Overview

Increasingly, libraries are recognizing the importance of strategic communications, public relations, and marketing efforts as a way of ensuring that users recognize the value of the our services and collections.

Marketing refers specifically to a process by which the needs of users/customers are analyzed. Unmet needs are addressed through improvements to products and services, which are promoted to users in the context of their needs.

In 2004, the American Marketing Association defined marketing as:"An organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders."

Communications is a term that can be broadly applied to efforts such as public relations, advertising, and outreach.

Useful resources

American Marketing Association

Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) - Marketing @ your library
ACRL's collection of useful resources. Heavy on the "@ your library" campaign, but includes useful links to publications such as The Power of Personal Persuasion: Advancing the Academic Library Agenda from the Front Lines (PDF) and @ your library Toolkit for Academic and Research Libraries (PDF).

College Students' Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources
This OCLC publication breaking out responses to their 2005 study of library users is a gold mine of information about how students think about libraries and our resources. As such, it makes a compelling case for the importance of marketing and communications.

Library Marketing: Thinking Outside the Book
A blog created by Virginia Commonwealth University's Jill Stover. Near-daily links to marketing resources, examples of library communications efforts, and Stover's own rants and musings.

OhioLINK Marketing Toolkit - Idea Gallery
"A collection of promotional and publicity materials from OhioLINK libraries."
From blogs to bookmarks.

Special Libraries: Hospital Library Orientation and Marketing Toolkits:
Sample forms, templates and suggestions for librarians new to hospital librarianship and for any librarian seeking to demonstrate and communicate value.

What's happening in Vermont?

The University of Vermont Libraries are currently executing a two-year communications plan, which calls for the creation of a tagline and logo, improvement of communications channels, and the development of campaigns to promote specific products and services, such as instruction and the depth and diversity of collections.