While the increasing significance of the Internet in institutional communication can go a long way in shaping the reputation of the Central Library and that of the Eszterházy Károly College, the potential provided by digital PR has not fully been realised in libraries of the higher education sphere. Yet, at the same time Internet-based public relation and communication efforts pertaining to a given institution have proven to be successful.
The application of digital PR can strengthen the institution?s position in its immediate and regional surroundings on a long run. A library serving higher education purposes can perform two types of digital PR activities. External communication is directed towards the local or regional context, while its internal communication activities can be integrated into the institutional network as well (or it can integrate the communication features of the given institution). Furthermore, as a combination of the two approaches, the digital PR scheme integrated in the institutional network can be incorporated into the World Wide Web.
The Eszterházy Károly College launched an effective internal information network in order to inform the College community of actual developments, events, along with broadcasting edited programs. The iVision system coordinated by the Central Library is capable of accommodation to local special needs. The Digital Signage information distributing and content providing system is capable of pre-scheduled presentation of program units and the simultaneous broadcasting of various information at its respective end-points.
In addition to discussing the options of World Wide Web integrated digital PR for the library, I will introduce the structure of the information system while briefly highlighting the respective hardware and software requirements, and the special, local options and forms of network-based information and content provision. My lecture will conclude with the summary of the experiences related to the introduction of the institutional information system along with presenting plans and concepts for further development and expansion