Cole, K., Graves, T., & Cipkowski, P. (2010). Marketing the Library in a Digital World.

Serials Librarian, 58(1-4), 182-187. Summary Originally given as a presentation, authors Kerry Cole and Tonia Graves--a marketing executive and an electronic resources and serials librarian, respectively--discuss the importance of marketing the library to an increasingly diffuse and virtual user base. Cole describes a fourstep approach to marketing involving research into user needs, performing a SWOT analysis, then planning SMART objectives, and lastly brainstorming a plan. She also emphasizes the importance of multi-channel marketing, or ways to educate users on what you have to offer while listening to and investigating their needs. Graves discusses Old Dominion University (ODU) Libraries as a case study for marketing initiatives happening in academic libraries. While the ODU libraries have a weekly emailed newsletter and have made other attempts to market themselves digitally, they had not yet ventured into Twitter, Facebook, or any Web 2.0 territory. Analysis While not groundbreaking or inspirational, the presentation from Cole and Graves touches on two key areas which must be central marketing in libraries as well as non-profit and for-profit organizations the world-over: focusing on customer needs and conveying to the customer what your institution has to offer. In discussing the value of marketing the library in an increasingly digital world, Cole states quite simply and bluntly, marketing is needed for the library to be proactive and to meet its users needs (Cole & Graves, 2010, p. 183). Conversely, in order to market to library patrons, one must come to know and understand their need; these need (and wants) are increasingly digital in nature. Cole points this out in remarking that today, patrons visit the

physical library less, yet increasingly want easy, instant access to materials and information. This understanding of the users needs has been echoed in countless other LIS publications. According to a 2010 study done in higher education, when students rate how well information sources fit with their needs and lifestyles, 64 percent reported that Internet search engines are a perfect fit compared to 24 percent who felt that way about the library (OConnor & Lundstrom, 2011, p. 352). Clearly, the growing need of many library patrons is for easy and immediate access to quality information. Now that one key need had been identified, comes the more difficult part of conveying to the user what libraries have to offer that meets or exceeds their needs. Cole and Graves are certainly proponents of libraries using the burgeoning world of social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, and beyond. Other authors have suggested a slightly different model of social marketing--that is to say, increased contact with the user to change behavior--will convey all that the library has to offer as well as shift behavior to make the potential user more likely to become an actual user (OConnor and Lundstrom, 2011, p. 361). Still others, such as Jordan Sly (2011), focus less on the type of marketing and more on the big picture, stating that shameless selfpromotion should be adopted by all types of libraries(p. 63). The users needs are at the heart of marketing, as is the necessity of expressing how the organization can meet those needs. As Drucker (2008) points out, With respect to the definition of a business purpose and business mission, there is only one such focus, one starting point. It is the customer. The customer defines the business...To satisfy the customer is the mission and purpose of every business(p. 24). Libraries are already focused on satisfying patrons information needs; the key marketing libraries lies in evolving along with our patrons and making sure they are readily aware of this evolution as well as what we have to offer.

References Cole, K., Graves, T., & Cipkowski, P. (2010). Marketing the Library in a Digital World. Serials Librarian, 58(1-4), 182-187. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.dom.edu/login?url=http:// search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=49147596&site=ehostlive&scope=site Drucker, P. F. (2008). The Essential Drucker: The Best of Sixty Years of Peter Druckers Essential Writings on Management. New York: Harper. O'Connor, L., & Lundstrom, K. (2011). The Impact of Social Marketing Strategies on the Information Seeking Behaviors of College Students. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(4), 351-365. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.dom.edu/login?url=http:// search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=61993846&site=ehostlive&scope=site Sly, J. S. (2011). A Failure in Marketing. Collaborative Librarianship, 3(1), 61-66. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.dom.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=lih&AN=61333778&site=ehost-live&scope=site