MARKETING OF LIBRARY
AND INFORMATION
SERVICES
Abdul Rashid
Librarian
National Institute of Technology,
Hazratbal, Srinagar 190006
CUSTOMER / USER
• A Customer is the most important visitor on our premises.
• He is not dependent on us; we are dependent on him.
• He is not an interruption in our work; he is the purpose of it.
• He is not an outsider in our business; he is part of it.
• We are not doing him any favour by serving him; he is doing
us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so
GANDHIJI Quotes (Apocryphal)
Marketing: Notion
• to market the products available in a
particular library but in a broader sense, it
refers to the information and knowledge
contents that are available in any form and
format in the libraries, online publishing,
public domain and commercial online
databases available through Internet and
other propriety databases available
through various private network providers.
NEED
• one of the public relations tools for the
library ;
• win support from both users and the
parent body;
• Helps to fulfill the objectives:
{objectives of marketing is to influence, sustain or change important relationships, the
desired effect of which are changes in behaviour that can be expressed in increased
in political supports, more consumer demand for service, or perhaps a lessening in
vocal opposition to its expansion }
Constraints
• .
• The Library Profession
– The organisational structure not condusive; status of Librarian; over
domination by unprofessional staff
– lack of moral, administrative and material support from higher level of
management
Educational System
• Reluctance top and middle class employees are often reluctant to
undergo such training programmes while new entrants are very receptive to such
skills
• Shortage of People capable of delivering Training.
• Finance
SUCCESS
Competent Staff
both technically & in interpersonal skills
What a Technically skilled holder can do if he cannot
communicate or is weak in life skills?
• Skills like communication, time management, stress management,
adaptability, emotional intelligence, goal setting, confidence, public
speaking, Cross Culture Training, cooperation amongst others, work
ethics, negotiations skills, presentation skills required to sustain a
successful professional and social life
•
What we say
• WHAT WE DO
is
is
HOW WE SAY
How we do
Technical
Life Skills
Soft
How EASY
• THE ONLY JEWEL THAT COSTS
NOTHING BUT WINS EVEREYTHING IS
A SMILE
• Personal appearance, neat dress and
courtesy all combine gives users a good
impression of the library and the staff, and
these traits should be cultivated and
encouraged
Techniques
• 1.
• 2.
Direct marketing
Indirect marketing
Suggestions
• Training can lift men to angelship.
Direct marketing
•
•
•
1. by advertising the service in Web Page, a newspaper, putting posters on the notice boards, annual reports and
institutional magazines etc. {it will reach the prospective users since all staff and students receive copies of such
published documents}.
2. the subject coverage, and the location of the document are included.
3. recent acquisitions, staff changes, change in opening hours, etc
•
•
taking part in the exhibitions that are usually held during the commemoration of the annual day of the Institute;
talk given by the librarian to the new students during the introduction week at the beginning of every new academic
year
•
It is important to note that whatever technique is used by the librarian to market his service (s)he must be
absolutely certain of being able to produce the goods before shouting their qualities to high heaven since faith and
confidence in one's product is essential if successful public relations work
2. Indirect marketing
•
Friendliness of the staff that can make people like to come to the library.
•
Internet, the library web site becomes increasingly important as a product (service)
in its own right and as a major tool in marketing other products of the library.
signposted and the signs should be attractively designed, clearly worded, and
prominently displayed
3. Staff pleasant, friendly, knowledgeable and show willingness to be helpful since
satisfactory personal service is a good public relation tool in itself
4. Personal appearance, neat dress and courtesy all
5. informed on the new acquisition of the library holdings through
6.
Fulfilling the needs of each department equally department can have its
judicious share.
7. Atmosphere of the library is an important factor : physical condition bbuilding
comfortable by providing moderate temperature, enough lighting,
8. Satisfactory personal service ; efficient and prompt service. To achieve this, it is
vital to minimise staff conversation in the service area since nothing is more annoying
to users than being kept waiting while service staff finish their conversation.
9.
Good relationship with members of faculties, senate, business people and
professional people in the community so that (s)he can get enough support to
develop the service.
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When to Start
Slow & Steady Wins the RACE
• He who would learn to fly one day must
first learn to stand and walk and run and
climb; one cannot fly into flying. Put your
heart, intellect and soul and even to your
smallest acts.
This is the secret of Success.
survival
•
In order to survive, and maintain its status and position in the modern competitive
world, every library and information centre like other business organisations has thus,
to publicise as to what services it is providing. A user goes wherever he finds the
products/ services as per his specific needs and wants. No doubt, user surveys
helps a library to know the needs of the users but to a certain extent only. Moreover,
the needs of the users are bound to change at any moment because change is the
law of nature. A user may require a particular piece of information, which may arise
out of his particular needs. Thus, it is recommended that a library or an information
centre must keep on publicising its products i.e. resources of information continuously
as already mentioned. Wilson says that even when no sales are planned and when
charging back is not a feature of the organisation, the information scientist is still in
competition with others for resources to enable him/her to offer the services and
produce the products. The information scientist, therefore, must sell the worth of
these services and products in order to justify the budget he is putting forward.
Soft skills are skills for life, learn them and keep them