results of the study conducted in 2021–2022 on the positioning of the services of the central libraries of 77 subjects of the Russian Federation on their official websites are presented.
The contradiction is revealed between the diversification of services provided by the central libraries of the subjects of the Russian Federation and the difficulty of finding complete and accurate information about services provided to remote users, and the difficulty of finding specific services on the official websites of libraries.
The authors provide evidences that information about services on library websites is often scattered across different headings and subheadings, with no hyperlinks. The duplication of services accessed via banners has a disorienting effect on users, too.
The authors conclude that there is currently no logically predictable and well-structured information about library services on the official websites of the central libraries of the RF constituent subjects. Consequently, the libraries’ huge efforts of services diversifying are not reflected on their official websites, and remote users are not aware of the wide range of services provided by modern libraries.
The authors emphasize that success of library service positioning is determined not only by the presence of the heading “Services” on the website main page, but also by intelligent reflection of the whole range of services provided to the library users both in traditional and electronic forms.