Strategic Marketing of Electronic Resources in Academic Libraries in Kenya

Abstract

Universities in Kenya have subscribed to a range of electronic books and electronic journals through the Kenya Libraries and Information Services Consortium (KLISC). The lack of an effective marketing strategy has been identified as one of the major barriers to their utilization. This paper presents the results of a survey study on the application of a strategic approach in the marketing of electronic resources, or e-resources. The study also sought insights into academic librarians' understanding of marketing principles and the challenges they face in carrying out marketing activities. A questionnaire created using Google Forms was used to gather data. Respondents were recruited by email from institutions that belong to KLISC, and a total of twenty-nine members responded. The responses gathered reveal that although academic librarians are carrying out some marketing activities, the majority of them are not applying a strategic marketing approach.