Australian Academic Librarians’ Perceptions of Marketing Services and Resources Zhixian (George) Yi, Damian Lodge and Sigrid McCausland School of Information Studies Charles Sturt University 16 January, 2013 School of Information Studies
Overview Introduction Literature review Methodology Findings and discussion Conclusions References School of Information Studies
INTRODUCTION School of Information Studies
Background to the Problem With the rapid development of information technology and increasingly intense competition with other non-profit and profit organizations, academic libraries are facing a pressing need to market their unique services and resources and reach their client base utilising various marketing techniques. Currently, many print and online marketing techniques are being used. However, little has been shared about which marketing techniques are most effective and the factors influencing the effective marketing approaches used. School of Information Studies
Purpose This pilot study examines how Australian academic librarians market their services and resources, which marketing techniques are most effective, and the factors influencing the effective techniques used. School of Information Studies
Research Questions 1 ). What do academic librarians perceive as effective approaches for marketing their services and resources? 2). What approaches do academic librarians use to market their services and resources? 3). Which marketing approaches do they perceive are most effective? 4). What factors influence the choice of marketing approaches used? School of Information Studies
Significance of This Pilot Study Librarians may use the results to reflect on the effectiveness of the marketing approaches used, to balance the weight of the factors’ influences, and to better understand various effective marketing approaches to enable them to market academic library services and resources more effectively in the future. School of Information Studies
LITERATURE REVIEW School of Information Studies
Current Books & Articles Some current books and articles are concerned with marketing library services and sources using various techniques (Gupta & Savard, 2011; Jones, McCandless, Kiblinger, Giles, & McCabe, 2011; Ojiambo, 1994; Schmidt, 2006; Schontz, Parker, & Parker, 2004; Verostek, 2005; Xia, 2009). School of Information Studies
Literature Gaps Little is known about how academic librarians actually market their services and resources. Little information is given about the factors influencing the effective marketing approaches used. School of Information Studies
METHODOLOGY School of Information Studies
Data An online survey was sent to 37 academic librarians in two Australian universities. The response rate was 54.1%. The information sheet and consent form for phone interview participants were emailed to 17 participants and 10 signed consent forms were emailed back to the chief researcher. The response rate was 58.8%. School of Information Studies
Variables Dependent Variables: Approaches used to market services and resources Independent Variables: (1) demographics; (2) human capital; and (3) library variables School of Information Studies
Data Analysis The qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The collected quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using descriptive (frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (correlations). School of Information Studies
FINDINGS & DISCUSSION School of Information Studies
Survey Of the 20 surveys returned, 15 (75%) respondents successfully completed the survey. The pilot study excluded 5 incomplete surveys. The personal and organizational information of the 15 respondents are provided in Tables 1 and 2. Table 3 shows the descriptive statistical results of variables used in the analysis. The correlation between independent variables and dependent variables (techniques used to determine clients’ needs and wants are displayed in Table 4 (Parts 1 and 2). School of Information Studies
Table 1: Pilot Survey Results of Academic Librarians’ Personal Information (n = 15) Personal No. of Responses Information (%) Female 11 (73.3) Male 4 (26.7) Age (Years) <24 0 25-29 1 (6.7) 30-34 0 35-39 0 40 – 44 3 (20.0) 45-49 3 (20.0) 50 – 54 3 (20.0) 55 – 59 5 (33.3) 60-64 0 >65 0 Education Level Less than a bachelor’s degree 1 (6.7) Other bachelor’s degree 1 (6.7) Bachelor’s degree in LIS 5 (33.3) MA/MS not in Library Science 3 (20.0) MLS 5 (33.3) Formally Studying Marketing 2 (13.3) Not Formally Studying Marketing 13 (86.7) Attending a Workshop on Marketing in 2 the Last 5 Years (13.3) Not Attending a Workshop on 13 Marketing in the Last 5 Years (86.7) Legend: No = Number School of Information Studies
Table 2: Pilot Survey Results of Academic Librarians’ Organizational Information (n = 15) Organizational No. of Responses Mean Information (%) (SD) Job Responsibility (multiple responses) Access services 2 (13.3) Acquisitions 0 (0) Cataloguing 2 (13.3) Collection services 2 (13.3) Information literacy 4 (26.7) Library administration 4 (26.7) Reference services 5 (33.3) Other 3 (20.0) Work Service Years at present position 5.5 (3.4) Years of library services 19.0 (11.3) Number of different professional library 5.4 positions (3.5) Number of staff in libraries 69.7 (35.8) Number of library branches 5.3 (2.0) Type of Institution Where Respondents Work or Worked (multiple responses) College libraries 3 (20.0) Profit-organizations 1 (6.7) Public libraries 6 (40.0) School libraries 1 (6.7) Special libraries 6 (40.0) University libraries 15 (100) Other 2 (13.3) Total Population that Respondents’ Libraries 27009.9 Serve (12928.9) Legend: No = Number, SD = Standard deviation School of Information Studies
Table 3. Descriptive Statistics of Variables Used in the Analysis Variables Percent/Mean SD *DEPENDENT VARIABLES Techniques used to determine clients’ needs and wants (5 -point *2.0 a *3.0 b scale) Approaches to breaking down library users into smaller groups (5- 3.0 a 4.0 b point scale) Techniques for promoting library 3.0 a 3.0 b services and resources (5-point scale) Approaches to evaluating marketing 3.0 a 3.0 b activities (5-point scale) Web 2.0 tools used to market library 3.0 a 3.0 b services and resources (5-point scale) Techniques for marketing electronic 3.0 a 3.0 b resources (5-point scale) Strategies used to market library 3.0 a 4.0 b services and resources (5-point scale) INDEPENDENT VARIABLES Female 73.3% 7.0 a 6.0 b Age (10-point scale) 4.0 a 3.0 b Education level (7-point scale) Years at present position 5.5 3.4 Total years involved in library 19.1 38.0 service No. different professional library 5.4 10.0 positions No. library staff 36.7 61.4 No. library branches 5.3 9.0 Legend: SD = Standard deviation; ª Median, b Range *The results of medians and ranges of dependent variables were for the first dependent variable of each category. School of Information Studies
Table 4 (Part 1): Correlation Matrix for Variables Used in the Analysis Techniques used to determine clients’ needs and wants D A B C E -.065 1 -.084 -.281 .093 .032 .348 2 .242 .266 .297 .287 .038 3 .022 -.009 -.365 .408 -.465* 4 -.060 -.090 -.219 -.373 .110 5 -.071 -.147 -.028 .271 .377 6 .026 -.164 -.068 .189 .258 7 .466* .050 .065 .188 .096 8 .472* .242 .234 -.170 Notes: A=Online Survey, B=One-on-one Interview, C=Phone Interview, D=Focus groups, E=Other 1=Female, 2=Age, 3=Education, 4=Years at Present Position, 5=Total Years of Library Service, 6=No. of Different Positions 7=No. of Library Staff, 8=No. of Library Branches *p ≤ 0.05; **p ≤ 0.01; ***p≤0. 001 School of Information Studies
Table 4 (Part 2): Correlation Matrix for Independent Variables Used in the Analysis (N = 15) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 1.000 2 .612** 1.000 3 -.185 -.302 1.000 4 -.143 .040 -.350 1.000 5 .416 .590* -.380 -.143 1.000 6 .388 .547* -.112 -.228 .669** 1.000 7 .539* .379 .280 -.117 .139 .364 1.000 8 .334 -.021 -.030 -.138 -.284 -.184 .408 1.000 Notes: 1=Female, 2=Age, 3=Education, 4=Years at Present Position, 5=Total Years of Library Service, 6=No. of Different Positions, 7=No. of Library Staff, 8=No. of Library Branches *p ≤ 0.05; **p ≤ 0.01; ***p≤0. 001 School of Information Studies
Phone Interview The average years of library service was 16.5 years. 80% of participants said that marketing is a part of their official roles. The main approaches used to identify library user needs and expectations included client surveys, online enquiries, one-to-one interactions with the users, face-to-face meeting, orientation session, and physical tours. The most effective social media tools used to market services and resources were the library website, library blogs, library forums and email. The factors influencing the marketing techniques used were technology, time, cost, librarian’s skill levels and client groups. School of Information Studies
CONCLUSIONS School of Information Studies
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