Marketing of e- resources

Marketing of e-resources Marketing of e-resources

The 26th UN/WB/UL partnership workshop and meeting

23rd May 2013Kericho

Peter GatitiAga Khan [email protected]

Nerisa KamarUN Habitat

[email protected]

ObjectivesObjectives

Introduction to marketing concept

How to market e-resources

Overview of marketing tools

Importance of e-resources

Selection of e-resources

IntroductionIntroductionLibraries 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?

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.

Marketing mix4Ps 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?

How to market e-How to market e-resources: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 trainingTraining as part of library programme / projectOne- on-one training- to individual usersTraining as part of information literacy programme (also known as freshman’s kitty”)

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

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

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

Resource of the monthA 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’

Alerting serviceUsers interested in a specific subject

area can register for the alerting service by entering their name and e-mail address.

New electronic resources thathave 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.

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

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 forE-resources

Social Media: Facebook, LinkedIn and twitter

Participate in promotional awards

Importance of e-Importance of e-resources resources

Why e-resources?Increase in availability of resources in electronic format Improved infrastructureReduced costs of computers and related hardware

CHALLENGE: in-effective marketing of resources

Selection criteria Selection 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

Technical requirements Technical 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")?

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?

Electronic resources available to Electronic resources available to institutions:institutions:

Electronic resources have a direct or indirect cost.

Options: Paid for- scholarly reputable databases – as directpayment 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

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.

Challenges Challenges 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

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.

Recommendations Recommendations 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

References References 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.

Thank you!