Public Relations (PR)
Public relations is a strategic management function focused on building and maintaining a positive image for an organisation and fostering mutual understanding with its public.
Definition: According to the Institute of Public Relations, "Public Relations is the deliberate planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organisation and its public". It is an essential activity for institutions like mass media, libraries, and corporate enterprises to manage their relationships with a variety of people and groups.
Purpose and Objectives:
- The primary purpose of PR is to build and sustain an image for the organisation.
- It aims to ensure that the organisation's services are perceived as qualitative and value-based in order to attract and retain users.
- For libraries and information professionals, PR helps create a good image of the parent organisation.
- In mass media, PR is vital for preparing the ground for marketing activities and protecting the organisation's interests.
Activities: PR involves a wide range of communication-based activities designed to build goodwill and a positive reputation. These include:
- Organising media meetings and press conferences.
- Issuing press releases and feature articles.
- Preparing special brochures and publications.
- Arranging programmes for TV and radio broadcasting, as well as interviews with important individuals.
- Designing and producing documentaries.
- Conducting research programs to assess audiences and understand their perceptions.
Extension Activities
The sources describe extension activities primarily as services designed to take information and knowledge beyond the walls of an institution to the people, especially at the grassroots level. While not defined in a single sentence, the concept is illustrated through the function of "extension workers" and "outreach programmes".
Definition and Concept: Extension activities involve the transfer of knowledge, technology, and practical information from a source (like a research institute or library) directly to the community. This is a proactive approach where the organisation extends its services to users, particularly those who may not otherwise access them, such as illiterate or semi-literate populations. For libraries, these are often called outreach programmes.
Purpose and Objectives:
- The main goal is to ensure that the benefits of research and knowledge reach people at all levels of society for social and economic development.
- They aim to promote the practical application of new technologies and information, for instance, by linking information consolidation products to extension services in agriculture and health.
- For libraries, the objective is to attract users, make them aware of available services, and motivate them to use library resources.
Activities and Methods: Extension activities are often practical and hands-on, tailored to the specific needs and literacy levels of the target audience.
- Extension Workers: A key method is the use of extension workers (e.g., in agriculture or public health) who act as intermediaries to transfer research results from the laboratory to the field. They use methods like lectures and demonstrations to educate rural populations.
- Readers Advisory Service: In a library context, this can be seen as an extension activity where staff provide reading guidance to individuals to motivate them and inculcate good reading habits.
- Information Products: This involves creating and disseminating repackaged information, such as documentary films, manuals, posters, and brochures, that is appropriate and helpful for the target group. For example, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has an Agricultural Extension Division that produces documentary films on farmer-friendly technologies.