Marketing and health libraries

AIM: To present an overview of the concepts of marketing and to examine ways in which they can be applied to health libraries. METHODS: A review was carried out of literature relating to health libraries using LISA, CINAHL, BNI and Google. RESULTS: Marketing is seen as a strategic management activity aimed at developing customer relationships. Concepts such as the 'four Ps' (product, price, place and promotion), marketing plans, the marketing mix, segmentation, promotion and evaluation are identified and discussed in relation to health libraries. CONCLUSION: In increasingly complex health service and information environments, the marketing and promotion of library services is becoming more important if those services are to justify the resources given to them. Marketing techniques are equally applicable to physical and digital library services.