1. Marketing of e-resourcesMarketing of e-resources
The 26th
UN/WB/UL
partnership workshop and meeting
23rd
May 2013
Kericho
Peter Gatiti
Aga Khan University
peter.gatiti@aku.edu
Nerisa Kamar
UN Habitat
nerisa.kamar@unhabitat.org

2. ObjectivesObjectives
 Introduction to marketing concept
 How to market e-resources
 Overview of marketing tools
 Importance of e-resources
 Selection of e-resources

3. IntroductionIntroduction
Libraries continue to move more of their
resources from print to electronic formats
The challenge of effective marketing of those
resources has become apparent
The traditional marketing techniques for print
resources do not work for e-resources because
there are no physical volumes to view
How then do libraries best connect their patrons
to appropriate electronic resources?

4. MarketingMarketing
Making known of an e-resource
with an aim of increasing access and
use of a resource, to support
quality teaching and research
output.

5. Marketing mix
4Ps of marketing in the library context
Product: traditional image of the library as
the ‘brand identity’
Place/distribution: are products distributed from a physical
place, or is the intranet, or even Internet, used as a delivery
medium?
Pricing: how do prices for library products or services
compare with electronic Internet based current awareness,
document delivery or bibliographic services?
Promotion: will the library actively promote its services or
risk losing business to new information providers?

6. How to market e-resources:How to market e-resources:
Training:
Effective training is the most valuable
promotional tool of e-resources.
Helps to limit anxiety associated with electronic
searching.
Effective training approaches:
Top – down training
Training as part of library programme / project
One- on-one training- to individual users
Training as part of information literacy programme
(also known as freshman’s kitty”)

7. Organizing an open day:Organizing an open day:
Open days should be carefully
designed and used selectively.
It is good to accompany existing events or
opportunities

8. Posters, resource guides
and leaflets:
 Posters:
These are usually most effective when associated with the
launch of a new service or a special event.
 Resource guide:
These can be used to showcase e-resources
without the constraint of the website.
Subscription service is available via:
http://springshare.com/libguides.
Open source guide, SubjectPlus is available via:
http://www.subjectsplus.com
 Leaflets:
Lists of databases held or types of e-resources can be
featured. Do not incorporate too much information

9. Exploiting a library newsletter
A newsletter distributed by e-mail is an excellent way to
market the library, particularly if the library serves several
offices or departments in different locations.
Tips for a successful newsletter:
• Keep it short and snappy
• Feature some members of your staff in
each edition (include photographs)
• Highlight a success story. Did the information you
provided help someone win a research grant?
• Reiterate that you are here to help and encourage
questions and feedback

10. Resource of the month
A different resource can be featured every month
on the first welcome screen of the library website.
One can offer a short concise description of the
content, dates of coverage, and URL.
Usage is likely to go up in the month where the
database has been selected as ‘resource of the
month’

11. Alerting service
Users interested in a specific subject area can
register for the alerting service by entering
their name and e-mail address.
New electronic resources that
have been included can be set on certain
status and a list of the resources with the
‘new’ status can be mailed to the interested
groups.

12. Other marketing toolsOther marketing tools

Brochures

Share user names and
passwords

Share Uniform Resource
Locator’s (URLs); share
links

Branding: pens, writing
materials, flask disks and
T-shirts.

E-resource online guides
favorites, bookmarks

13. Marketing tools ...Marketing tools ...

Pins: these are buttons
with a marketing slogans
e.g. Data junkie, data
queen, I love marketing
data.

Word of mouth: formal
or informal gatherings

Screen savers for
E-resources

Social Media:
Facebook, LinkedIn
and twitter

Participate in
promotional awards

14. Importance of e-resourcesImportance of e-resources
Why e-resources?

Increase in availability of resources
in electronic format

Improved infrastructure

Reduced costs of computers and related
hardware
CHALLENGE: in-effective marketing of resources

15. Selection criteriaSelection criteria

e-resource MUST contribute to the Library's
mission of providing support for instruction and
research for its primary clientele

Demand driven

Authentic and reputable source

Accurate

Within library budget

16. Technical requirementsTechnical requirements
Hardware & software – standard
Product must be net-workable
- What is the means of accessing data
(e.g., are passwords required)?
- Is the resource available at all times
(e.g. Internet resources)?
-Are there special security requirements beyond what the
library usually provides?
- Is the resource stable
(i.e., is the software "buggy")?

17. Technical ..Technical ....

User friendliness

Searching functionality:
- Is the data current?
- How often updated?

Does the content include abstracts? Full text?

Does the vendor have a good reputation and
provide good service?

Does the vendor provide support materials?

18. Electronic resources available toElectronic resources available to
institutions:institutions:

Electronic resources have a direct or indirect cost.
Options:
Paid for- scholarly reputable databases – as direct
payment and access by individual institutions or through
consortium’s Access to resources through consortium’s
- 2 ways:
1. Negotiating for discounted access and usage of
e-resources with publishers on behalf of the client.
2. Negotiating for discounted through pulled payments

19. Resources ….Resources ….
Free - available through programmes
such as Research4life. Such programmes
negotiate for e-resources with the
publishers on behalf of clients.
In this model, cost of access to resources is pegged on
country GDP.
Free - open source in the Internet. In most cases NOT
authentic.

20. ChallengesChallenges
Some users may harbor a distrust
of all electronic formats, while
other users may not be aware of
newly available resources that would meet their
needs
The cost of e-resource (initial cost and the ever
increasing annual subscriptions)
Initial costs for infrastructure (hardware,
networking) and staff training

21. Conclusion
Marketing of e-resources is now well and truly
established as crucial to the
success of any service.
A major key to such success
is for marketing not to be seen
as a bolt-on extra, a luxury that is done when
the librarian has the time, but rather as an
essential component of service delivery.

22. RecommendationsRecommendations
 Attempt to get the attention of the patrons
- be courteous, approachable and friendly
 Improve the acceptance of the new service
- basic training on search and navigation
 Enhance awareness of what is available and its value to
users
- basic marketing strategy; pins, poster, library hour, library
screen savers
 Guide clients to the appropriate resources
- carry out a basic needs assessment to understand your
user needs and to guide them to the appropriate e-content
 Develop a feedback mechanism. This will assist improve and
develop an effective marketing strategy that best meets user
needs

23. ReferencesReferences
 Cosgrove, J.A. (2006), “Drop Them a Postcard”, College and
Undergraduate Libraries, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 93-100.
 Ellis, R. (2004), “Marketing of electronic resources: projects and
experiences”, Serials, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 57-59.
 Evaluation Criteria and Indicators of Quality for Internet Resources."
Educational Technology, March/April, 1997.
http://www.library.illinois.edu/infolit/fiveyearvision.html
 Evaluation Procedures for WWW Information Resources: A Final Project
Report. Paper Presented at The Annual Convention of the Association for
Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), St. Louis, MO.] and
published as Wilkinson, G.L., Bennett, L., & Oliver, K.
 Kendall, S. and Massarella, S. (2001), “Prescription for Successful
Marketing”, Computers in Libraries, Vol. 21, No. 8, pp. 28-32.
 Leong, J. (2007), “Marketing Electronic Resources to Distance Students”,
The Serials Librarian, Vol. 53, No. 3, pp. 77-93.
 Marie R. Kennedy. 2011. “What Are We Really Doing to Market
Electronic Resources?” Library Management 32(3): 144-158.
 Millet, M.S. and Chamberlain, C. (2007), “Word-of-Mouth Marketing Using
Peer Tutors”, The Serials Librarian, Vol. 53, No. 3, pp. 95-105.

24. Thank you!