Marketing Corporate Libraries

How to Market

A challenge for any corporate librarian is keeping the library's customers aware of all the services the library offers. A successful librarian needs to continuously market library services and competencies. For many people, librarians included, "selling" their services or competencies is not a comfortable idea. However, if corporate librarians do not blow their own horns, library services may only be appreciated by a few. Marketing is often defined as promotion, but in fact promotion is only one of many management techniques that are included under the blanket term of marketing. Marketing includes "determining market niches, defining products and services, setting prices, promoting services, and building good public relations. (Olson & Moseman) A savvy librarian, realizing that marketing library services is the same as providing good customer service, will create and follow a marketing plan to avoid some common library marketing pitfalls.