Nathan G. McArthur |
The days of the community library's monopoly on information provision are no more. Today, libraries face competition from many sources, while dependable funding and a loyal patron base are no longer assured. This fall from the center of the information universe is due in large part to librarians' failure to market library services and the importance of the community library as information provider (Morgan, 1998) (Karp, 2002) (Walters, 1992). Traditionally, librarians have not engaged in library marketing and many continue to resist. However, modern libraries must engage in marketing if they are to remain a vital information provider in a community. Furthermore, marketing is necessary to bring in patrons, funding, and the library's share of the information provider market (Karp, 2002).
Many people no longer consider their local library in their quest for information, and those who do use the library do not take full advantage of the services offered (Shontz, 2004). Therefore, traditional library literature telling people what is available is not sufficient; people must be convinced that the library is the best provider of information. A bold and well-planned marketing plan is an excellent way to convince patrons, funding sources, and the public at large of the importance of the community library (Sass, 2002) (Siess, 2004) (Reed, 2001).
Before discussing the details of library marketing, it is important to discuss what marketing is and what it is not. Most importantly, librarians are marketing a service and not a product. These services have no tangible value; the value is in the personal interaction with the customer (Gorchels, 1995) (Shontz, 2004). Thus, library marketing is a process through which librarians get to understand customers and create a customer needs driven library. Effective library marketing depends on good customer service and a commitment of the entire organization to the development of products and services based on what customers' need, where they need it, and how they need it (Siess, 2003)(Morgan, 1998)(Gorchels, 1995)(Walters, 1992).
Many aspects of consumer product marketing are transferable to service marketing (Carpenter, 1998)(Keller, 2004). However, the marketing of libraries is not convincing people to buy a product simply to make a sale. Library marketing is not gross materialism or simply attracting more patrons. It is convincing people of the value of library services (Morgan, 1998) (Kutzik, 2005).
Librarians are best at marketing libraries because they know (or should know) libraries better then anyone else (Siess, 2004). Library marketing should focus on improving current processes and services, be a part of the overall library plan, and should not be considered a spare time or spare change item (Amey, 1993)(Siess, 2003)(Sass, 2002) (Weingand, 1998). When budgets are lean, librarians may view marketing as unneeded but this is when the advantages may pay the most benefits. Library marketing should be an ongoing process, and a marketing plan is vital to a successful marketing. This plan should include input from staff, customers, and numerical data (Amey, 1993) (Sass, 2002) (Reed, 2001) (Siess, 2004) (Weingand, 1998). However, marketing plans must change with the market. Good plans will expect the changes and be prepared when they occur (Amey, 1993) (Weingand, 1998) (Reed, 2001). Librarians should share the library's marketing message at every opportunity possible (Carpenter, 1998) (Siess, 2004) (Sass, 2002). A good starting place for the creation of a marketing plan is the library's basic mission statement. Librarians should develop the library mission statement and marketing plan together in a manner that makes them compatible and allows one to support the other. The marketing plan needs to reexamine the basis of the library's existence. Many library mission statements and other documents that guide the library are outdated because they focus too much on collecting everything possible and announcing this to the community. This idea worked well when libraries were the sole information providers. Today there is a plethora of information providers. Thus, mission statements need to shift to a business like stance. Librarians should determine what customers want and focus the collection development on these items and do not simply tell the community that the library has the item, explain why the library is the best place to get information(Weingand, 1998) (Amey, 1993). What many librarians consider marketing is not. These materials only describe services but do not convey the importance of the service. The marketing message should accomplish both items in a strong but flexible statement (Reed, 2001)(Shontz, 2004)(Siess, 2003). Librarians are excellent for developing and running marketing campaigns but a marketing campaign must appear professional and be presented in a professionally manner if it is to be successful. Librarians should be a major part in all campaign efforts, but hiring a market specialist, if only as consultant, will be worth the costs. This may be expensive, but a poorly presented or incomplete marketing campaign would both fail to achieve the goals and damage the library's image. A good marketing campaign will position the library as an important cause and not a favored charity. Furthermore, a good marketing campaign will create interest in using library services and give the image that librarians are a reliable source of good information (Reed, 2001)(Singh, 2004)(Amey, 1993). The internet has encroached upon the local library's monopoly as information provider, but it is not the only reason the importance of libraries has declined (Walters, 1992).
Librarians should market libraries to those who control the library and many political leaders and library directors expect a justification for the expenses of the library (Sass, 2002) (Reed, 2001) (Sutherland, 2002). If community leaders and citizens perceive the library to have little value then they institution may think the institution is unnecessary or undeserving of funds (Morgan, 1998). Many of the leaders, much like the public at large, view the library as an outdated government department whose time has passed (Carpenter, 1998). A vital point to emphasize is the library's importance to the economic success of the entire community (Reed, 2001) (Shontz, 2004). The reliance on the internet as information provider and lack of patrons using the library contribute to the idea that a library is unnecessary. Additionally, number of patrons visiting the library and using library materials has sharply declined in the last decade. Raw numbers are important but they may not provide an adequate description of the institution. Marketing can highlight what the raw numbers do not convey by demonstrating that the local library is the best source of information (Bush, 2001) (Weingand, 1998) (Saunders, 1999). Many officials do not understand the daily work of librarians or their role in the community (Sutherland, 2002) (Siess, 2003). The marketing campaign should provide leaders with a complete and correct view of the function of the library and the role of librarians. Librarians should use the marketing plan as an educational tool but do not fill the campaign with insignificant details of daily chores (Bush, 2001) (Sutherland, 2002) (Siess, 2003). Librarians should get to know the agenda of local political and community leaders and try to fit library into this agenda as much as possible. However, political and community leaders are not the only people responsible for the decline of the library.
Librarians are at least partly to blame for the decline of the library's importance in society. Librarians generally resist change, and library marketing is not exception. Many librarians, intentionally or not, are self-interested and think all people can see the inherent value of the library. Thus, the issue for many librarians is why use limited resources to state the obvious (Walters, 1992) (Bush, 2001) (Shontz, 2004) (Morgan, 1998). In addition, in times of reduced budgets and staff the idea that marketing attracts more patrons can cause librarians to resist marketing (Amey, 1993). However, the librarian's role in the decline of the library is not the issue. The issue is how librarians can use marketing to reposition libraries as lively and vital information providers for communities. Librarians must step outside their traditional roles and borrow from the world of consumer marketing if the library is to regain its former glory. If a community realizes a need for a library, it may not realize the need for a professionally trained librarian. Librarians are fading into history and should reestablish their presence (Siess, 2003) (Siess, 2004) (Reed, 2001). With the development of the internet, people can obtain more information faster that at any previous time in history. Many people do not know how to sort the information and determine what is credible. Additionally, librarians are frequently behind sources of credible electronic information, especially in databases covering information that was formerly only in print. Consulting a librarian is much like going directly to the source or someone very familiar with the source (Keller, 2004) (Amey, 1993). Additionally, perhaps most important, is the human factor librarians can provide information seekers. A website provides impersonal non-customized information. Local librarians can provide a truly customized search because two-way interaction is possibly. The librarian knows what questions to ask and what to suggest to the patron. Many electronic sources of information place all information in pre-defined categories. The skilled librarian can customize a patron's search during a reference interview. One important advantage of an in person interview is the librarians ability to ask questions based on both the substance and the implied material in a patrons request. This is something no electronic information provider can provide (Sutherland, 2002) (Sass, 2002). Librarians can provide information that exactly fits the patron's requests and help people live informed and happy lives (Kutzik, 2005).
Back to Top of Page
Library Branding
Librarians may want to create a brand for the library. Branding is new to librarians and libraries and while service branding is more work than product branding, the endeavor will be worth the effort. A library brand is the space the library occupies in the minds of the customers. A brand can be a slogan, term, symbol, or anything image that represents the library. When a positive brand is established, consistent use of it will add to its effectiveness. A distinctive and consistent look also sends the message to patrons that their information needs are in the hands of professionals. Establishing a brand can require a significant investment but it will provide long-term benefits (Walters, 1992) (Singh, 2004) (Dempsey, 2004).
Back to Top of Page
Creating a Product Line
Creating a product line is an unfamiliar concept to most librarians. The product line is the material customers' request. The difficult part of creating a product line is determining customer needs. After patron needs are determined, collection development should focus the most demanded items. Librarians should not completely discontinue and item until demand is zero. Additionally, collection development should focus only on the used items and not collect items simply for the sake of increasing the collection. For example, if it is determined patrons prefer fiction novels on tape, government documents in electronic format, and poetry in print then this is the product line. If six months later, it is determined that use of novels on tape has greatly diminished but the demand for academic works on the Jacksonian era in United States history has sharply increased then collection development should shift focus. To address budget concerns and other concerns about frequently shifting products librarians should work to develop should develop systems of sharing material such as inter-library loan or renting collections. Developing and maintaining a product line requires almost continuous review to keep abreast of changing customer demands, but the rewards may be great (Dempsey, 2004)(Crawford, 2004)(Morgan, 1998).
Back to Top of Page
Creating a Positive Image
Image is vital to a library marketing campaign. Many people do not understand that not all information is obtainable from the internet. Why deal with a frumpy librarian and dusty paper when a computer in your home can provide the same material? Unfortunately, libraries continually face this question. Librarians must combat both the image of their image of the institution. Library marketing is one the best methods of changing the stereotypical view of librarians and libraries. Also, as a part of the library marketing plan, a brand can create a new image with the potential to overcome the older images (Kutzik, 2005) (Sass, 2002)(Carpenter, 1998).
Back to Top of Page
Web Pages and Marketing
Almost all libraries have a web page but few fully utilize the potential of a web page. Most library web pages provide only basic information, are bland, do little to state the importance of library services, and provide no dynamic and innovative services. This is due in large part to the traditionalist view many librarians take and the fact that most have little education in this area. Information about library marketing is plentiful but most publications on marketing do not include information about the use of the web page as marketing tool (Astroff, 2001)(Carpenter, 1998)(Marmion, 2001). Library web pages need careful planning and a professional look. Librarians may be able to learn enough HTML to create a web page, but creating a library web page with all the features customers expect may be beyond the ability of library staff. Before hiring expensive web page designers, librarians should market the library to local web page design companies that may offer free or deeply discounted services because of their stake in the community. It is acceptable to allow the web page design company advertising space on the library's web page in exchange for the service if it is minimal and non-distracting. When a web page design firm is hired, library officials should retain control over the content. Professionally designed library web pages can be costly and lead to generic web pages. To be effective the web page needs to be unique. The web page design company's primary duty should be technical and page lay out oriented. Submitting the address of the final website to the major search engines will result in more visitors. Library directors and supporters should ensure a link to library web page is available on the home page of the larger institutions web page (Astroff, 2001) (Marmion, 2001) (Crawford, 2004)(Reed, 2001).
Back to Top of Page
Fundraising of the Web Page
Web pages are a great place for fundraising. The library web page will convey the marketing message to a larger audience than any other form of advertising and the expanded coverage does not cost extra. Thus, philanthropist and library supporters well beyond the local community may see the message and offer assistance to the institution. Any direct fund raising on the web page should be consistent with larger fundraising campaigns and fit within the overall library-marketing plan. The contributions link should be included in the same space as other links. Only during a major fundraising campaign should the contributions link dominate the page. The contribution link should include information for people interested in non-monetary or periodic monetary contributions. If properly used in a carefully planned marketing campaign the web site hold the potential to reap large rewards with little additional expense to the library (Welch, 2005).
Back to Top of Page
Arrangement of Web Page
Librarians should avoid attempting to transfer the physical library to the virtual library. This can create an awkward and difficult to navigate library web page. Many librarians think transferring the design of the physical library to the virtual library is enough to create a useable library web page. Patron input is useful in arranging library web pages because patrons know what items they want and how they will recognize items. If librarians arrange information in a way that is familiar to librarians, patrons may get confused and frustrated and turn to other information sources for their information needs. The internet allows libraries to exist beyond the walls of a building, but this does not mean buildings are not necessary. The web site is an extension of the physical building (Marmion, 2001) (Weingand, 1998) (Reed, 2001).
Back to Top of Page
Conclusion
Librarians should avoid attempting to transfer the physical library to the virtual library. This can create an awkward and difficult to navigate library web page. Many librarians think transferring the design of the physical library to the virtual library is enough to create a useable library web page. Patron input is useful in arranging library web pages because patrons know what items they want and how they will recognize items. If librarians arrange information in a way that is familiar to librarians, patrons may get confused and frustrated and turn to other information sources for their information needs. The internet allows libraries to exist beyond the walls of a building, but this does not mean buildings are not necessary. The web site is an extension of the physical building (Marmion, 2001) (Weingand, 1998) (Reed, 2001).
Back to Top of Page
Bibliography
Amey, Larry (1993). Marketing Library Services: Lessons From the Private Sector. APLIS 6(2): 69-77. Astroff, Roberta (2001). Searching for the Library: University Home Page Design and Missing Links. Information Technology and Libraries #(#): 93-99. Bush, Gail, Merrilee Anderson (2001). Marketing Reflections: Advocacy in Action. Teacher Librarian 28(5):8-13. Carpenter, Beth (1998). Your Attention, Please! Marketing Today's Libraries. Computers in Libraries #(#): 62-66. Crawford, Walt (2004). Know Your Niche: Thinking About Specialization and Intended Audience. EContent 27(10):42-43. Dempsey, Beth (2004). Target Your Brand: Build an Identity That Works in the Age of the Superstore. Library Journal #(#): 32-35. Gorchels, Linda M (1995). Trends in Marketing Services. Library Trends 43(3): 494- 510. Karp, Rashelle S. (2002). Powerful Public Relations: A How-To-Guide for Libraries. Chicago: American Library Association. Katz, Bill, ed. (1992). How –To-Do-It Manuals for Librarians. vol. 20, Marketing: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians by Suzanne Walters. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers. Kutzik, Jennifer S (2005). The Hollywood Librarian Meets Desperate Housewives. Library Mosaics #(#):12-13. Keller, Kit (2004). Review of Libraries, Mission, & Marketing: Writing Mission Statements That Work, by Linda K. Wallace. Library Mosaics #(#):21. Marmion, Dan (2001). Library Web Page Design: Are We Doing It Right? Information Technologies and Libraries #(#): 2-3. Morgan, Eric Lease (1998). Marketing Future Libraries. Computers in Libraries #(#):50-51. Reed, Sally Gardner (2001). How-To-Do-It Manuals for Librarians, number 104. Making the Case for Your Library: A How-To-Do-It Manual. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers. Sass, Rivkah K (2002). Marketing the Worth of Your Library. Library Journal #(#): 37-38. Saunders, Laverna (1999). Marketing So We Can Win At The Numbers Game. Computers in Libraries 19(8):55-56. Shontz, Marilyn, Jon C. Parker, and Richard Parker (2004). What Do Librarians Think About Marketing? A Survey of Public Librarians' Attitudes Toward The Marketing of Library Services. Library Quarterly 74(1): 63-84. Siess, Judith (2004). Marketing Without Much Money. Information Outlook 8(10):29-31. Siess, Judith (2003). The Visible Librarian: Asserting Your Value with Marketing and Advocacy. Chicago: American Library Association. Singh, Rajesh (2004). Branding in Library and Information Context: The Role of Marketing Culture. Information Services & Use 22(2004): 93-98. Starr, Joan (2005). Design Considerations for Multilingual Web Sites. Information Technology and Libraries #(#):107-116. Sutherland, Sue (2002). Passion, Practice, Partnership and Politics: Marketing The Future of Public Libraries. APLIS 15(2): 61-69. Weingand, Darlene E. (1998). Future-Driven Library Marketing. Chicago: American Library Assoication. Welch, Jeanie M. (2005). The Electronic Welcome Mat: The Academic Library Web Site as a Marketing and Public Relations Tool. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 31(3):225-228.