EDITOR'S NOTES
Brand Awareness
by
Dick Kaser
I got in a little hot water last month when one of our authors casually referred to a couple of brand names for consumer soft drinks in a generic way. Mea culpa! I told the trademark lawyer who politely informed me of the infraction (in the form of a certified letter):
“Thank you for the reminder that in this age of google and bing (n. v., adj) that some are still defending their brands so as to not have them rise to the status of household words. … I will remind our copy editors to strike all consumer brand references in future stories.”
Regardless of what kind of nutrient-enriched bottled water or what color of soda you might enjoy as you read this issue in your library’s coffee bar, there’s one thing I know for sure. The vendors listed in this month’s back section definitely want their brands to be spoken of often and highly in your library, and we present their names unashamedly in our new Library Resource Guide section.
New this issue, CIL magazine’s Library Resource Guide combines two long-standing ITI publications, CIL magazine’s annual Buyer’s Guide and American Library Directory’s Library Resource Guide . You get the benefit of one-stop shopping since the new format combines listings for both libtech vendors and the suppliers of other library products and services.
The editorial content for this special combined issue focuses on how to select and buy library stuff so that the end result is true added value for your users and outcomes that really matter for your benefactors. The challenge for today’s librarians is to make the tough choices that reposition the library and assure its ongoing viability. There are some powerful case studies in this issue for how to choose among vendors as well as some articles that give you tips and tricks for getting the message across that your library matters.
Cheers!
Dick Kaser, Executive Editor
kaser@infotoday.com
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