MARKETING OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES

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 • Reluctancetop 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 • Spiraling Cost of SUBSCRIPTION coupled with higher foreign exchange rates • Constant budget; no judicious and balanced collection

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 is HOW WE SAY • WHAT WE DO is 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. Direct marketing • 2. 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 sitebecomes increasingly important as a product (service) in its own right and as a major tool in marketing other products of the library. • signpostedand 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.

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 Thankyou for your kind attention and time

MARKETING OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES