Marketing of library and information services and products in academic libraries

This paper examined marketing of library and information services and products in academic libraries. Narrative content analysis, with extensive literature review was adopted for the study. The paper discussed the importance and need for marketing library and information services and products in academic libraries. The study discussed the concepts of marketing, and academic libraries. Literature was reviewed on information products, information services, reasons for marketing library and information products and services, strategies for marketing library products and services, challenges of marketing library and information products and services in academic libraries. The paper concludes among others that, in order to remain relevant in this digital age, academic libraries and librarians in university libraries should device functional means of letting prospective library users know that, they exist, and that, their products and services function effectively. The paper recommends among others that, the academic libraries and librarians should draw attention to their libraries, products, services, and their worth to their communities, institutions, staff and users; that academic libraries and librarians should market their products and services effectively to attract and encourage users and keep up with competition; academic library’s management should encourage librarians to attend development programs to acquire marketing and collaborative skills. These will make academic libraries and librarians to remain relevant in this technology changing world.