The research question on this theme sought to assess what factors adversely affect the effective marketing of information resources and services to users in the medical libraries in the North- Western geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The 4Ps, 7Ps, 4Cs marketing mix theory and SERVQUAL model informed the research question. The question was asked of students and the heads of medical libraries to know the challenges medical libraries were facing regarding marketing of information resources and services. Knowing what these problems or challenges could assist in making the appropriate recommendations that will address the existing challenges. The participants in the study were asked what problems they experienced with the marketing of the library information resources and services. The responses to this question were derived from both heads of medical libraries and the medical students in the four medical libraries.
Among the factors assessed here are the levels of information resources in the libraries, their perceived currency, the tools available for their marketing and the general provisions in the libraries that could improve marketing of information resources and services, among others.
Respondents could choose as many relevant optional answers as they could. Their opinions on these factors as they affect the libraries are listed in Table 5.8 below:
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Table 5. 8: factors adversely affecting the effective marketing of information resources and services in the libraries (n=277).
SN Factors that are adversely affecting the effective marketing in the libraries
Yes No
Freq. % Freq. %
1 Lack of information resources 262 95 15 5
2 Lack of adequate facilities for marketing information resources and services
157 57 120 43
3 Unstable network 128 46 149 54
4 The absence of alternative power supply 121 44 156 56
5 Negative attitudes of librarians 169 61 108 39
6 Lack of current information resources 191 69 86 31
7 Lack of adequate computers and related facilities 182 66 95 34 8 Lack of awareness of information resources and
services
116 42 161 58
9 Library is understaffed 128 46 149 54
10 Others (unspecified) 215 78 62 22
The adverse factor most militating against the effective marketing of information resources and services in the medical libraries is the inadequacy of information resources. This factor was rated by 262(95%) of the students. This was supported by all the participants interviewed, who indicated that library books are expensive and these days purchasing some of these resources requires a large sum of money. In particular, medical books and online journals have been far more expensive than non-medical books in other subject areas. Online journals were also expensive to subscribe to. Participant A said that, among other things, the lack of information resources is attributable to:
The expensive nature of material these days is exorbitant. Books on medicine are very expensive. Even journals online are expensive. You find that when you go online most of these books or journals you find in an open access are certainly not the best or may not be what the users need. For those not in an open access, their cost is just too high.
These things are acquired subject to the availability of the financial
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resources. You always see that when they say the minister of education is to go and defend his budget in the Senate or the house of representative, what happens at the end of the day is that the proposed budget may be slashed by 1/4 or 1/3; such that the proposed expenditure has to be curtailed. In fact, where the university cannot subscribe, all we do is to identify those and inform our clients with advises on the possibility of getting them. …[This indicates that inadequacy of resources and services is attributed to financial constraints due to budget cut during the budget defense and absence of support from the National Assembly members, are some of the major challenges that hindered the marketing of information resources and services in medical libraries].
Other factors acknowledged as adversely affecting the marketing of information resources and services available in the libraries were lack of current information resources acknowledged by 191(69%) respondents and lack of some essential equipment like computers and their peripherals(182 or 66%). However, lack of awareness of information resources and services was the least among the factors that adversely affect marketing of information resources and services in the medical libraries, as indicated by 116(42%) respondents (refer to Table 5:8. for details).
According to Participant A the library has a lot of problems with regards to marketing of information resources and services. The participant noted the following:
The challenges are so enormous but the majors are; - the stability of the power supply, the ICT equipment themselves, maintenance of these equipment and then computer literacy on the part of the users. I was telling you some few minutes ago that there are some of the senior staff that are not even computer literate these are the major challenges. Some of these students come from the secondary school that is not well equipped regarding ICT facilities…[This established that stable power supply, ICT equipment and maintenance and level of computer literacy are some of the challenges of marketing in the medical libraries].
This was also confirmed by the researcher's observation. He discovered that the library had only eight computers in one of the medical libraries visited, which is insufficient given the number of
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medical students enrolled there. These computers had also no connection. The researcher also observed that the libraries involved in the study were found to have very few printers and photocopiers, for example one (1) photocopier and one (1) printer in one of the libraries, one (1) printer only in another library, two (2) printers and two (2) photocopiers in the other library and, finally, one (1) printer and one (1) photocopier, respectively. The numbers of printers and photocopiers are inadequate, considering the demands and the number of users in each library.
Another participant further explained that the library might sometimes have enough computers for users, but the computers might not be in good working order. The Participant C noted:
“When they come to the library, the library might have for example 30 or 40 computers, however, with time you discover that only 8 or little more that will function properly. These are some of the challenges”. This means that maintenance of ICT equipment’s is a challenge for marketing in medical libraries.
Another finding was the problems of the negative attitude exhibited by some of the library personnel towards library users, their attitudes to work and the way some heads of department or deans responded to issues concerning the information needs of their faculties and departments.
Participant B expresses her dismay:
You cannot guarantee effective implementation of your strategy because on your part you try your best, but on another person’s part, you encounter some issues on his or her attitudes towards the job. The responses that we used to get from the heads of departments and the Deans of the faculties, they do not like to respond to our request.
In such a way that when you ask them to submit a comprehensive list of information resources they need. They do not like to respond most of the time, as you have to follow them before they respond. [This indicates that negative attitudes of some library staff and lack of cooperation from deans of faculties and heads of departments are some of the challenges of marketing in medical libraries].
Other challenges raised by Participants D on the marketing challenges is that library staff do not have enough time to market library activities because they are overburdened with so many activities as well as network setbacks. Participant D noted that:
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Some of the challenges we encounter most especially, is the time constraint because we are faced with a lot of tasks and some of the task are enormous. They need a lot of energy time and whatever.
Sometimes we also experience network down time [and] once there is network down time you discover that any user that may be online that time they will not be able to access some of the resources and services.[This shows that lack of time and network problems hindered the marketing of information resources and services in medical libraries].
5.9. What measures can be employed to facilitate the effective marketing of information