With Dwindling Budget, the Need to Marketing Libraries Products and Services as an Infoprise: A Systematic Review (Published)
With the global economic meltdown, no library in the world can claim to be self-sufficient financially on the ground that the sponsoring body or institution is meeting up to their running budget. A situation that has called for libraries to think outside the box as to knowing other means of raising funds to run the libraries. This paper therefore focuses on the need to start running libraries as enterprises with the aim of making profit with the title: ‘With dwindling Budget, the Need to Marketing Libraries Products and Services as an Infoprise: A Systematic Review’. The paper adopted the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyzes PRISMA- SLR guidelines to produce a systematic review. The paper succeeded in conceptualizing marketing, service, information, and marketing of information services. Based on the reviewed literature, the paper identified various ways through which libraries can market their products and information services in this contemporary digital ecosystem which include displaying and exhibition of new arrivals, and using websites, how to enhance marketing the library services as an Infoprise, as well as certain conundrums that may militate against effective marketing of library products as an Infoprise. It was based on the outcome of the review, that the paper recommended inter-alia: that for libraries to fully succeed in making libraries an Infoprise, there is need for proper orientation, acculturation and training of entire library workforce and that they should embrace the marketing 4Ps approaches in running the library as an enterprise which are product, price, place and promotion.
Keywords: Information, Library, Marketing, Service, infoprise, information service marketing
Marketing of Library Services: A Survey of University Libraries in North East, Nigeria (Published)
The study investigated the current form of marketing of library services in university libraries in the North East, Nigeria. The study was guided by three objectives which include: ` identify the current form of marketing of library services in universities in North- East, Nigeria, determine the challenges faced by librarians in marketing of library services in universities North-East Nigeria and recognize strategies for enhancing marketing of library services in universities North-East Nigeria. Three research questions were formulated. The study employed the descriptive survey design. The population of study was the one hundred and ninety librarians working in the university libraries in the North- East were used. A questionnaire developed by the researcher was used as instrument for data collection. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation was adopted for data analysis. The study found that the current form of marketing is relatively poor. Marketing is more traditional in nature as responses shows less use of ICT’s. This implies the probable underutilization of library resources as traditional method has been proven inadequate in service delivery in the era of ICT. The challenges identified by the study are numerous. They include lack of adequate staff, inadequate ICT facilities, lack of trained staff with marketing skills, poor power supply to the library, inadequate funding, and lack of technical know-how to effectively use the ICT facilities, Lack of management user interface to ease communication with staff among others. Strategies for enhancing the marketability of library services include adequate ICTs, effective internet service, steady power supply, user/management interface, and trained staff among others.
Keywords: Library Services, Marketing, Nigeria, North –East, university libraries
Use of ICT Tools for Marketing Library Services in Selected University Libraries in Oyo State Nigeria (Published)
This study examined and found ICT tools for marketing library services within selected university libraries in Oyo State, Nigeria; University of Ibadan, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, and Ajayi Crowther Oyo. One hundred twenty (120) questionnaires were distributed for administration but only one hundred and ten (110) questionnaires were returned; representing 91.7%, and were found useful for this study. The statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the returned questionnaires. The data was analyzed using frequency tables, simple percentages, and a chi-square test for dependent and independent variables. The study discovered that internet facilities, videoconferencing, email, social media, telephone, OPAC and websites were available for marketing library services, with radio and television having lowest availability. Reservation, renewal, current awareness and online access to library database were library services rendered which accounted for the highest percentage of respondents. The findings also show that marketing library services helps promote the library profession. However, with all the benefits inherent in having market library services, there are still a lot of problems militating against developing good market strategies in the library, such as inadequate funding and poor infrastructure (ICT tools). In order to achieve effective and efficient marketing of library services, adequate attention must be given to the strategies and recommendations given in the study.
Keywords: Availability, ICT, Library Services, Marketing, tools, university library