Marketing of Library and Information Services in University Libraries: A Case Study of University of Malaya Central Library, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Marketing and promotion play a very vital role in creating awareness for library and information products and services. This topic discusses the importance of marketing and promotion in academic libraries with particular reference to Central Library, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. University libraries are established to provide information resources and services in order to support the purpose of the university. There are two research questions of the study. What are the types of information resources that are available in the Central Library? and the other one is what are the marketing strategies used by the Central Library. The objectives of the study are to identify the available information resources and services in the Central Library and to unveil the strategies used by Central Library in marketing its resources and services. The reports included marketing strategies employed by Central Library in promoting and attracting more library clientele as well as keeping them for long in the library. The paper concludes by advising librarians to promote their libraries through exhibitions and displays, publicity and public relations.  

Keywords

• Marketing
• Education
• Promotion
• University libraries
• Information services
• Library services

References

1. Abiola, A. K. (2016). Ranganathans law of Library Science: A guiding principle for marketing library services. Review Pub Administration Manag 4(178). Retrieved from doi:10.4172/2315-7844.1000178 Aina, L.O. (2004). Library and information science test for Africa. Ibadan: Third World information services. Arachchige, J. J. G. (2005). An approach to marketing in special and academic libraries of Sri Lanka: A survey with emphasis on services provided to the clientele. Retrieved from http://eprints.rclis.org/6731/ Carrington A (2005). Use of posters in Exhibition. Melbourne: Success press. Cleeve M (1995). Taking a stand: The market realities of exhibition and display work. Librarian Career Development, 3 (1), 31-35. Retrieved from at http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09680819510076659 Edoka, B. E. (2000). Introduction to library science. Onitsha: Palma publishers. Fields, E. (2010). A unique twitter use for reference services. Library Hi Tech News, 27(6), 14-15. Garcia-Milian, R., Norton, H., & Tennant, M. (2012). The presence of academic health sciences libraries on Facebook: The relationship between content and library popularity. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 31(2).
2. Hendrix, D., Chiarella, D., Hasman, L., Murphy, S. & Zafron, ML. (2009). Use of Facebook in academic health sciences libraries. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 97(1), 44-47. Islam, S. K. M. (2004). The roles of libraries and education. Information society today, 1(1), 48-51. Kaur, A. (2007). Marketing of information services and products in University Libraries of Punjab and Chandigarh (India): An exploratory study. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship, 8(3). Retrieved from http://southernlibrarianship.icaap.org/content/v08n03/kaur_a01.html Katz, W. (1999). Introduction to reference works: Basic information source. New York: McGraw-Hill. Madhusudhan, M. (2008). Marketing of library and information services and products in university libraries: A case study of Goa University Library. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 175. Retrieved fromhttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/175 Milstein, S. (2009). Twitter for libraries (and librarians). Computers in Libraries, 29(5), 17-18. Odine, R. O. (2011). Marketing library and information services in academic libraries in Niger state. Polger, M. A., & Okamoto, K. (2013). Who's spinning the library? Responsibilities of academic librarians who promote. Library Management, 34(3), 236-253. Rodzvilla, J. (2010). New title tweets. Computers in Libraries, 30(5), 27-30. Bharadwaj S, Sharma A. Marketing and promotion of library services ICAL 2009. Advocacy and Marketing, 461-466. Schaeffer, M. (1991). Library displays handbook. New York: H. W. Wilson. Stuart, D. (2010). What are libraries doing on twitter? Online, 34(1), 45-47. Williams, L. (2011). Exhibitions in libraries: The role of the information professional. (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom. Universiti Malaya. (2019, Feb 12) Laporan tahunan Universiti Malaya 2017. Retrieved from https://www.um.edu.my/docs/default-source/about-um_document/media-centre/annual-report/ltum18-final3-(2).pdf?sfvrsn=2 Zanaria Saupi Udin. (2019). A circulation study at the Central Library, University of Malaya. Unpublished manuscript.