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Marketing of Library and Information Services

Article  in  Journal of Commerce and Management Thought · January 2015

DOI: 10.5958/0976-478x.2015.00011.7

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Shripad Chandratre Meghana Shripad Chandratre

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Journal of Commerce & Management Thought
Vol. 6-1, 2015, pp 162-175
DOI : 10.5958/0976-478x.2015.00011.7

Marketing of Library and Information

Services
Shripad V. Chandratre, Meghana S. Chandratre
Abstract
For optimum utilization of information and 24x7 accesses to information
libraries have changed themselves strategically. Marketing as a concept and
as a practice, still seems unknown to many library and information personnel.
The nonprofit organization like a library is basically engaged in the
production of services rather than goods. Services are distinct in nature
primarily due to the characteristics of being intangible, inseparable, variable
and perishable. The branding in library and information context involves a lot
of challenging issues. One of the most important things that a good academic
library can offer is a long term relationship with the people who use library
services. Now a days corporate workers start branding themselves as their
own personal. Academic Librarians too can create most positive stereotype by
customizing library and information services with his/ her own flavor of
personal brand (touch) of long last relationship.

Keywords : Library and Information Services (LIS) Marketing,

Marketing Strategy, Branding
162
 Marketing of Library... 163

Introduction
At the door of twenty first century lay a new awakening! The world was
buzzing with a plethora of new concepts like reforms, innovations,
reengineering, remapping. At the same time every sector of knowledge stared
buzzing with the new managerial concepts of core competency, vision &
mission, CSR, SWOT, innovations etc. Yes this was the wake up call to
change managerial gear. How come the gatekeepers of knowledge librarian/
information officer, libraries / information centers can be last one? They are
also stared glittering with new ICT techniques, e-services, digitalized &
virtual libraries and so on. Multifold factors influence the library and
information science filed for overcoming the users’ expectations, changed
world of ICT, its services and sustainability.
Electronic age began to impact libraries in 1980s and libraries started
developing as electronic services from paper based industry. 1960 the
MEDLAR was started for medical profession which is costly and not made
for multiuser. The internet the king of today’s world changed each sector in
a phenomenal way. Development of Hypertext, GUI forced libraries to start
working as web experts. The LIS professionals started developing
themselves with knowledge, ethos and technical skills to adopt innovative
practices for delivery of information in the present digital era. For optimum
utilization of information and 24x7 access to information libraries changed
themselves strategically. The LIS field developed as librarianship to library
administration or management. Now these library managers started acquiring
and applying managerial skills to library and information services. This
ongoing activity of innovation and redesigning of services changed the
nomenclature of librarian to ‘Information officer’ and in googleisation world
he tries to fit as cyberian and new generations of users are making new
demands for library service provisions.
Objectives:
This study is focused at:
1. To understand the need for marketing of library and information
services (LIS).
164 Journal of Commerce and Management Thought 6 - 1

2. To understand the strategic planning process required for LIS marketing

3. To analyze the term “ Relationship Marketing” in the context of LIS
marketing
Methodology
The study is based on secondary sources freely drawn from books and
journals. The study deals with marketing aspects of library and information
services. This study may reflect professional development aspects of
librarians especially working in college libraries.
This paper can be termed as concept paper prepared with the intention
to generate awareness towards professionalization of library and information
services management .The researchers have done the literature review to
understand the concept of Marketing, its application to LIS field, various
observations and discussions and professional experience tried to recollect
the concept of Marketing to develop a strategic outlook for promotion of
Library services.
Why Marketing of Library and Information Services
Librarianship is experiencing rapid change. Various internal as well as
external factors are reshaping the role of libraries. Librarians and information
specialists have debated the idea of marketing for the information sector.
Several things have compelled us to learn about marketing and using it.
Following factors are responsible for encouraging the library profession to
develop a marketing approach in its operations and services. :
1. The information explosion (rapid growth of reading material)
2. The technology revolution;
3. Escalating library costs/ budget cuts
4. Increase of user based services
5. Networking demands/ complexity in information requirements
6. Competition by database vendors
7. Reading habits among people declining due to reasons such as
onslaught of television and Internet
 Marketing of Library... 165

Development of Marketing services in LIS:

Marketing as a concept and as a practice, still seems unknown to many
library and information personnel. Some LIS professionals may feel that
marketing is somehow inappropriate for a public service institution such as
library and see no room for such practice in a not-for- profit profession like
librarianship. Some information service managers feel that marketing is
inimical to the nature of their activities. But with increased competition in the
world of information, marketing is a factor for survival. At the same time,
there is a common misconception that promotional activities alone constitute
marketing.
Ranganathan’s famous Five Laws of Library Science (Ranganathan
1931) was published in 1931 and have been discussed in the light of
marketing by many authors. Interestingly, these laws can be said to be
relatively well aligned to marketing theory where the reader (sometimes
called the customer) is king, and is the focal point of the library; thus the
whole organization (resources, services, facilities, rules and regulations,
procedures) becomes customer focused.
Still in the era of competition Library and information service
professionals are realizing that the delivery of effective services must be
based on strategic planning. The ability of businesses and organizations to
promote their services or to make potential users aware of their products can
mean the difference between success and extinction (kotler, 1997) .The
marketing understanding for any LIS professional involves right thinking,
strategic outlook, and operational tactics. Thus for LIS professional
marketing process can be a simple advertising, promotion, or public relations
part of marketing. Marketing in modern sense is considered as the
management process which identifies, anticipates and supplies customer
requirements efficiently.
Marketing with reference to LIS
Marketing has been defined and explained in many ways by different
authors. The definitions given by the American Marketing Association
(AMA) and The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) have been widely
166 Journal of Commerce and Management Thought 6 - 1

accepted over the years, but are redefined time and again there is still an
emphasis on process—that is fundamental to marketing—one can see the
transition in the focus areas: the use of the words “value,” “managing
customer relationships,” and “stakeholders” being brought to the center stage
in this definition (Gupta 2006). According to Kotler (Kotler 1985),
“Marketing is the analysis, planning, implementation and control of carefully
formulated programs designed to bring about voluntary exchanges of values
with target markets for the purpose of achieving organizational objectives. It
tries heavily on designing the organization’s offering in terms of target
markets needs and desires, and on using effective pricing, communication,
and distribution to inform, motivate, and service the markets.”Similarly
Stanton has opined, “Marketing is total system of interacting business
activities to plan, price, promote and distribute want satisfying products and
services, and present to potential customers.”
How Marketing in LIS is different
Marketing, in the context of library, is considered as the art and science
of finding and keeping readers and users of the library and information
centre. This concept was first introduced by Kotler and Levy in 1969 (5). In
1982 he again elaborated the marketing strategies for Non-profit
organizations like libraries. According to him, nonprofit organization like
library is basically engaged in the production of services rather than goods.
Services are distinct in nature primarily due to the characteristics of being
intangible, inseparable, variable and perishable. Thus there is also need of
different approach towards marketing of services vis-à-vis marketing of
goods. Within different kind of services, Information service is not only
considered as valuable commodity but also as marketable commodity
(Eagleton 1992). Information products/services, like any other commodity,
are demanded in the market and the demand is affected by factors like price,
reference, income, expectations, populations, seasons, technology, and price
of other goods .Marketing intended for not-for-profit organizations such as
libraries is referred to as “the societal marketing” (Adeloye, 2003). The
above definitions call for analyzing various activities in marketing. They are:
1. Market research and customers’ analysis
 Marketing of Library... 167

2. Development of new services

3. Pricing
4. Distribution
5. Promotion
6. Evaluation of services
All the above mentioned activities of marketing as applied to other
industrial sectors are equally applicable in the area of information products
and services. Whether it is for profit or non-profit sector, methods remain the
same while the policy varies. Thus one way meaning of marketing is building
customer relationships, branding and corporate identity, marketing
communications, price and pricing policy, collecting marketing data and
marketing strategy and planning.
The marketing plan is critical process which will establish the library’s
business goals and objectives and it may be like blue print for achieving
goals. Katz (1988) calls marketing action most effective when the relevant
activities are planned and co-ordinate. It is tool which will ensure that the
library services and products are viewed in focused and clear way. Marketing
plan is very useful to improve their image and to attract more users.
Information professionals must understand that it doesn’t matter what library
type, it doesn’t matter how large or small the library is – you need to draw
attention to your library, your services, your worth to your community, your
administration, your staff, and your users.
Marketing Strategies and Tactics for LIS:
Marketing strategy is an integral part of marketing plan. The strategy
necessarily includes DSTP-differentiation, Location and Segmentation,
Targeting and Positioning. Differentiation, spells out the precise way in
which our Library is different in some specific meaningful, unique, relevant
way to our Target Group. Segmentation is the process by which we divide the
market as per demographics, psychographics, behavioral and geographical.
Thereafter targeting takes place; process by which we clearly select and
define the group of customers to which we desire that our library and
information services are directed at every activity, promotion and locations
that we will be employing in the future will be carefully crafted so that an
168 Journal of Commerce and Management Thought 6 - 1

integrated and holistic message is become at our customers. The last

component of marketing strategy is positioning which is nothing but the
unique image and benefits we wish to create in the customers mind.
The library has many products and services that it can market. Each
library needs to identify what it wishes to market and how. Marketing is not
just about developing and promoting new services and products but also
about bringing awareness to clients of existing services and products and
determining their appropriateness. Marketing plan needs to be developed and
implemented with ongoing enhancement of the services and products should
follow. Many libraries have come to appreciate the contribution and
application that marketing concepts can make. In designing the marketing
mix and developing the marketing plan, the so-called 7Ps have become
central to libraries – product, price, place, promotion, participants, physical
evidence, and process. According to K Sharma and S Bharadwaj (Sharma &
Bharadwaj 2009), 7Ps of Marketing Strategies of libraries are:
7 Ps of marketing strategies of Library
 Marketing of Library... 169

Meaning of 7 Ps : ProductProducts or services of the general reference

and information service department. This is, of course, the information,
reference, and ancillary services that add value such as personal assistance,
referral services, online database searches, document delivery, and
interlibrary loan.PricePricing of use of the library is usually that of the time
and effort the user spends traveling to the library, as well as the time and
effort spentPlacePlace of service, based upon knowledge of the market of J
library, is essential in order to identify users and their discrete information
needs and wants. To expand the service area, the library may have branches,
bookmobiles, or electronic access, etc.PromotionPromotion includes
utilizing persuasive information about general information services, and
communicating this information to target market segments that are potential
users. Five kinds of promotion include: publicity, public relations, personal
representatives, advertising, and sales promotion.ParticipantsAll human
actors who play J part in reference and information services delivery, namely
the library’s personnel.Physical EvidenceThe environment in which the
reference and information services are delivered that facilitates the
performance and communication of the service.ProcessThe procedures,
mechanisms and flow of activities by which the reference and information
services are acquired.
According to experts like Wolf to market library resources and
information services is not difficult. Here are few suggestions for marketing
the library services:
1. New acquisitions like new online patent database or set of electronic
journals must be communicated to clients who need them.
2. New services like online versions of examination papers, the
development of an e-print archive of institutional research papers, the
use of plagiarism detection software and online thesis submission must
all be publicized to potential users.
3. Create library web page for the users. The web page is good way of
promoting library information services and resources.
4. Emails containing new library resources and tips on finding information
are of great value at the critical stage.
170 Journal of Commerce and Management Thought 6 - 1

5. Use library wall space. The library can display different language study
tools such as bilingual dictionaries, English thesaurus, dictionary of
synonyms and antonyms, subject-related dictionaries and
encyclopedias.
6. Attend academic lectures if the department you are responsible for has
prominent number of users.
7. Librarians can meet users to discuss and gather information about their
needs as well as to promote the offered information services.
8. Links to “Help” services from all appropriate library web pages, where
assistance may be needed.
Librarians must embrace the cross-channel experience when providing
information service and work with users to find the most useful channel for
their purposes. Strategic planning is required for achieving success in
marketing on sustainable basis. Strategic planning involves formulation of
vision, mission and goals setting. It may involve market research where one
can do is
o Understand your client (market research)
o Identify your client market (segment and target)
o Identify your strengths as competitive business (position)
o Know the products your clients want and where they want to use it
(product and place)
o Develop effective and efficient procedures and systems that facilitate
outcomes for clients (processes)
o Employ and train staff in both work skills and client relationship
marketing (people)
o Communicate the benefits and advantages of your product over
competitors, such as the chaos of the internet (integrate marketing
communication)
Skills for Marketing of LIS:
Library personnel require the following professional knowledge and
skills for marketing information and library services:
 Marketing of Library... 171

• Perception of user needs and ability to obtain feedback from users

• Technical knowledge, such as ability to use the Internet
• Knowledge of various marketing strategies for promoting information
skills
Barriers to Marketing of Library and Information Services are:
1. The relatively low level of knowledge and lack of agreement of user
requirements, wants, and needs.
2. The virtual impossibility of estimating the value contributed by
information products and services to the efficiency and conduct of
research and development and the advancement of scholarly pursuits
3. The general economic unsophistication of those, mostly schooled in the
humanities and the non-market-oriented library school environment,
which purchase information products and services.
4. Lack of business expertise among librarians and information scientists.
5. Casual approach in supplying information to the potential users;
6. Lack of perception of how much information services and products can
contribute to boost research and development activity.
Branding and its relevance in LIS:
Brand is the “name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that
identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”
Branding is considered as one of the important tools of the marketing
discipline. Brands are at the heart of the marketing and business strategy.
Organizations of all types are recognizing the value and importance of using
their brands to improve performance and build deep relationships with their
customers. The process of branding is generally seen to offer range of
perceived advantages and benefits for both buyers and sellers and including
providing images and information on quality; offering recognition,
reassurance, security and exclusivity; contributing to brand image and
identity; market segmentation; the mutual development and strengthening of
trading relationships; and legal protection.
Thus brand is personification of the total offering of an organization or
product and its value and contribution, to both the organization and the
172 Journal of Commerce and Management Thought 6 - 1

customer, makes it key issue for library and information providing sector.
The library is brand. It carries all the associated issues from service quality
and cost, through to positioning and growth; it is J real business issue, which
requires senior management attention. Branding the library can be used as
signal to the rest of the organization of change in attitude, new philosophy,
and different approach towards business. Branding the library is not just
simple process of thinking up good name and putting it on library holdings.
Although significant amount of literature on services deals with
measuring or delivering customer satisfaction in library and information
settings, but not much of it addresses the issue of branding services. Branding
has yet to receive its due consideration in LIS.
For effective branding following are the starting points (Melvile 1995)
– The customer’s perception of the library;
– The library’s attributes recognized by the customers;
– Your own perception of the library;
– What customer attributes you feel the library has to offer;
– What attributes the customer(s) seeks;
– The customer’s image preference.
Branding can play special role in information service organizations
because strong brands increase customers’ trust of the invisible, enable them
to better visualize and understand the intangible benefits of the services
which very much depend upon the employees’ actions and attitudes because
services brands are particularly different from those of physical good. These
differences revolve partly, at least around the fact that within service
profession the staff’s relationships and interactions with customer plays
pivotal role in influencing brand quality and brand values.
In an age of social media, the application of idea of personal branding
has started. The celebrities and media commentators have created their own
personal brands for years. Same way in the library world librarian can take
advantage of opportunities by their reputations and the quality. Academic
libraries generally do not have direct sales function, but they do have
 Marketing of Library... 173

history of building lasting relationships with different stakeholders, including

university administration, researchers, instructors, and students. Indeed, one
of the most important things that good academic library can offer is long
term relationship with the people who use library services.
A study conducted by Oldman as early as in 1977 had identified some
of the reasons why people do not use libraries:
1. It is quicker to obtain information from sources other than the formal
system;
2. Talking to people is regarded as preferable to reading books;
3. Individuals do not realize that they have an information problem;
4. Potential users are not aware of the library’s facilities;
5. Users have had bad experiences with past or present service.
It means that library services offered are not user based or in other
words users are not are not made aware of the potentialities of information
services and how these services can benefit them in their pursuits. The result
is that whatever services are available, remain either unutilized or
underutilized. The suitable marketing strategy may help any library in many
ways as given below:
- To improve their image and to attract more users.
- To upgrade their reputation within their organization and as profession
within the society.
- To enhance the long-term performance of the library’s service,
The librarian needs to be well prepared to know that the when any user
needs anything related to information he/ she must think of library/librarian.
It is the power of the personal brand and relationship marketing come to the
fore. Individual librarians create an idea (or more often change pre-existing
idea) in the minds of students, faculty, and administrators about what that
individual librarian is and does, thus creating brand. Through consistent
application of that brand, students, faculty and administrators know what to
expect. Assuming the idea they have of the librarian is positive, they return
for repeat service. The academic librarians in general already have brand,
174 Journal of Commerce and Management Thought 6 - 1

whether it is acknowledged or not. But most positive, some customization or

personalization in services would make it more effective as personal brand.
Thus consistency has built a word of mouth advertising campaign.
Conclusion
In today’s knowledge economy, library and information services are
viewed as saleable products. More importantly, libraries have started treating
their users as ‘customers.’ Marketing is comprehensive term that describes all
the processes and interactions that result in satisfaction for users and revenue
for the information firm. Branding culture has yet to be embedded in
information service organizations. The branding in library and information
context involves a lot of challenging issues, as there are important differences
between the execution of product and service brands. To have sustainable
marketing strategy librarian must know his audience to pass message. The
personal brand is an attempt to manage or control what people think of you
and magnify the positive traits. In some ways it also works to improve quality
or reputation on the line. Academic librarians can create most positive
stereotype by customizing library and information services with his own
flavor of personal brand of long last relationship.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to staff of MET’s Institute of Management for guidance and
encouragement. Our special thanks to Prof. A S Dalton for his valuable suggestions while
preparing this Paper.
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The Authors
Shripad V. Chandratre is Librarian in GES’s Arts, Commerce and Science College,
Shreewardhan, Dist: Raigad, Maharashtra
Meghana S. Chandratre is Librarian in MET’s Institute of Management, Bhujbal
Knowledge City, Adgaon, Nashik, Maharashtra
Email : [email protected], [email protected]
• Received on : 03,Dec.2014

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