Strategic planning and customer intelligence in academic libraries

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to refer to a current discussion on the effectiveness and efficiency of Bielefeld University Library and concentrates on requirements and conditions of implementing customer intelligence in academic libraries. Moreover, a conceptual framework for a library management information system based on a data warehouse that links external and internal data to support strategic planning processes is introduced. Design/methodology/approach Content‐related and technical aspects of customer intelligence in academic libraries are outlined and analogies are drawn to commercial enterprises to motivate the conceptual reflections. The paper closes with two examples that demonstrate how multifaceted the data pool for customer intelligence can be in librarianship. Findings The paper sensitizes to the advantages of systematically generating customer knowledge in academic libraries for strategic planning and customer orientation. Practical implications The suggested approach can serve as a basis for the development of data‐based decision support systems focusing on the tracking of the usage of library services and customer preferences over time. Originality/value Up to now the discussion of customer intelligence as a foundation of strategic planning in academic libraries has been almost a blank space in the literature. The paper contributes to fill this gap.