Sir Ahmadu Bello

DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA

COURSE CODE: MARKETING OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES. LIBS(321)

ASSIGNMENT QUESTION: ANALYSIS OF MARKETING STRATEGY IN RESPECT TO NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION, A CASE STUDY OF MUHAMMED ABDULLAHI’S PUBLIC LIBRARY, A.B.U, ZARIA.

COMBILED BY GROUP 11 K MEMBERS

S/NO	NAMES OF THE GROUP MEMBERS	REG. NUMBERS
1	ABDULLAHI SHUAIBU	U13LS2003
2	MOHAMMED IDRIS	U13LS2005
3	AMEH ANEBI GODWIN	U13LS2080
4	NUHU ALI	U13LS2170
5	WILSON MESOCHI	U13LS2079
6	NWAGWU NAOMI	U13LS2139
7	MARKUS MERCY JULIANA	U12LS1043

SUBMITTED TO PROF. TIJJANI ABUBAKAR

MARCH, 2015

Abstract

Marketing is the process of planning, pricing, promoting, and distributing goods and services to create “exchanges” that satisfy the library and the customer. Marketing is an ongoing and dynamic strategy because customer needs and library products change with time. Marketing concepts and techniques plays a vital role in publiclibraries because library and information Centers and marketing both have same goal, “the right service to the right person at the right time”. The real value of marketing is to ensure the survival and growth of the library and information services, which exist to enhance the communities they serve, adding value to the lives of the people and organizations that are their users, customers and clients.

INTRODUCTION

Library is a non-profit making organization and its services have long been assumed to be offered free of charge to its clienteles/customers. It is also a general assumption that library users will come to the library and hence there is no need for marketing of library services.

Today, these general assumptions have changed because the library is no more the only primary information provider; users have other primary sources they turn to when they need information services. There are other information providers and the competition is becoming keener on a daily basis. In fact, users are not relying on the library as the sole repository of knowledge any longer (Kaur, 2009).

The ever changing technological innovation has changed library functions and services.

Technology has influenced library activities ranging from information capture, acquisition, organization, storage and dissemination of information to its clientele. Information services and products are now in multi-formats which gave birth to what is called electronic/digital library. In the past, library user must get to the library building before using library facilities but today the physical library building is de-emphasized because technology has fashioned a new doorway forinformation services and products.

Ironically, the technological innovation has put libraries under intense pressure from competitors, such as, database vendors and other private information centers and search engines (Madhusudhan, 2008). The impact of the Internet is posing a big challenge to libraries (Brock and Tabaei, 2011). Library is no longer the primary information provider because now the first place people focus when there is information need is search engines (OCLC, 2005).

It is pertinent for library to go further ahead of Google by taking a step above being collector and organizer but focus more on the information users (Mi and Nesta, 2006).

Therefore, if a public library is not to lose its role in the society there is need for marketing of library and information services. Librarians are being conscious of marketing strategies and many libraries are fully employing different means of promoting their information services to their users and potential users as well (Kaur and Rani, 2008).

In the past years, marketing is familiar and used only by profit making sectors andunfamiliar to not-for-profit organizations or public sectors such as library (Vasileiou and Rowley, 2011). However, the trend is changing now library is embracing marketing strategies to promote information products and services (Kaur and Rani, 2008). Marketing is purely astrategy geared towards customers’ satisfaction, thus, it is relevant to library because the primaryphilosophy of library and information science is customer-centered. The mission of any library is to satisfy the varied information needs of users, that is, the customers of libraries. Therefore, careful marketing strategy is required for library to survive in this information age.

PUBLIC LIBRARY

The public library is established to provide materials, which communicate experience and ideas from one person to another and make them easily and freely available to all people. The public library is a local center of information that makes all kinds of knowledge and information readily available to its users. It is established, supported and funded by the community, either through local, regional or national government or through some other form of community organizations. It provides access to knowledge, information and works of imagination through a range of resources and services. It is equally available to all members of the community regardless of race, nationality, age, gender, religion, language, disability, employment status and educational attainment (Aboyade, 1984).

People in all works of life use the public library resources, facilities and services. These users include pupils, students, teachers, scholars, scientists, business executives, government officials and even dropouts. Large numbers of people also turn to public libraries to satisfy their desire for knowledge or to obtain materials for some kind of leisure-time activities. A library may meet user's information needs by acquiring, organizing and making available relevant information resources backed by appropriate facilities and delivered by means best known to them, which could be manual or through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). For any public library to perform well and meet the needs of the users on this modern time, it is necessary for the public library to embrace the use of information and communication technology. The role of ICT in the effective utilization of libraries has been stressed in literature. In a survey conducted by Ojo and Akande (2005), it was gathered that students use internet sources and e-mail more than other sources. Other electronic information resources used by students in the order of importance include CD-ROM, e-Journal, etc.

A lot of information can be received using electronic resources both inside and outside the library. This may be the reason why they are more popular compared to other resources. However, lack of computer and IT skills, time consuming, limited access to computer terminal and too much information retrieval, using electronic resources, often detracts from doing work (Ojo&Akande, 2005). These challenges among users may deter them from using electronic information sources. To this Omekwu (2001) stated that the success of online searching depends on the ability of the user or the information scientist to perform the search in the best possible way.However, the performance of public libraries has been hindered by:

i. Lack of infrastructure and

ii. Lack of adequate finance.

Danuta (1996) asserted that finance is a major resource for organizational effectiveness and without it nothing meaningful will be achieved. It should be borne in mind right from the onset that computerization of library operations like acquisition and circulation control is an expensive venture, and a time consuming process. Also, Ikem and Ajala (2004) noted that the problem of funding is the major constraint of ICT application in public libraries. According to them, the problem of funding is more than just acquiring the hard and software but updating and maintenance are very crucial in order to sustain it.

iii. Unavailability of local communication experts and computer communicating internally. Testing and installation of gadgets in a computer-based system, skilled and experienced personnel are needed on a permanent basis who can convert the existing manual bibliographic data into machine readable form.

iv. Installation and maintenance involve foreign currency limitations, bad telephone lines, and reluctance of telecommunication officers to license moderns. Moreover networks have their inherent problems which sometimes affect the decision of individual and organizations.

Public library exits to satisfy users. In this context, users' satisfaction refers to how users judge the services of public libraries. Indeed, it refers to whether users of public libraries get the desired information resources, facilities and services expected to be provided by the public libraries. Hence, in recent times, evaluating users' satisfaction with the information resources, facilities and services of public libraries has become a major concern and an integral part of library and information science practitioners (Ogunsola, 2004). This is because the ultimate aim of all public libraries as a service oriented organization is to satisfy the needs of its clients. Thus, users' satisfaction with the information resources, facilities and services provided by libraries whether public or academic has become the melting pot of the present day librarianship and information science (Saliu, 2002).

In this regard, the International Federation of Library Association (IFLA) set the minimum standards for information resources, facilities and services to be provided by public libraries (IFLA, 2001). The information resources include fiction books, non-fiction books, textbooks, newspaper/magazines, pictures and posters, records and tapes, audio and video, toys, CD-ROM and Braille materials. Facilities to be provided include reading tables adequate enough for users, sitting chairs, book shelves, library space, fans, lighting, ventilation, flooring, restaurant, location of exit point, notice board/bulletin, photocopiers, vehicle parking space, computers, carrels, periodical racks, circulation desks and other facilities that would make users comfortable for reading (IFLA, 2001). While the services include community information services, recreational activities, reference services, storytelling, reading competition, career information, customer care, adult literacy education, mobile library services, and services to prisoners, online internet search, among others (IFLA, 2001).

While these information resources, facilities and services are important in the public library services, the extent to which they satisfy users' information needs is fundamentally more important. This is because the ultimate goal of public libraries is to bring about higher users' satisfaction. Thus, it becomes pertinent to determine the extent to which users are satisfied with the information resources, facilities and services of public libraries. Public libraries generally serve a wide range of users, which include adult males and females, young adults, children, the visually impaired and other groups of people in the communities where they are located. Due to this fact, public libraries have vital roles to play in information dissemination at the grassroots to meet the information needs of each of these groups. The importance of public library in our society today is being underscored by a number of convergent trends which include, increase in school enrolment at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Thus, public libraries must be proactive, vibrant and abreast of the latest developments in information dissemination to maintain relevance and keep up with the multifarious needs and expectations of library users. It is therefore important that the public library should be able to provide the right materials to meet the information needs of users.

In a recent study, Anunobi (2003) observed that librarians are yet to make impact on students. The study revealed that the presence of school librarians who teach students on the use of library in secondary schools have not made much impact as shown by students' inability to use catalogues and indexes as library access points in their first year at universities. Awana (2007) maintained that the friendly disposition of staff, the willingness of library staff to assist users to get needed materials from within or through inter-library loan will encourage users to patronize the library and above all increase users' satisfaction with library services. Researchers are of the opinion that attitude of some library staff that bothered on hostility, rudeness and lazy approach to requests or enquiries have often put off some potential library users. Unomah (1986) in a survey of students utilization of publiclibraries in Nigeria found that most often than not, some of the junior staff attitude towards users are discouraging in their services to the customers. The negative attitude of some librarians towards information technology in library operations is not encouraging. Ifidon and Okoli (2002) noted that the nature of library staff is a factor that inhibits effective library services. They further stressed that most of the staff went through the traditional form of training in which some of them just refused to adjust to the new situation, but want the status quo to remain. Thorhauge (2003) is of the view that friendliness and helpfulness of library staff is one of the sixth criteria they proposed for the evaluation of public libraries.

However, several studies in Nigeria (Ogunrombi, 1985; Oyegade, Nassarawa and Mokogwu, 2003; Iyiade and Oladipupo, 2004 and Onohwakpor, 2009) have noted that the Nigerian public library scene is yearning for improvement as their services suffer one form of neglect or the other due to lack of fund, inadequate infrastructure and unqualified manpower. This study, therefore, is on analysis  ofmarketing strategy of public library information resources, facilities and services: to ensure user's satisfaction inMuhammedAbdullahiPublic Library.

To adequately explain user's satisfaction with information resources, facilities and services, a conceptual model was developed in line with the Consumer Satisfaction Theory (CST) propounded by Cadotte, Woodruff & Jenkins (1987). According to the theory, before shopping, customers have some pre-purchase standard(s) in their minds that guide their purchasing activities. After purchasing a product (service), customers evaluate the performance of the product (service) against pre-purchase standards. When performance is greater than expectations (pre-purchase standard), satisfaction occurs. When performance is less than expectations (pre-purchase standard) dissatisfaction occurs. Thus, the extent to which a customer experiences satisfaction or dissatisfaction is related to the size and direction of product performance. In this study, information is investigated as a consumable product and library users are customers who are having a purchasing experience.

Accordingly, information searching and retrieval activities are viewed as purchasing experiences of library users. As with many consumables, information as a product is defined by two components: the information system/services that the customer utilizes to access and retrieve the information product (facilities and services) and the information product itself (resources). In other words, the information needs expectation from the public library by users represents the pre-purchase standard while the actual information products obtained from the public library represents the product/service consumption. Thus, when information resources obtained from a public library is lower than information need expectation, the users will be dissatisfied and vice visa. The public library information resources are better utilized when relevant facilities such as reading tables, chairs, book shelves, ICTs among others are available. The availability of facilities enhances the ability of public libraries to render necessary services to users. Therefore, the integration of the three variables will bring about user's overall satisfaction.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

MuhammedAbdullahiPublic Library was formally known as Samaru Public Library in its inception, Samaru Public Library is a small but unique establishment. Unlike other public libraries in Kaduna State, which are organized and controlled by the government through the State LibraryBoard, the Samaru Public Library is financed andadministered by the Ahmadu Bello University through its Department of Library and information Science. Thelibrary was established by the universityspecifically to cater for its own staff and students;particularly the junior and intermediary staff of the university; and also functionsas a training laboratory for students oflibrarianship from the Department.

Samaru isatownof a few hundred inhabitants on the outskirtsof the ancient city of Zaria in the Northern Region ofNigeria. Its rapid development owes to the fact that it is the site of themain campus of Ahmadu Bello University; andSamaru today is a modest university town of severalthousand citizens, of whom a substantial percentagework in the university and in surrounding institutes.The majority of the junior staff of the AhmaduBello University (main campus) and those working inthe nearby affiliated Institute for Agricultural Research(IAR) live in Samaru. Other Federal Governmentresearch institutes whose workers reside in the townare the Leather Research Institute of Nigeria (LERIN),the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) andthe National Animal Production Research Institute(NAPRI). A significant number of the senior staff ofthe university and of these institutes also lives inSamaru.

The Samaru Public Library was originally foundedunder the joint auspices of the Northern RegionalLibrary and the Ahmadu Bello University to cater bothfor the general public in Samaru and the surroundingvillages and, in particular, for the junior andintermediate staff of the university and the affiliatedInstitute for Agricultural Research.The library was officially opened on 5 June 1963.Its subsequent growth and development may bedivided into two phases: 1963-66 and 1968 to date.

THE EARLY PHASE (1963-66)

At its inception, the library not only started off in atemporary building, but could only boast a collectionof slightly over 1,500 books in Hausa, English andArabic, the majority of which were donations fromthe Regional Library and the British Council. Themembers of the university community and otherinterested persons also made their owncontributions; for example, a jumble sale which wasorganized during the inaugural year yielded £28 and59 books. By 1966, the library had over 6,000books in stock, most of them textbooks which weresuitable for the study and examination needs of itsclientele.The library was, at this stage, under the umbrellaof the university library; hence the supervisory staffand those assistants that helped in running theservices in the library came from the universitylibrary.In 1966, a crisis situation developed in Nigeria,particularly in the north, and the library was forced toclose down in November 1966. The books werepacked up and sent back to the Regional Library inKaduna, including those which had been donated bythe British Council.

THE LATER PHASE (1968 to date)

During the period of closure, the university began toestablish a Department of Librarianship and the thenUniversity Librarian, J.M. Grey-Theriot, who laterbecame the founding head of the Department, wascharged with the responsibility of carrying out thepreliminary surveys. One of his strong propositionswas for the incorporation in the programme ofpractical training for the students. It was thereforeinevitable that thought should be given to the resuscitation of the defunct Samaru Public Library toserve as a laboratory for training the students of theproposed Library and Information Science Department. Consequently, after some appeals and subsequentdonations of books from the British Council and theUnited States Information Service, the Samaru PublicLibrary opened its doors again, in October 1968, in abetter, purpose-built building provided by the university. Its official opening was on 6 October1968, a date meant to coincide with the opening ofthe university’s Department of Library and Information Science.

NATURE OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY MUHAMMED ABDULLAHI PUBLIC LIBRARY

·        Reader services

·        Community information services

·        Recreational activities

·        Storytelling

·        Reading competition

·        Career information

·        Customer care

·        Adult literacy education

·        Mobile library services

·        Services to prisoners

·        Online internet search,

·        Partnership services with schools around the library’s community

·        Children services

·        Reference services

·        Photocopying services

·        Internet café services

·        Laboratory training services for students of librarianship from the Department.

·        Provision of Jamb/Waec past questions and answers (for secondary school students preparing for their Jamb/Waec examination)

MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT OF MUHAMMED ABDULLAHI PUBLIC LIBRARY

Any focus organization must have its mission and objective statement well documented which are what the organization wants to achieve and the necessary steps it need to take in order to achieve this mission. For effective monitoring, some organization will place their mission and vision statement by the entrance of their sign post or in any of their contact gateway for the public to know what they are there for and what they want to achieve or impact to the society. However, the mission and vision statement of Abdullahi Muhammed Public Library can be summarized thus:

·        Tocater for its own staff and students; particularly the junior and intermediary staff of the university.

·        To functions as a training laboratory for students of librarianship from the Department of Library and Information Science.

·        To cater both for the general public in Samaru and the surrounding villages and the affiliated Institute for Agricultural Research.

·        To Provide Jamb and Waec past questions and answers (for secondary school students preparing for their Jamb and Waec examination)

·        To partner with schools around the library’s community in the provision of information

·        To provide  services to younger  children

·        To preserve the cultural heritage of the community

·        To maintain free flow of information within the community

·        To help push the mission and vision of the central library

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

1.     To identify the product and services of MuhammedAbdullahiPublic library

2.     To identify the targeted users of the library

3.     To examine the marketing department of the library

4.     To determine how the products and services of the library reaches its targeted users

5.     To find out about the marketing strategy used by the library in marketing their products and services

6.     To determine the extent of users awareness of the library products and services

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

1.     The study will aim at promoting the use of available reading materials in Muhammed Abdullahi Public library and create awareness among the users

2.     The result of the study will help the library to optimize the use of information within the limited resources and manpower.

3.     To improve the image of the library

4.     To assist the library on how to market their products and services and generate funds for the library

ASSIGNMENT QUESTONS

1.     What are the products and services of MuhammedAbdullahi public library?

2.     Who are the targeted users/customers of the library?

3.     How the library doesreach its targeted users?

4.     To what extent users of the library are aware of the library’s services and products?

5.     What unit of the library is responsible for marketing the library’s products and services?

6.     What are the marketing strategy adopted by the library to market their products and services?

DISCUSSION OF THE ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS

1.     WHAT ARE THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OF MUHAMMED  ABDULLAHI PUBLIC LIBRARY?

Product and services refers to the output of the library as a result of its effort to meet the information needs of users. They are activities put in place or designed by the library in order to facilitate access to information. MuhammedAbdullahiPublic library provides a good number of services to their user and these services include:

·        Reader services

·        Community information services

·         Recreational activities

·        Storytelling

·        Reading competition

·        Career information

·        Customer care

·        Adult literacy education

·        Mobile library services

·        Services to prisoners

·        Online internet search,

·        Partnership services with schools around the library’s community

·        Children services

·        Reference services

·        Photocopying services

·        Laboratory training services (for students of librarianship from the Department of Library and Information Science).

·        Provision of Jamb and Waec past questions and answers (for secondary school students preparing for their Jamb and Waec examination)

·        Partnership services with schools around the library’s community

·        Reference services

·        Photocopying services

·        Internet café services

·        Laboratory training services for students of librarianship from the Department.

·        Provision of Jamb and Waec past questions and answers (for secondary school students preparing for their Jamb and Waec examination)

2.     WHO ARE TARGET USERS OF THE LIBRARY?

The clientele of the MuhammedAbdullahi Public Library are heterogeneous and includes members of the university staff and their children or wards as well as readers from outside the Ahmadu Bello University community.

The library now has about 11,500 registered readers (9,120 adults and 580 children), a figure that appears small compared with the number of potential and actual users of the facilities and services of the library who have not registered formally with it for one reason or another.

A recent study of the library by Aleraiye revealed that about 92 percent of the users were male, the majority in the 20-29 age range. There are such a high proportion of men because, in this part of Nigeria, women’s education is still behind that of men. Furthermore, the cultural setting means that there is more freedom for men to go out than there is for women. Those between 15 and 19 years of age also formed a significant proportion of the users.

The age range of 15-29 years, into which the majority of users fall, confirms that it serves mainly the intermediate and junior staff of the university as well as the students of surrounding post-primary institutions. About 63 percent of the users were found to hold the General Certificate of Education Ordinary level or its equivalent, the West African School Certificate (WASC). Those with City and

Guilds qualifications comprised nearly 18 percent, while the remaining 20 percent comprised patrons with the primary school leaving certificate or the Adult Education Certificate. The study further revealed that 50 percent of those who patronize the Library are the university’s junior workers who use it to study for examinations in the various staff training programmes that the university runs to enhance the career prospects of its junior staff. This pattern of use may not be surprising in a university environment.

3.     HOW DOES MUHAMMAD PUBLIC LIBRARY REACH ITS TARGET USERS?

The library reach it users usually mostly through its partnership program organized with schools around Samaru community. Through this program users tend to be aware of some of the product and services available in the library, meanwhile the library supposed to make an alternative provision on how to reach its users, some of these provisions could be either by distributing flyers, and conducting radio programmes on which he librarian will inform the general public on the products and services available in the library, or by placing of posters at strategic locations to advertise the library services and products. 

4.     TO WHAT EXTENT USERS OF THE LIBRARY ARE AWARE OF THE LIBRARY PRODUCT AND SERVICES?

The library is providing services that support teaching, learning and research processes but most of the community members like market women and rural members are not aware of the partnership program. There is a need to provide partnership service that will assist the market women on how to market their services and products effectively and efficiently. Rural farmers also need to be considered in the partnership program organized by the library as these will help them with information on how to obtain agricultural loans and the use of modern agricultural equipment as well as fertilizer application etc.

5.     WHAT UNIT OF THE LIBRARY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MARKETING THE LIBRARY SERVICES AND PRODUCTS

·        The library is made up of the following units. But there is no any specific unit that is saddled with the responsibility of marketing the library’s services and product respectively. The units are as follows.

·        Administrative unit

·        Circulation unit

·        Computer section

·        Children section

·        Reference unit

·        Reserved section

However, there is a need to establish a unit that will be saddled with the responsibility of marketing the library’s services and products.

6.     WHAT MARKETING STRATEGY IS ADOPTED BY THE LIBRARY TO MARKET IT PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Some of the marketing strategy been used by Muhammad Abdullahi Public Library Ahmadu Bello University, Zariais:

Market Segmentation (MS) in Public Library

Market segmentation consists of identification of one’s market, its size, competitors and what attribute of one’s products/services that satisfies the customers (Curators of the of Missouri, 2010). To relate this to information services, Doland (2006) submits that in defining market segmentation one has to provide answer to the following questions: who are the target customers? Who uses what services? What are the subject areas? Who are your competitors?

Every library needs to define clearly its target library users, categorize them according to their needs areas then package or organize relevant information services to meet their needs. Libraries need to be aware of the fact that there are competitors outside who are also interested in the same target customers and they are working relentlessly to take over the customers.

ANALYSIS OF THE MARKETING STRATEGY ADOPTED BY THE LIBRARY

Marketing strategy is a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its limited resources to grab the greatest opportunities to increase sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. A marketing strategy should be centred on the key purpose that in public libraries user/customer satisfaction is the main goal. A marketing strategy is a written plan which combines the efforts to plan information product and product development, and the ways to promote information products and services, how to price information product and services, and their distribution. It identifies the academic libraries marketing goals, and explains how they will be achieved within a stated timeframe. Marketing strategy determines the choice of target market segment, positioning, marketing mix, and allocation of resources. It is most effective when it makes an integral component of public libraries; strategy: define how the public libraries will successfully engage customers, prospects, and competitors in the market arena. Marketing strategy is a written marketing plan which covers all the functions of marketing from beginning to end.

Marketing strategy means selecting various techniques in proper proportion and balance. It is important to note that not all enterprises or organizations can afford to use all the marketing techniques because different situations require different techniques. It is essential therefore that the marketing manager or the librarian are cognizance of the various marketing techniques and must be able to select those techniques that are necessary for a particular product in a particular situation. Successful marketing therefore, includes the art of deciding which techniques to use in different situations. Jestin and Parameswari (2002) suggested that the proper and active use of marketing techniques provide the possibility of creating a market. They propose that:

• Increasing the present volume of sales can create a market

• Creating a market can mean waking up a sleeping market

• Creating a market can involve creating a demand that did not exist at all.

Librarians and information managers should therefore be weary that familiarity with effective marketing techniques and strategies can results into creation of new products and services and in effect new markets while libraries are more than ever patronized.

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS FOR MARKETING

Library personnel require the following professional knowledge and skills in order to market and attract users to the library.

• Perception of user needs and ability to obtain feedback from users;

• Technical knowledge, such as ability to use theInternet and other electronic resources and databases; and

• Knowledge of various marketing strategies for promoting information skills.

FACTORS IMPEDING EFFECTIVE MARKETING OF LIBRARY ANDINFORMATION SERVICES

• The relatively low level of knowledge (Alemna, 2001; Shamel, (2002) and lack of agreement on userrequirements, wants, and needs (Jestin and Parameswari, 2002; Kaane, 2006).

• The subsidized non-market environment in which most scientific and technical information products and services are used (Alemna, 2001; Jestin andParameswari, 2002; Shamel; 2002).

• The virtual impossibility of estimating the value contributed by information products and services to theefficiency and conduct of research and development and the advancement of scholarly pursuits (Jestin and Parameswari, 2002).

• The general economic unsophistication of those mostly schooled in the humanities and the non-market oriented library school environment, who purchase information products and services (Jestin and Parameswari, 2002; Shamel, 2002).

• The reluctance of librarians and other information professionals to engage in marketing adds to the problem (Weingand, 1999; Alemna, 2001; Bakar, 2005 and Kaane, 2006).

FUNCTIONS OF MARKETING STRATEGY

The functions of marketing strategy include the following activities to be carried out by the public library and information professionals:

·        Analysis of users

·        Planning new products, marketing plans and target markets

·        Implementation of the plans related to marketing

·        Control with regard to standards, quality, progress of marketing goals and expected results

·        Identification of objectives in line with parent organization’s goals and information Centrerequirements

·        Promoting demand for existing products andservices

·        Development of new and viable product and services, which have a sound client base.

·        Execution of preparatory analysis assists staff in developing a customer-oriented outlook. Preparation of the plan and the implementation of activities encourage and motivate information staff to develop a proactive stance in the target market.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Proliferation; under a strategy where we incorporate all the important points like identifying organizational goals; customer analysis; competitor analysis; plan for specific product/services, etc.

Finally, marketing is a strategic level activity; it needs senior management involvement at all the levels and it must be on all agendas. Librarians and information professionals must encourage and develop a marketing culture in their libraries and information centres and be prepared to market their own very significant talents, experience and skills. Marketing needs resources, human as well as financial, and it needs teamwork for a successful implementation. It cannot be done alone, even where the library or information Centre employs, or has access to, a designated marketing manager. Marketing is a recipe of success because through marketing public librariescan increase the reach of their services and promotethemselves. The investment needs to be serious, and the rewards are immense. So, marketing strategy is important for every library and information product manager and service provider for success in the market.

SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The importance of the library cannot be assumed, but must be weighed in relation to other critical needs like classroom and laboratory space, teaching and research staff, support services or repairing deteriorating classrooms. Thus, there is the need for the Librarian-in- Charge of libraries to justify why its management should allocate scarce funds to support library collections and services. There is also the need for the Library Directors or Managers to be aggressive in soliciting for funds from philanthropists, local and international organizations, schools, agencies, associations’ e.t.c, for library support. Money and others derived from such solicitation efforts should be used only for upliftment of library services and development. Libraries should start thinking of plans or modalities to carry out research on customer survey. This can be conducted every two years, seeking information regarding the library’s communication; service quality; facilities, resources and equipment; service delivery and library staff. These benchmarks will offer us guidance in providing better customer service; an improved delivery of library services and collection; better communication; a higher visibility and appreciation from clients, funds providers (management) and public policy. There is also the need for Library Administrators to be able to project their libraries development plans. They must be able to do long range planning to project short and long terms costs and how they will be executed. They must be able to make strategic decisionsconcerning how funds will be generated and how thelimited resources will be expended on staff, facilities and collections (printed non-printed as well as electronic resources and facilities).

Librarians should also be able to write grant proposals to both local and international private foundation and government programmes in order to receive external grants to fund specific collections or library ICT projects. As earlier suggested by Adekunmisi, Osinulu and Ogunbote (2009), Also those already in the profession, that is, the library personnel should be exposed to refresher courses on library and information products services marketing techniques. They should also be exposed to training by allowing attend seminars, workshops and conferences. They should be trained and re-trained and re-oriented to start thinking afresh.

Similar to it is the need for continual library staff development programmes through regular attendance at workshops, seminars and conferences. Staff should also continuously keep pace with new developments and improve on their user needs assessment skills. They should acquire and update their skills most especially in the areas of information communication technologies, communication techniques and customer care services. Possession of all these skills will put them in a position to better understand their users' needs as well as provide better and satisfying services to their clients. The Nigerian Library Association can as done by the American Library Association (ALA), which initiated a multi-year campaign to raise the visibility of the value of school, public, academic and special libraries to the people who depend upon them (Spalding and Wang, 2006). The association can also design website with the campaign materials and resources made freely available use by libraries all over the world. The Campaign should provide tools that will assist librarians to better understand their library users and the services they need,incorporating this information into service improvement and communicating more effectively what the library can deliver. Spalding and Wang (2006) noted that suchCampaign had resulted in users being more satisfied with library services and a wider community had a greater appreciation for what librarians and library resources do to facilitate learning and research.

Volunteer Librarians can come together to develop materials and resources as well as also organize workshops for librarians to learn and apply marketing planning in their libraries. They can also develop guides manuals to train librarians or act as facilitators in workshops where other librarians can learn to use marketing approach in their libraries. Toolkits can also be designed for libraries. All these resources can be made available freely at libraries websites. These resources, that is, the manuals, guides, toolkits, graphics, posters e.t.c will serve to guide librarians through a strategic market planning process adaptable to meet the unique needs of a library.

We are now in the information technology age, libraries in Nigeria should start making plans for a formalized Information Literacy Program for patrons which will help potential users learn how to access and interpret information. This will shed light on identifying the need for information and learning, where to find the information required, how to evaluate, manipulate and synthesize the information in solving problems or tasks at hand.

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