Purpose: The present research aims to investigate the advertising effectiveness of Iran Public Libraries Foundation's reading projects in attracting users to the public libraries of Zanjan province from the viewpoint of their members.
Methodology: This is an applied and survey-descriptive research whose statistical population includes 33 users (i.e. patrons) who were members of public libraries of Zanjan province. The measurement tool includes a researcher-made questionnaire based upon the AIDA model. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 18 Software.
Findings: The results showed that a positive relation existed between the dimensions of attraction, interest, desire and action in AIDA model and the advertisements of the "National Plan of Neshast-e Ketabkhan (Reader's Meeting)". According to results of the performed tests, these advertisements were less effective in creating "interest" than other dimensions, and thus this dimension should be strengthened in order to make advertisements more effective and promote better this plan. In addition, the degree of effectiveness in the dimensions of "attention" and (arousing) "desire" were equal and the advertisements were most effective in the "action" dimension (i.e. changing behavior). For the users, the order of priority of setting up reading projects were as follows: First, the "National Plan of Neshast-e Ketabkhan (Reader's Meeting)"; second, the "Jashnvareha-ye Ketabkhani (Reading Festivals)" project; third, the "Pooyesh-e Ketabkhan (Reader's Campaign)" project; and fifth, the "Ketabkhan-e Takhassosi (Expert Reader)" project. Consequently, the advertisements of the "National Plan of Reader's Meeting" were effective in attracting users. The advertisements of this plan were also effective in all dimensions of the AIDA model. From the viewpoint of the patrons of Zanjan province's public libraries, the National plan of Reader's Meeting was helpful and suited the users' informational needs and also consistent with setting up the aforementioned projects in the province.
Originality/value: The effectiveness of advertisements in the field library and librarianship has been been less examined in the literature and thus this research aims to examine the advertising effectiveness of Iran Public Libraries Foundation's reading projects in attracting users to the public libraries of Zanjan province from the viewpoint of their members.