Naming of Libraries: Terminological Aspects

Abstract

The article considers terminology used by the professional community for the analysis of names of public libraries. The concepts “onomastics”, “nomination”, “brand”, “branding”, “naming”, “brand-naming” are used in the marketing of library and information activities in Russia and abroad. The author notes that in the specialized literature in the USA, the problem of naming the library-information sphere is not covered in detail, and often gives way to general branding issues. The paper concludes that the special interest in the name of domestic libraries is a cultural phenomenon emanating from the value-historical context of Russia. The author stresses the relevance of this article because the naming becomes one of the most important elements of marketing strategy of organization. The increased research interest in this topic demonstrates the problem of terminological disunity. In this regard, generalization of library names (personalized, conceptual and toponymic) is substantiated, as well as the use of the term “naming” as the universal and most correct designation of activities for the creation and functioning of an effective name of an organization, product or service. Libraries bearing the names of famous writers and other famous representatives of culture and art have personalized names. The conceptual version of the name is associated with the reflection of the priority direction of the activity of the cultural institution, as well as with associative names, the basis of which is a special image. Toponymic names characterize the relationship with the territory where the library is located. Due to the active increase of libraries that have conceptual or toponymic names, the question arises about the correct terminological generalization of cultural institutions that do not have numbered designations. The author concludes that the terminological aspects of naming will be the subject of further discussions in the professional library community, because the well-established term “named library” is currently perceived as a cultural institution with a personalized name. The article is of interest to the Russian professional community, especially to librarians, library scientists and specialists of cultural universities implementing educational programs in the direction of LIS (“Library and Information Science activity”).