Application of marketing mix elements (4Ps) in the Library sector

Libraries and information centers of Sri Lanka, in spite of various financial constraints have been able to build up satisfactory resource collections for the purpose of providing information to their users. Information demands from the educational, vocational, professional, socio-economic, cultural and recreational segments of the market are high while the utilization of the library collections are poor and deteriorating. Information specialists and some librarians commonly view that the under-utilization has emerged as a consequence of poor marketing approaches and lack of know-how in the library. Under-utilization can badly affect the budget and manpower allocation of the library. Librarians should be able to justify their expenditure and the utility of manpower and the services provided by the library. This process depends on the level of user satisfaction of the library. The marketing concept helps the library for this justification. Here the library is required to undertake adequate marketing techniques and tactics capable enough to forecast user needs and their satisfaction. Specially marketing mix elements such as Product, Price, Place and Promotion can be adopted in the Library