Marketing activities and usage in HBCU Libraries

The academic library has experienced overall growth and decline based on demographics, technology, and convenience, yet problems still exist today including: (a) perceived relevance, (b) market share, and (c) competition. Statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Academic Library Survey, and the Academic Library Marketing Activity (A.LM.A.) Survey seek to provide a snapshot of usage and marketing activities in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) libraries. Trends reveal both usage growth and decline over the 2000-2008 period, and significant marketing activities involving distribution methods. Several possibilities for expanding HBCU library usage and marketing activities include: management of existing library traffic, and incorporation of evolving technology for outreach and promotion.