Naming of US Public Libraries

Abstract

The article considered the development of branding and naming in the marketing of library and information activities in Russia and in the USA. It is noted that in the professional literature of the USA, the problem of the library naming is not covered in detail but general branding issues. The names of the leading branches of American public library systems are analyzed in accordance with the author’s classification of naming (personalized, conceptual and toponymic). It is noted that most public libraries in the USA have a toponymic version of the name. A comparative analysis of the names of the New York Public Library branches was carried out for a comprehensive understanding of the features of American library naming. The prevalence of toponymic naming, when the name contains a direct reference to the location of the cultural institution, is proved by the example of New York libraries. In the process of comparative analysis, single indication of conceptual naming was identified (the name is associated with the reflection of the priority direction of the cultural institution activity, or has a special associative way at its basis). The author showed that a distinctive feature of personalized naming in the USA is the prevalence of libraries with the names of their founders or major patrons. It is concluded that attention to naming will increase as part of the overall marketing strategy of US cultural institutions.