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LR
54,6
342
Received 5 March 2005
Reviewed 18 March 2005
Revised 21 March 2005
Accepted 23 March 2005
Library Review
Vol. 54 No. 6, 2005
pp. 342-345
# Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0024-2535
DOI 10.1108/00242530510605467
www.emeraldinsight.com/0024-2535.htm
DIGITAL DIRECTIONS
Marketing strategies for digital
library services
Kay Henderson
Department of Computing and Information Science, University of Strathclyde,
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Abstract
Purpose – To give some insight into how marketing techniques can be applied in the digital library
context.
Design/methodology/approach – A summary and description of an appropriate established
marketing method, with examples of digital library applications as illustration of its relevance in the
context of practice.
Findings – Relationship marketing offers specific benefits to libraries, and can be applied to
particular effect in marketing digital library services.
Research limitations/implications – The fact that one marketing technique of particular
relevance is examined should not deter the practitioner from investigating other forms, which will
have other, different benefits to confer.
Practical implications – The application of the insights in this paper should improve the market
reach and customer effectiveness of any library that employs them.
Originality/value – The author gives clear and practical insights into how practitioners may apply
given marketing techniques in the arena of real-life digital library work.
Keywords Marketing, Relationship marketing, Digital libraries
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
Numerous texts have been written on the subject of digital libraries, which provide the
LIS professional with insights into the implementation, technical and strategic issues
associated with the development of digital collections. (Chowdhury and Chowdhury,
2002; Gorman, 2002; Hughes, 2004). However, although these all are worthy texts, none
discuss marketing of such collections in any great detail.
How then should LIS professionals market digital collections? Do we turn to
traditional marketing principles and techniques or do digital services require
something unique? Or perhaps a bit of both?
Which ever approach is taken, the question of definition is paramount. ‘‘Virtual
library,’’ ‘‘digital library,’’ ‘‘electronic library’’ are all terms to used describe library and
information services delivered via the Internet, but they can mean different things to
different users. Therefore the issue of marketing these services is problematic since, as
LIS professionals we must ask what exactly are we trying to market and to whom? Are
we marketing a collection of digitised material that belongs to a physical library, that
is, a hybrid library? Or are we marketing the library’s services via the web? And this is
not to mention the different user groups which may require different marketing
techniques. The growth of digital libraries makes one wonder if, in the zealous drive to
digitise and make collections available as widely as possible, we have not created a
monster!
Due to the growth in services which focus on a client-orientated approach (rather
than product delivery or sale), and the increasing use of the Internet for marketing,
marketers have turned to relationship marketing (RM) techniques. Relationship Marketing
marketing could be one approach LIS professionals take when marketing digital strategies
library services. Thus, the purpose of this issue’s column is to raise some of the issues
LIS professionals may have to consider when marketing digital collections in this way.

Relationship marketing and digital collections

Relationship marketing is to identify and establish, maintain and enhance and when 343
necessary also to terminate relationships with customers and other stakeholders, at a profit,
so that the objectives of all parties are met and this is done by mutual exchange and
fulfilment of promises. (Grönroos, 1994)
In order to be sure that they are providing the best, and most appropriate services to
customers, it is essential that libraries know who their customer (or potential customer)
is. This can be achieved through the organisation of personal data and its storage in a
central database – in line with data protection regulation. This information can then be
used for market segmentation, in which the user population is divided into groups
according to similar characteristics.
This may be done on the basis of demographic details, such as age, ethnic origin,
gender, occupation; or according to borrowing characteristics, the library services they
use, their interests, the time they visit the library – or more likely a combination of the
two (de Sáez, 1993, p. 81). This data can be used to ascertain to what extent the services
currently offered are appropriate to the customer and can be used to make decisions
about the creation of new services and the termination of existing ones.
The population can then be further segmented, at a customer level, by personalising
services to customers (Goldsmith, 1999, p. 189). This would involve using their personal
data to make predictions about their individual needs, and offering services to them or
making recommendations about the services they already use – for example, using data
on their book borrowing to suggest books they might like to read. This approach can be
taken when the library has the data available and knows who its customers are.
Segmentation can help libraries target particular user groups via RM techniques.
The benefits of relationship marketing are:
. No costs of acquiring new customers
. Less need to offer incentives to customers
. Less price sensitive (loyal customers are pleased with the service)
. Loyal satisfied customers will recommend the service to others
All of which are benefits which would satisfy libraries and their users.
RM has largely developed due to the use of IT as part of the marketing function.
(Knox et al., 2003). New technology has allowed organisations to implement Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) systems to manage the RM function. It is via CRM
systems that libraries could promote digital services to users, by using data from
existing library management systems to target particular customers and promote
specific services. For example a library management system such as TALIS could be
integrated with Business Objects a graphics based system for interrogating databases
to extract user details. These can then be downloaded into any Microsoft package
where they could be used for target or segmented marketing, if users gave permission
to be contacted in this way. A user’s email details could also be used to target particular
services via web links. Libraries have been doing this for years, making the customer
LR the focus of service delivery. However now the Internet can be used to target customers
more effectively.
54,6
American memory
Take as an example the American Library of Congress digital library service,
American Memory (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/). American Memory is, as the
website states, ‘‘a digital record of American history and creativity.’’ The target market
344 for the collection is ‘‘Congress, academics, teachers, students and any interested
members of the public from anywhere in the world.’’ Likewise particular aspects of the
site are aimed at specific user groups:
. the Learning Page is aimed at students, teachers, school librarians and life long
learners (which takes in practically the whole population),
. Genealogy/Local History is aimed at individuals interested in tracing their
ancestry, and
. America’s Story from America’s History, is aimed at children.
American Memory is a perfect example of a digital library and its services. The site is
intended for a diverse range of users and the marketing and placement of specific
collections within the overall service demonstrates this. However targeting users in this
way is exactly the kind of strategy that would be employed to market traditional
services. So therefore does the digital library offer any fresh challenges to marketers?

Conclusion
Relationship marketing is in its broadest sense about cultivating good relationships
between staff and existing customers and maintaining those relationships, thus
retaining customer loyalty. In the LIS sphere this is nothing new as good customer
service is at the core of the profession. Relationship marketing techniques are an option
when considering marketing digital services, as in part RM uses technology to contact
and communicate more easily with customers. Indeed the use of email and discussion
lists have long been used to contact customers and as a distribution, selling and
marketing channel. The most important step is deciding exactly what type of digital
service is being marketed and to which user group.
For example the marketing of existing and new library services can be carried out
directly to existing users via email with web links. Research shows that customers
accept direct personal contact provided that it is relevant to their needs (Van
Steenderen and Van Tiggelen, 1997). The Internet allows LIS professionals to deliver
services regardless of time and place. As the example of American Memory shows
marketing and technical skills are required to do this effectively, which requires
dedicated staff to deliver digital library services to diverse user groups.
However, if we look back to the benefits of RM, we must not discount internal
marketing by staff and customers. Customer loyalty is paramount to RM. Loyal
customers will tell others about good service and efficient staff – the service is
promoted by word of mouth. Therefore as LIS professionals we must seek to use the
most appropriate marketing methods according to sector, service and user.
References
Chowdhury, G.G. and Chowdhury, S. (2002), Introduction to Digital Libraries, Facet, London.
de Sáez, E. (1993), Marketing Concepts for Libraries and Information Services, Library
Association Publishing, London.
Goldsmith, R.E. (1999), ‘‘The personalised marketplace: beyond the 4Ps’’, Marketing Intelligence Marketing
& Planning, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 178-85.
Gorman, G.E. (Editor) (2002), International Yearbook of Library and Information Management
strategies
2002-2003: The Digital Factor in Library and Information Services.
Grönroos, C. (1994), ‘‘Relationship Marketing: strategic and tactical implications’’, Management
Decision, Vol. 34 No. 3, pp. 5-14.
Hughes, L. M. (2004), Digitizing Collections: Strategic Issues for the Information Manager, 345
Facet, London.
Knox, S. et al. (2003), Customer Relationship Management: Perspectives from the Marketplace,
Butterworth, Oxford.
Van Steenderen and Van Tiggelen (1997), ‘‘Verwende klant en hij blift je trouw! Klantenbinding
door relatiemarketing’’ Bibliotheekblad, Vol. 2, pp. 6-9.