Tirong Arap Tanui
Abstract Marketing library and information services (LIS), which include university, public, college, school, special and government libraries in Kenya is at initial stage of development and is more prevalent in those organisations which are efficiently and professionally managed. The qualitative research done revealed that all LIS bears similar marketing activities, awareness creation, ways of informing and communicating with users, dealing with marketing strategies and handling marketing limitations.
Adaptation and use of marketing for LIS in Kenya is therefore dependent on extent and level of development of individual LIS; level of professional education and training of staff, especially those is leadership position;
competition among LIS; and changing and increasing user demands.
INTRODUCTION
LIS in Kenya are at initial stage of implementing and developing marketing as an effective strategy for quality information service provision and delivery.
A qualitative research was conducted in three public and two private universities, at least one of each public, college and school and three special libraries on extent of use of marketing in service provision. The research established that marketing is more prevalent in university and special libraries than in the public, college and school libraries. Library managers in general perceive marketing as creating awareness in users on LIS information materials stocked and not the services being provided. Although marketing is perceived as an important strategy for effective service provision and delivery, the LIS have not initiated any formal practical activities to implement the notional ideas held about marketing.
The literature reviewed highlights the development of marketing concept and its implication to LIS service provision in general and with specific reference to Kenya. The general literature on marketing practices in LIS in developing countries, Kenya included, are reviewed. The best practices identified are relationship marketing, internal marketing, interactive marketing, technological marketing, emotional marketing and experiential marketing, so as to give a comparative view of existing new marketing paradigms in the developed world and Kenya.
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Different LIS in Kenya have more commonalties than differences, with regard to marketing awareness, communication, strategies and limitations. Most LIS staff in Kenya understands marketing as synonymous with advertising. However, special libraries go beyond advertising and implement in limited capacity other aspects of marketing such as promotion, distribution and public relations. Generally, staff appreciates the importance and role of marketing LIS in Kenya but the identified marketing limitations have yet to be overcome so as to permit full implementation of marketing. However, marketing LIS in Kenya is rapidly developing owing to LIS managers’ appreciation of the role of marketing in information service provision and delivery.
Qualitative research methodology was used to conduct the research and grounded theory procedure was used to collect and analyse the data[1-3].
Triangulation data methods of interview, observation and document analysis were employed for data collection. A structured interview schedule was used to collect the qualitative interview data. Field notes were taken on observation of ongoing activities at the time of library visits. Purposive sampling was used to sample study population of libraries selected, users and staff interviewed.
DEVELOPMENT OF LIS IN KENYA
There are different types of LIS in Kenya ranging from university, public, college, school, special and government. They all are at different stages of development - some are still operating within traditional LIS set up in terms of types of information resources stocked such as print materials and manual routine operations, others including university and special LIS are as good as any other in developed countries, being fully computerised and have integrated multimedia resources. With an exception of the few university and special libraries, which are modernised, the rest remain traditional.
Access to financial resources and viable policies are the two key dimensions, which dictate and determine LIS development agenda. Most public funded LIS operate with limited funding and face lengthy bureaucratic procedures without adequate capacity to establish, develop and sustain quality information systems and services. Most special libraries comparatively have sustainable annual budget for use. However, owing to rapid user awareness, change of government policy and professional advocacy on the importance and role of information for national development, most sponsors of LIS in Kenya have now accepted a gradual paradigm shift towards maintenance and sustainability of effective and efficient information services.
The level of LIS management in the parent organisation determines the capacity on whether or not to adopt modern management trends such as use of marketing. The higher the level of management in terms of availability of professional and technical skills among the staff especially the leadership, the higher the chances of adoption of marketing concept and strategy. In this respect some university
and special libraries are among those that have expert professional staff with capacity to implement aspects of marketing. A LIS, which has adopted marketing fully, is rare to find in Kenya. Given the rapid utilisation of ICT in all sectors of social and economic development in Kenya, LIS are, however, among the leading service organisations to try and change their approach and adopt viable modern systems of information management including marketing.
LITERATURE REVIEW
More recently, theoretical studies on marketing libraries in Africa emerged in the professional literature, which present local experiences and justifications for the need to use marketing in managing libraries[4-7], also emphasise identification and meeting the users’ information needs rather than the library’s needs in the process of marketing library services. More recently, Martey[8] discusses the marketing principles that are amenable for managing an academic library, citing the Ghanaian experience stating the reasons why there is need for Ghanaian libraries to embrace marketing.
The literature reviewed reveals that libraries in developing countries do not develop their own library marketing views or concepts. They share what is published in the marketing literature of the developed world. There is little comparison on the extent to which marketing has been practised in Kenya[9] with those of the developed countries. For example, because of the different social, economic and political environmental factors that influence library management, it suffices to say that both extremes of extent of marketing in libraries exist in all countries.
MARKETING LIS IN KENYA Marketing Definitions
Marketing definitions vary in all the LIS whereby it is perceived, defined and expressed differently. There is therefore no common definition and standard way of perceiving marketing. Most definitions given, define marketing in the light of one of its aspects, especially advertising, which is taken to be marketing per se.
However, all LIS bear almost similar marketing activities, awareness creation, ways of informing and communicating with users, marketing strategies and marketing limitations.
Research and Evaluation
In the academic arena, several qualitative research theses and dissertations on marketing LIS have been published. These include investigating customer satisfaction among part-time students of Heriot-Watt University [10]; studying the marketing of public libraries for a profit[11]; a comparative study of marketing management of British and German university libraries [12].
106 Core Marketing Categories of LIS in Kenya UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL LIBRARIES
GOVERNMENT LIBRARIES
COLLEGE LIBRARIES
Through brochures, leaflets, handbooks and pamphlets Advertising, sales promotion, personal selling and product publicity
Signage, noticeboards, feedback, procedures
& rules and regulations
No formal marketing strategies
Users want reference, archive &
technical services to be marketed Users want value added services
Inadequate collection management policy Staff
incompetence
Inadequate infrastructure
Lack of financial Users not aware of all
services
Users seek help from library staff only when in difficulty
Library staff unhelpful
Awareness done through memos, and leaflets
Advertising Staff shortage
Being bogged down with routine work Printed notices
and brochures
Electronic mail
Displays of new materials Spoken word
Group talks to visitors and potential users
Brochures
Spoken word
“Captive” users
Lack of local area network Lack of competitiveness Circulars on
notice boards Accessions list
Spoken word
Providing a good service
Orientation Lack of trained
staff
Lack of adequate funds
Memos
Spoken word
Orientation for new users Service Marketing
Awareness Marketing
Strategies Marketing
Communication Marketing
Limitations
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
SCHOOL LIBRARIES
These studies in general aim at discovering relevant management techniques for providing efficient library services, in addition to identifying other significant areas for further research in the use of marketing for managing libraries.
The cited literature points to emergence of several scenarios regarding the extent of use of marketing in LIS. Firstly, that library managers are convinced and see the need to use marketing in libraries, and gradually developing relevant marketing concepts for today’s and future libraries. Secondly, there is relevance also in the use of marketing for LIS in Kenya regardless of stage of development of the LIS. And thirdly, there is a growing number of empirical qualitative researches being done on use of marketing in LIS, which is an indication of increasing interest in the topic relevance among the library and information science professionals and scholars.
So far, there are few academic researches done on extent of marketing LIS in Kenya. Apart from the ongoing academic study by the author[13] on use of marketing for management of university libraries in Kenya and that of Tuitoek [14], there are no other known advanced researches being done specifically on marketing LIS in Kenya. However, there have been several individual journal articles, which have been written on the topic including those by Tanui [15] and Kavulya [16].
Marketing is yet to emerge as a priority academic and research phenomena among LIS professionals in Kenya.
Service Marketing
Awareness Marketing
Strategies Marketing
Communication Marketing
Limitations National Book Week
event
Exhibitions Children
Reading Tent event Media
Website Brochures
Lack of adequate space
Memos
Letters
Spoken word Email Signage
Brochures
Questionnaires for customer service feedback
Display of new books Users ignorance of
the importance of library
Lack of adequate funds
Lack of adequate space
Notices
Spoken word
Stocking relevant books
108 Best Practices
The best practises identified are relationship marketing [17-18], internal marketing [19], interactive marketing [20], technologicalship marketing [21-23], emotional marketing [24-25] and experiential marketing [26-27]. Although LIS managers in Kenya perform these best practices to some limited extent, they hardly recognise and identify them as such. It is only a professional marketer who can identify these activities in their normal context. Again, it is the university and special libraries that tend to implement these best practices in marketing.
CONCLUSION
Marketing LIS in Kenya is at its initial stage of development as compared to those of developed countries. LIS directors including university librarians and heads of public, government, special, college and school libraries are responsible for initiating marketing LIS in their individual organisations. Those LIS, which have implemented at least an aspect of marketing, are those managed by professionals with stronger belief in marketing as a viable service provision and delivery strategy.
LIS managers do not perceive marketing in the broader sense as including advertising, promotion, public relations, selling and distribution but think of it as advertising. Marketing as a philosophy and concept therefore is yet to be understood properly. The term ‘marketing’ has therefore been used loosely in this research paper as perceived by interview respondents, and not in its strictest sense of the word. Marketing awareness, communication, strategy and limitations were identified as core marketing categories especially in university libraries. Other types of popular methods used to market LIS are displays, exhibitions, advertising, direct marketing, publications, talks, open days and social parties.
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