Marketing of Library & Information Products and Services An Overview

In Today’s information and Technological explosion era , where information is an essential aspect to survive in the present knowledge based society and Technologies are increasing day by day, in this changing environment Libraries are playing an important role to collect, organize and disseminate information in any packaged form with in the society. In recent years, with the advent of new information technologies, demand for information is widely increasing. So the users want different type of information from different ways i.e. print or electronic form which are easily available and save their time. Libraries are providing information product like books, journals, research reports, current content files, compilation of abstract, indexes and need based bibliographies, online database and Information services like Data base search service, CAS,SDI, Inter Library Loan, Document delivery services, web based services etc to the users according to their needs and satisfying them by their services. Promoting the use of services, use of library collections and enhancing the user satisfaction , marketing of product and services is an integral part of Libraries and information centers. With the changing demands of society, libraries have to improve their situation by promoting their product and services with different advertising or marketing techniques for the optimum use of the recourses. It is required to user awareness and gain profit. There is a need to market library resources which possess by the libraries and library professionals should establish a marketing plan for effectively utilization of information product and services in limited budgetary provision which can help to make an image and status of libraries before the society. This paper enumerates the concept, Need and Purpose of Marketing of Library products and services, role of Library professionals, Promotional Practices etc. Key Words : Concept of Marketing, Information products, Library services, Advertizing and Promotional Practices.