Marketing the 21st Century Library: The Time is Now

Every information manager knows that the growth of Web-based information services is providing a major challenge to the use of libraries and similar more conventional information providers. Many customers prefer the ease of Google and the like, and do not seem to see the value of carefully selected physical and online resources, plus the dedicated space and expert assistance that the library can offer. This book is written with the intention of showing librarians what can be done to market and otherwise promote their libraries. The focus is on academic libraries though much of the content is relevant across the sectors.

It is a slim volume with less than 100 pages of text, but that might appeal to busy practitioners who want guidance on marketing without too much theoretical or other “distractions”. Which makes it a little bit surprising that the initial 20 pages are given over to introductory and historical material, though there is no doubt it serves to set the rest of the book in its intended “modern” context. In the first chapter, the author introduces the TIPR method (Think, Interpret, Plan and React) that becomes a theme throughout the book.

The third chapter describes various methods for collecting data prior to writing the marketing plan. The following chapter is on the marketing plan itself; its component parts, the audience and possible outcomes (brochures, etc.). The best part of this chapter is on what to do in a SWOT analysis for marketing and how to add it to the planning document. Of the other chapters, the best are Chapter 6 on partnerships and Chapter 8 on using technology for promotion. It is a pity that the chapter on partnerships is almost limited to internal stakeholders (students and faculty), though there is a good short section on community involvement. But what about other possible partners such as vendors? In the chapter on technology, there are some nice ideas for using Pinterest, Twitter, online games, and the like.

This is not a textbook and there is much missing, which is forgivable as the intent is (I assume) to provide a short book for practitioners. Yet does this justify the omission of absolutely crucial concepts such as segmentation? Even a “practical” book should give this attention. If you already know a fair bit about marketing then, frankly, you do not need this book. If you only want one book on marketing the library, then I still recommend the tried and tested Marketing Concepts for Libraries and Information Services by Ellen De Saez (2nd ed, Facet, 2002).