Affiliations: [a] Department of Information Science and Library Management, Faculty of Arts, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh | [b] Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Md. Abul Kalam Siddike, Department of Information Science and Library Management, Faculty of Arts, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh. E-mail:[email protected]
Abstract: The main objective of this study is to investigate the perceptions of
academic librarians towards the marketing of library services through social
networking sites (SNSs) and their understanding of using electronic
word-of-mouth (eWOM) as a marketing tool in academic libraries. This study
follows a qualitative data-gathering approach of structured interviews with
ten academic librarians in Malaysia. The qualitative data was analyzed
thematically. The academic librarians showed very positive perceptions for
the implications of eWOM. Librarians expressed the view that academic
libraries could use eWOM as a marketing and promotional tool for creating
awareness of library services, promoting library services and building
relationships with user communities through SNSs. Academic librarians
indicated that eWOM could be used as a very fast medium of communication and
for instant responses; it could also be worked as a virus. This study is
limited to the perceptions of only ten academic librarians, thus it cannot
be generalized to all academic librarians in Malaysia. This paper will be
helpful to academic libraries in the marketing of libraries through SNSs.
This study also contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the
marketing of library services in academic libraries.
