Basic Marketing and Promotion Concepts

SUMMARY

Librarians need to embrace marketing and promotion to better understand customers' needs and to communicate with them regarding the services libraries offer. This chapter discusses basic marketing concepts and adapts them to the non-profit library environment. The marketing process, including the development of a marketing plan and the utilization of the marketing mix to develop tactics for promoting library services, is reviewed. The chapter lays the groundwork for subsequent articles, where authors employ these promotional techniques to develop and implement successful campaigns for promoting electronic resources.     

Social Media Marketing: Determining and Comparing View of Public Library Directors and Users

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The present study aims to determine and compare the views of directors and users of public libraries on the use of social media for the marketing of library services.

Methodology: Data collection was done through two researcher-made questionnaires, one from the viewpoints of directors and one investigating the views of users. The questionnaires’ validity was done by four libraries and Information Science professionals, and the reliability was determined by the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The statistical population of this research is made up of all directors and users of 12 public libraries of the city of Isfahan, one of the largest cities in Iran.

Findings: In users’ viewpoints, the “interaction capability” is the most important feature that social media marketing can have in libraries. From the viewpoints of the directors, “creating a true picture of the role of the library” and “informing users about library services” are among the most important reasons for the marketing of libraries in the social media. From the perspective of both groups, the Telegram is the most appropriate medium for the marketing of library services.

Results: To maintain their customers and their market position, libraries need to use more exciting tools such as social media for marketing. Library directors of this study emphasized on this fact and 79.1% of users expressed interest in receiving library information through social media.

Value: The findings of this study would help the library directors to better decide on the marketing of their library services in social media.

Type of the study: Scientific-Research     

A Study on Using Rubrics and Citation Analysis to Measure the Quality of Doctoral Dissertation Reference Lists from Traditional and Nontraditional Institutions

Abstract

As distance education programs continue to grow, so do the services offered by libraries to the communities created by such programs. However, for these programs to be successful, the people that they are intended to serve need to be aware of the support and services available to them. Without such awareness, the services will go unused. Through a survey, the librarians at Emporia State University learned that making distant students aware of services was essential to the success of distance learning library services. Librarians discovered that creating a marketing plan to guide the marketing process was essential. This tool serves as a road map to visually illustrate the path from the conception of ideas to the realization of the marketing goals and objectives. This paper examines the process of writing a marketing plan and intends to illustrate how it can assist the library in marketing its services to a distant population.     

Selling the Library from the Reference Desk

Abstract

Many library directors and administrators spend a significant portion of their time attempting to market the library and its services. Getting patrons into the library and keeping their business is an integral part of the day-to-day management of the library. This mission, however, is not always effectively passed on to the front lines to the one group of people who face the patrons on a daily basis -the reference librarians.

This article will show how the library's service points can be used as marketing tools; outline what librarians and public service staff should know about their library; and discuss ways in which reference service librarians can help further the library's marketing and public relations goals.     

We Cannot See Them,But They Are There

Abstract

Distance learners are a unique target-population for the marketing of library services and resources. Because these patrons do not visit the library often, if at all, it is crucial to actively promote the library resources and services available to them. Marketing strategies for distance learning library services need to take a multifaceted approach to reach distance learners in as many ways as possible, and collaboration with various groups and departments on campus is an important part of the process. Promotion of distance library services can take advantage of high-tech options, but it should also work in the realm of “traditional” publicity as well.     

What Exactly Do You Do Here? Marketing-Related Jobs in Public and Academic Libraries

ABSTRACT

This study analyzes the presence of marketing-related job duties in public and academic library job listings and the experience required for these positions in order to better understand how libraries currently embrace marketing. A content analysis was performed on job listings from the American Library Association (ALA) JobLIST. The findings revealed 37% of job listings included marketing-related content, while only 11% of those listings also included stated experience or training in the marketing field. The findings will be of interest to library administrators looking to improve marketing strategies within their library without compromising the productivity of other library activities.     

If You Build It Will They Come? Using a New Library Building to Establish a Culture of Marketing

Abstract

While most college campuses have strong support for the libraries, as competition on university campuses for limited financial resources gets tougher, support for libraries can be more theoretical than actual. Library users are unaware of the complexity of and expense required for library services. Not only must libraries compete for limited financial resources, they must also compete in a complex information marketplace. Today, libraries must market themselves to their constituents to ensure that services are utilized and appropriate resources are allocated for all formats of library materials. By committing to a strong marketing program, the University Library at Sonoma State University developed strategic plans to gain broader support from faculty, students, administrators and greater use of services. Libraries wishing to explore the possibility of integrating marketing efforts or libraries in the process of a move can adopt and/or adapt some of these techniques.     

Implementing an Action Plan

Abstract

A university library implemented a three-pronged marketing action plan to increase library visibility on campus. The plan included a publicity campaign, a formalized liaison program, and a user satisfaction survey. The year-long effort did return library instruction statistics to earlier levels but did not increase reference usage. Several factors are identified as potential causes for its limited success.     

The alphabetical-subject index to the systematic catalogue: its structure,properties, and functions

This paper continues and develops the ideas of the target theme of the Department of Scientific Processing of Literature (DSPL) of the LNS RAS, The Perfection of Classification Systems. It simultaneously finishes forming under modern conditions our ideas about the prospects for centralizing the main library process in the network libraries that have developed since 1946.     

Gypsies,Tramps and Rage

Summary

This paper proposes that encounters with problem patrons and reader rage will continue to increase. In order for the library and its staff to survive they must adhere to some basic ideas including acknowledging that a problem exists, creating a code of conduct, hiring and training staff for the task, and providing them ways to deal with the problems and the stress.