Marketing a National Library: Practical Experiences from the State Library of South Africa

Abstract

The State Library of South Africa has a Marketing section, with the aims of developing a market orientation among the staff, creating an environment conducive to the selling of the library's products and services, enhancing its visibility, and identifying and meeting market needs. The library supplies products, in the form of bibliographic and other databases, and interlending, reference and book exchange services. Its markets are mostly but not exclusively other libraries. Public libraries were identified as the main target, and a roadshow was designed to establish with them the State Library's role as an information provider, identify market opportunities and build up personal contacts. Libraries in five of the country's nine provinces were targeted through a series of 11 regional meetings. In addition, 15 libraries were visited. Efforts were made to assess the effectiveness of the roadshow, which was presented as informally and entertainingly as possible. The exercise was costly and time-consuming, but the advantages to the library and the staff are considerable. The real impact will not be known for some time.