Information marketing in special libraries

Abstract

Aim of the concept of Marketing at present is not only gaining profit through buying and selling. Helping organizations to gain their institutional objectives in order to move towards their development too is one of the concerns of marketing today. However the realm of this concept is not restricted to profit making ventures exclusively in the present context in that marketing strategies are adopted in non-profit earning institutions such as libraries as well which are concerned primarily with social welfare. Marketing strategies feasible to be used in the sphere of libraries are: planning, organizing, disseminating and controlling information, focusing attention on reader needs. In the case of Sri Lanka dissemination of information is done through educational libraries (i.e. University Libraries) Special Libraries, Public Libraries, School Libraries and information centers and funds needed for these institutions are provided by their respective mother organizations. However these libraries do not render a satisfactory service to their readers, the cause responsible for this situation being the non adoption of marketing principles in those institutions. Causes responsible for the unsatisfactory state above are: disorganized nature of the information dissemination, lack of in-depth knowledge in library conventions and practice on the part of the librarians, scanty knowledge of the library staff in marketing strategies, non-preparedness of the librarians to overcome challenges there exist in relation the marketing of information sources. This research hopes to from an idea about the existing state of information dissemination in special libraries, the degree of success of the staff members with regard to the identification of their market (i.e. target clientele) and the strategies libraries have designed to perform targeted services. Analytical examination of the advantages of Marketing mix (4ps) and identification of the obstacles the special libraries face in relation to marketing information were the other aspects. Lack of knowledge in marketing on the part of the librarians and staff in special libraries, dearth of trained staff, inadequate financial allocations, lack of demand for existing information sources, problems related to the identification of new members (i.e. readers) are the findings of the research. Exposing the librarians and the staff to marketing strategies and promoting research in the discipline are recommended.