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LIBR 579D: Marketing - Course Syllabus

 

Program: Master of Library and Information Studies
Year: Winter Session 2005-2006, Term 2
Course Schedule: Friday, March 10 [ 5 pm – 9 pm ] and Saturday, March 11, 2005 [ 9 am – 5 pm ]
Location: FNS 40
Instructor: Susan Henderson, Manager of Marketing and Communications, Greater Victoria Public Library
Office Location : TEF 321
E-mail Address: shenders@gvpl.ca

Course Goal: Marketing is an essential activity for every library. The goal of this course is to provide an understanding of key marketing tools, skills, and concepts that initiate innovative library service.

Course Objectives: To learn from “best practice” a variety of marketing and public relations skills that will be of practical use in a professional environment. Upon completion of the course students will be able to:

  • Understand the concept of marketing.
  • Differentiate between marketing, publicity, advertising, public relations, and promotion.
  • Recognize the ways that marketing is client-focused management.
  • Understand the psychology of consumer behaviour and the way people perceive and use libraries.
  • Utilize research, particularly surveys and focus groups, to identify community preferences and needs.
  • Recognize the value of seeking partnerships that enhance the library’s visibility in the community.
  • Develop basic skills in writing effective material for the media.
  • Create a marketing plan for a library service of your choice.

Course Topics:

  • Introduction to consumer behaviour as it relates to information, education and entertainment wants and needs.
  • How to develop a customer-centered model of service delivery.
  • Introduction to basic market research.
  • Introduction to research techniques, particularly surveys and focus groups, that identify community preferences and needs.
  • The components of a basic marketing plan.
  • Examination of previous marketing campaigns both related and unrelated to library and information services.
  • Developing library partnerships: goals, audience, activities, costs, and measurements for success.
  • Writing effective material for the media: press releases and public service announcement.
  • Web site design with marketing in mind.

Prerequisites: LIBR 500, 510, 540, 560. Recommended pre- or co-requisite: LIBR 570

Format of the course: Information will be presented through lectures and case studies.

Required and Recommended Reading :

Recommended:

  • Creating the Customer-Driven Library. Jeannette Woodward. ALA : Chicago , Illinois : 2005.
  • Library Marketing That Works. Suzanne Walters. Neal-Schuman: New York , NY : 2004.
  • The Visible Librarian: Asserting Your Value With Marketing and Advocacy. Judith A. Siess. ALA : Chicago , Illinois : 2003.

Course Assignments, Due dates and Weight in relation to final course mark:

Marketing Plan

April 3

45%

Press Release

April 3

15%

PSA

April 3

5%

Bibliography

April 3

10%

Media Awareness

April 3

10%

Participation

April 3

15%

Attendance: The calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes.”

Evaluation: Assignments will not be accepted late and are to be submitted electronically to shenders@gvpl.ca. All assignments will be marked using the criteria available on the SLAIS web site: http://www.slais.ubc.ca/RESOURCES/slais-marking.htm

Course Discussion List: Each of you must sign-up for the class Internet discussion list. From whatever e-mail account you wish to use, send the following [leave the Subject line blank]:

address-- To: majordomo@interchange.ubc.ca
message-- subscribe l-579d
end

This is the mechanism that I will use to make announcements to you outside class. It is also the mechanism through which you will gain your marks for participation. You are also welcome to post comments/questions to the list if relevant to other students. For particular problems or questions you should e-mail me directly at shenders@gvpl.ca or call me (250) 413-0370 (work) (250) 598-0530 (home).

Written & Spoken English Requirement: Written and spoken work may receive a lower mark if it is, in the opinion of the instructor, deficient in the competent use of English.