A conceptual study of Marketing Strategies and Practices by Libraries in Information Age: Need of the Hour

Libraries have been considered essential to educational and research endeavors and have relied on institutional financial support for their continuing operations. The value of the library is also being called into question with increasing "googleisation" and new generations of users are making new demands on library service provision. Directors of libraries are competing with multiple demands for funding on their campuses. They must understand client needs, plan service provision, promote the available services, deliver them efficiently and effectively and fight for financial and other support. Marketing has become an essential tool in justifying fund requirements. Using various market research techniques including surveys, focus groups and analysis of suggestions, libraries can understand the needs and design appropriate services and facilities. As librarians we should be actively marketing and promoting our library services. This paper aims to demystify marketing for librarians. Practical solutions are provided on how to implement a marketing strategy, with particular emphasis on the value of using electronic in- formation resources.