What Do Librarians Think about Marketing? A Survey of Public Librarians’ Attitudes toward the Marketing of Library Services

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify attitudes of public librarians toward the marketing of library services and relate these attitudes to selected independent variables. A questionnaire was mailed to individual members of the New Jersey Library Association. Although most of the respondents had generally positive attitudes toward library marketing, there were some statistically significant differences between subgroups. For example, more positive attitudes toward marketing were expressed by library administrators, librarians who had taken a course or workshop in marketing, and those who perceived marketing to be a high priority in their libraries. Implications for library practice and library education are briefly discussed.