Marketing and service promotion practices in the LCAS
| Pages | 336-343 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120610702323 |
| Published date | 01 July 2006 |
| Date | 01 July 2006 |
| Author | Ju Wenhong |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Marketing and service promotion
practices in the LCAS
Ju Wenhong
Library of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to call for the application of marketing in the library area,
especially libraries supported by public budget. Draws directly on experiences within the Library of
Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Design/methodology/approach – Gives a summary of the current situation, analyzes problems
and suggests new methods and provides a case study.
Findings – Explores and evaluates the use of marketing tools, service promotion experiences and
new techniques in a large library context and explores the boundaries between real and virtual
libraries and service provision.
Originality/value – A case study of service provision promotion practices, discusses user-centered
web site design, and how market-oriented problem solutions can help to enhance a library’s customer
relationships.
Keywords Services marketing,Libraries, Internet, Servicelevels, China
Paper type Case study
1. Introduction and definition
The Library of Chinese Academy of Sciences (LCAS) plays two functional roles: first, it
is the central library for CAS, the service organizer in the academy-wide library system
of CAS, which consists of three branch libraries (Lanzhou, Chendu and Wuhan) and
more than 90 institutional libraries. Secondly, it is the National Library of Sciences for
China, an inaugural member of NSTL (National Science and Technology Library), and
it will take a great part in the national scientific platform in the near future, together
with its three branch libraries.
The NSL (National Science Library) is a real library, whereas the NSTL (National
Science and Technology Library) is a virtual one. NSL mainly serves researchers in
CAS, while NSTL aims at serving researchers all over the country.
In addition to NSL, NSTL consists of another eight member organizations, which
include the Chinese Science & Technology Information Center, Chinese Academy of
Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Medicine, National Institute of Metrology in the
People’s Republic of China.
NSL gets financial support from CAS (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and tries also
to get financial support from NSTL. NSTL gets money from the Chinese Ministry of
Science & Technology. Figure 1 helps to clarify the complexity of the information
usage environment within CAS.
Before 2001 each library understood that its main purpose was to serve the users
who came to the library building. After participation in the CAS knowledge innovation
projects in October 2001, the library aimed to become number one in the library and
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
LM
27,6/7
336
Received 29 May 2006
Revised 7 June 2006
Accepted 12 June 2006
Library Management
Vol. 27 No. 6/7, 2006
pp. 336-343
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120610702323
To continue reading
Request your trial