Promoting library services in a Google world
| Published date | 31 July 2007 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120710774477 |
| Date | 31 July 2007 |
| Pages | 337-346 |
| Author | Janine Schmidt |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Promoting library services in a
Google world
Janine Schmidt
McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Abstract
Purpose – As the younger generation of born digital library users and even well-established scholars
rely increasingly on Google, or its new products Google Scholar and Google Book, for information
resource discovery and access, libraries are finding it increasingly difficult to ensure that their own
well structured web sites and information services are being utilized appropriately. This paper aims to
highlight some of the changes occurring in the information environment and suggests ways of
marketing library services effectively to today’s users.
Design/methodology/aproach – Marketing concepts are explored in the paper, focusing on a clear
understanding of users, the library’s products, the appropriate place for service delivery, an
appropriate pricing strategy – and effective promotional strategies. Promotional strategies which are
being used effectively by some commercial organizations, as well as approaches being developed by
some libraries, are highlighted. Practical hints are provided so that libraries can ensure that their
missions of ensuring that every book has its reader can be accomplished in a new age of access to
information in real books and journals and virtual books and journals and other information resources.
Findings – The paper finds that libraries no longer operate in a “come and get it” environment and
new ways of outreach are described which ensure that librarians are out amongst their communities,
creating an awareness of the services available and ensuring effective use of resources through a
variety of approaches used in university libraries in Australia and at McGill University in Montreal,
Canada.
Originality/value – This paper provides useful information on the changes occurring in the
information environment and ways of marketing library services effectively to today’s users.
Keywords Marketing strategy,Libraries, Information services,Internet
Paper type Viewpoint
The library context
Today’s environment has brought with it an increased availability of information and
communication technology, new formats of information resources, and in particular the
growth of the internet. The information landscape has changed fundamentally.
Knowledge is available at one’s fingertips via the internet. Online markets are being
influenced by E-bay and Amazon as well as the free search engines like Google, Google
Book and GoogleScholar, which are all transformingresource discovery and information
access. The word “google” has become a verb, although the Google organization itself
prefers the phrase“to conduct a google search”. Therewill no doubt be future influences
from further services like Microsoft’s new search engine. Really Simple Syndication
(RSS) and Resource Description Framework (RDF) together with the semantic web and
the semantic grid are also impacting on the information environment. Blogs and wikis
are maturing with stabilized articles and proper editorials and are impacting on
traditionalpublishing. There has been slow acceptanceof open access options (including
Public Libraryof Science (PLOS) (/www.plos.org/),BioMed Central (www.biomedcentral.
com/), Oxford Open (www.oxfordjournals.org/oxfordopen/) and Blackwell Publishing’s
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
Promoting
library services
337
Received 1 November 2006
Accepted 30 January 2007
Library Management
Vol. 28 No. 6/7, 2007
pp. 337-346
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120710774477
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