Guidelines for Libraries of Government Departments - IFLA

Section 13
Marketing and Public Relations
13.0 Preface
Government libraries are often very small and government librarians often feel
they do not have enough time for the important task of marketing. It is not
enough for libraries to do a good job if they are unable to communicate the value
and the cost-benefit relationship of their services to the decision-makers. 5
However, especially in times of scarce financial resources, marketing the library
can be of utmost importance. It is important for library governing authorities,
users, and staff to realize that the library is more than just books – it can be and
is a full information service.
13.1 Definition
The task of marketing and public relations is to make the responsible authority
[governing body], the actual and potential users [generally the authority's staff],
the employees of the library and, if necessary, the public, aware of the value and
the significance of the library as well as the benefits of their services, and thus to
give them cause for appropriate action.
Appropriate action means:
• For the responsible authority: provision of sufficient financial means and
other support if necessary
• For the users: full use of all the library resources at their disposal
• For the library staff: active and self-responsible implementation of their
targets
• For the general and specialist public: appropriate esteem and support if
necessary
Advertising and public relations activities are measured against the yardstick of
their impact concerning the targets above; they are not an end in themselves.
The most successful approach to achieving those targets according to a
marketing plan is based on a marketing policy which clearly defines targets and
means.
13.2 Marketing policy and marketing plan
A marketing policy should enable government libraries to communicate the
importance of their services to the governing body management, to the
employees and to any other target audience. Therefore, government librarians
have to become cognizant of the important role of marketing in their jobs and the
5 “It is no good being good, if we don’t make it obvious to everybody that we are good.”
(Boekhorst,
Peter te: Title of the lecture of the same name at the 6 th German Library Conference in Dortmund,
1994).
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