Marketing of library and information products and services

[Vipin Kumar]

Marketing has emerged as an important area for libraries and information

centres. Marketing of information products and services is an integral part of

library administration, especially as a means for improving user satisfaction

and promoting the use of service

factors, namely the information explosion, the

technology revolution, and escalating library costs are

responsible for encouraging the library profession to

develop a marketing approach in its operations and

services (Joseph and Parameswari, 2002)

Today marketing reference and information services

is significant in any dynamic library services in

a competitive environment. With the mushrooming of

new information providers such as cyber cafes, megabookstores,

online book dealers, the Internet community,

consultants and individual customers, libraries,

for example, cannot continue to assume that they are

the only sources of information that people will consult.

Librarians and other information professionals have

to adopt marketing as a tool if they have to exist in the

tomorrow environment (Kaane, 2006). Hence Kotler

(1995) points out, organizations such as museums, universities,

libraries and charities need to market their

causes and their products to gain political and social

support as well as economic support.

In Bangladesh, some modern libraries and information

centres like Bangladesh National Scientific and

Technical Documentation Centre (BANSDOC), International

Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research,

Bangladesh (ICCDDR,B) library, Centre on Integrated

Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)

library, Science Applications International Corporation

(SAIC), Advice and Information Centre (AIC),

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS)

library, etc. have set up a fully fledged division of

Marketing and Customer Services to keep the users

community constantly up to date with the latest information

on new services with publicity and advertising

materials and by participating in various exhibitions,

fairs, etc. (Munsi, 2004). Besides, BIDS library,

Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD)

library, Community Development Library (CDL),

Islamic Foundation library, National Book Centre participate

in the Ekushey Boi Mela (Book fair on the

language movement) organized by Bangla Academy.

Moreover, CDL and the Islamic Foundation library

participate in the District and Thana (sub-district)

level book fairs as well.