Extent of Applying TQM Principles in E-Marketing of Information Services in University Libraries

Abstract

The present study aims to discover the reality of E-marketing of information services in the surveyed university libraries. It scrutinizes the types of information services provided by such libraries as well as the modern methods and means they use to electronically market the information services and attract the users. The survey method was used in preparing the study, relying on data collection tools, which includes the questionnaire as the main tool. The study covered the entire community of private university libraries (made up of 26 libraries) in the city of Sana'a. Some of the significant findings are as follows: (19) of the surveyed university libraries, representing 73.08%, do not have E-marketing for their available information services. On the other hand, (7) of these libraries, representing 26.92%, are electronically marketing their available information services. The study provided a number of significant recommendations as follows: The university libraries, which were surveyed and found that they do not have marketing, shall have to introduce the E-marketing process within their services and keep abreast of technological developments, owing to their usefulness for meeting the library users’ needs. The surveyed university libraries must also introduce themselves to the community of actual and potential users in a good and distinguished manner so as to encourage them to use their services via various means of communication. This can be achieved by investing Web 2.0 Technologies in introducing and developing their marketing means and methods, which should be made interactive, in order to make it easier for the users to access information at any time.