Marketing library and information resources and services using social media platforms: the security question

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-03-2019-0022
Published date01 July 2019
Date01 July 2019
Pages7-10
AuthorBenedict Ifeanyichukwu Okike,Esther W. Oyeniyi
Subject MatterLibrary & information science
Marketing library and information resources
and services using social media platforms:
the security question
Benedict Ifeanyichukwu Okike and Esther W. Oyeniyi
Introduction
Social media is a concept that has
become an essential component for
todays technology-based institutions
and individuals. These platforms have a
huge impact on users in respect to their
interaction, work and communication
with others. Social media provide
opportunities to engage and interact
with the community as long as one is
also aware of the challenges associated
with it. Patridge et al. (2010) define
social media as a concept that changes
the interaction between the patrons and
librariesin a new culture of participation.
According to Bradley (2012), social
media refers to “the use of web-based
and mobile technologies to turn
communications into an interactive
dialogue”. Oxford Dictionary (2013)
defines social media as “websites and
applications that enable users to create
and share content or to participate in
social networking”.
Social Media is seen as the
democratization of information, in which
people are transformed from content
readers into publishers. It is also the shift
from a broadcast mechanism, one-to-
many, to a many-to-many model, rooted
in conversations between authors, people
and peers (Solis, 2010). Furthermore,
Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) describe
social media as a group of internet-based
applications that build on the ideological
and technological foundations of Web
2.0, and that allow the creation and
exchange of user generated content.
Marketing library and information
resources
Marketing implies the exchange and
relationship between a service provider
and service consumer with the aim of
satisfying consumer’s needs. Library
and information professionals are
involved in the process of marketing
because they identify user’s information
needs, acquire and package information
to meet these needs. Thus, the marketing
concept is based on the principle of an
exchange occurring between two parties,
i.e. the information professionals and the
information users (Aba, 2016). For
libraries and information institutions,
this means identifying usersneeds,
communicating how they can help
users fulfill those needs, and deliver
services accordingly.
The main objectives of marketing by
libraries is to creating an awareness of
information resources and their access,
create positive attitudes for user
interaction with information resources
and services, and to reduce the burden
of any costs and time for user to access
the information they need. e-Marketing
is the process of using information
technology and to conceptualize the
ideas in the library environment to
distribute and promote services that
fulfill individual and organizational
needs. It refers to the application of
marketing principles and techniques via
electronic media and more specifically
through the internet. Raul et al. (2016)
note that e-marketing allows librarians
to help their users to access information
via electronic media, using various
methods such as e-mail, Facebook and
similar platforms, chat, websites, e-
conferences and blogs. It also improves
client relationships and ensures
consistency of information.
Social media and marketing of
library and information resources
and services
Social media grabs the attention of
users, help them in discovering distance
learning opportunities, knowledge
sharing and how to locate information.
Kroski (2013) suggests that librarians
and information professionals be
diligent about keeping up with all the
posts on their library’s social media
pages and respond to them in a timely
manner. Importantly they are to
decide the purpose and goals of social
media marketing based on the specific
needs of their library. Kroski (2013)
further advocates picking one of the
major social media outlets such as
Facebook or Twitter, to create a
library online presence. Furthermore,
it is critical to create a consistent
presence on all social media platforms
used by the library such as .using the
same logo and color scheme to
establish the library brand and to
connect all social media accounts on
the library’s website or mobile
presence. Burkhardt (2010) advices
that it is critical to decide on what to
post on your Social Media platform,
whether to post library news and
events, new additions to the library,
links to articles, videos, community
information, pictures and any other
promotional materials.
By using several social media
platforms, the library has a consistent
message. It is also critical to make your
“posts” more interesting to get more
followers and reach a wide user
community to market your library (Potter,
2011). Burkhardt (2010) suggests several
strategies to market social media
presence, for instance, linking wherever
possible; talking to people; printed and
web-based advertisements; and building a
contingent of friends and followers into
an active online social community.
Social media marketing bring
librarians closer to users and vice versa.
More than ever, information is virtual
and is available through the internet,
cloud-based services, repositories,
LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 5 2019, pp. 7-10, V
CEmerald Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/LHTN-03-2019-0022 7

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