How to set up a marketing program in an academic library

1. Marketing & Public
Relations in Academic
Libraries
Heidi Card
ULS Librarian,
Assistant to the Director on Research & Special Projects
University of Pittsburgh
hrc5@pitt.edu

2. Outline
 History of libraries and marketing
 Why is Marketing Important in
Libraries?
 Features of a Marketing Plan
 Example of ULS Marketing Plan
 How ULS has moved forward with
Marketing

3. History of Libraries & Marketing
Library-Centric view
 Users were expected to be
motivated enough to learn the
“rules”
 Libraries had little incentive to
make changes
 Expectation was that users
could be taught to deal with
barriers
 Libraries “know what their
users need”

4. A “Selling Orientation”:
Persuasion
Libraries would share the
virtues of their products
and services – without
asking the user what they
valued
Libraries believed users
could be taught to deal
with barriers – instead of
eliminating them

5. Marketing Challenges for Today’s
Academic Libraries
Coordinating efforts
Consistent planning
Competition
Creativity
Communication

6. How the ULS Marketed Services and
Increased Use…
Be committed to change
Be committed to
listening:
 Not defensively
 Thinking about what
users want, not what you
want them to want and
creating services that
meet their evolving
needs

7. Features of a Marketing Plan
Situation Analysis
Objectives of Plan
Define Target
Audience(s)
Strategies
Tactics
Evaluation

8. ULS Situation Analysis
 Mission of ULS is to “…provide and promote
access to information resources necessary for the
achievement of the University’s leadership
objectives in teaching, learning, research,
creativity and community service, and to
collaborate in the development of effective
information, teaching and learning systems.”

9. S.W.O.T.
Analysis

10. Background: Krakoff Communications
2005
Key Findings
Target audience
(students, faculty, and staff)
are often unaware of
library’s central role
within the University
General confusion
as to the complete
offerings of the ULS
General confusion as
to how to mostefficiently access the
offering of the ULS

11. Objectives
 Increase awareness and usage of resources and
services while promoting and leveraging investments
 Increase support which will help to increase donations
 Enhance professional perception and knowledge
about capabilities and resources, both internally, and
externally
 Establishing a uniform look in all publications and
products for easy recognition

12. Target Audiences: Internal
 ULS Faculty and Staff
 University of Pittsburgh
Decision Makers
 Faculty
 Undergraduate and
Graduate Students

13. Target Audiences: External
 Current and Potential
Donors
 Current and Potential
Users
 Decision Makers
 Groups and
Associations

14. Marketing
Strategy
 Mix of strategies (direct marketing, email, internal
advertising, public relations, etc.)
 Need a standard “look” or logo
 Overall message “what the ULS can do for me”
 Different strategies for different programs and audiences
 Web site will be redesigned to have separate “spaces” for
different clientele
 Tie website information to publicity, postcards, etc.

15. Development of the
ULS Mark
Execution of Mark
 Internal
 ULS faculty and
staff
 Pitt faculty
 Pitt staff
 Students
 External
 Local and
Regional
 National

16. Further Branding at ULS

17. Marketing Tactics
Printed Pieces with unified look
 Postcard mailers
 User testimonials
 Quick resource guide to service/resource
 Folders into which other information can be placed (faculty)





Contain general information about ULS on folder
Cover letter
Postcards, etc. inside
Updates on programs, etc.
List of pertinent collections
Website
 Web site will be redesigned to have separate “spaces” for
different clientele
 Tie web information to publicity, postcards, etc.

18. Promotional
Items
Students and
External
targets
ULS Faculty
and Staff
Mouse pads
Backpacks
Bookmarks
Notebooks
Calendar
Key Tag
Highlighters
 Shirts
 Lapel Pins
 Hats and
Caps
 Mugs
 Pens

19. Digital
Signage
Continuous
Updateable
Information about
ULS Services

20. Display Cases

21. Printed Publications and
Articles
Internal
 Blue, Gold, and
Black
 Pitt Magazine

22. Printed Publications and
Articles
Internal
Pitt Chronicle
Pitt News
University
Times

23. Printed Publications and
Articles
External
 D-Lib Magazine
 New Pittsburgh
Courier
 Pittsburgh Post
Gazette

24. E-Publications
and Articles

25. Evaluation of Plan
Survey users to judge
effectiveness of
communication strategies
Continuing assessment of
marketing to ensure that
ongoing communication is
successful!

26. Conclusion:
Marketing = Communicating
 Gather info on what your
users want
 Publicity is a waste of time
if there is no coordinated
marketing plan
 Create marketing position
 Be sure your enthusiasm
shines – the best
advertisement!

27. Any Questions?

28. 谢谢！
謝謝！