Marketing Electronic Resources: Challenges & Opportunities for Libraries
Sophie Hollis, Community Engagement Librarian
NC Live
Devon Waugh, Instruction Librarian
NC Live
Marketing Libraries Journal volume 10, issue 1, pages 110-148.
Abstract: This article presents the findings of a national survey which asked library professionals about their challenges in marketing e-resources to library patrons and strategies they use to overcome these challenges. The study was conducted by two librarians at NC LIVE in North Carolina to better understand the barriers that libraries of different types and sizes face when marketing e-resources. Survey respondents include 299 academic and public library staff from across the U.S., and the results include both quantitative and qualitative data. Respondents cited diverse challenges in getting patrons to use e-resources, including patron access to the internet and devices, patron aversion to technology, lack of staff resources for marketing, and lack of marketing expertise. The discussion section touches on ways that staff training, pre-made marketing materials, and other tools may help address these barriers at both the library and consortial levels. These results are intended to lead to practical recommendations for increasing patron engagement with e-resources.
Keywords: Electronic resources; Library marketing strategies; User engagement; Library consortia; Academic libraries; Public libraries
Citation to article:
Hollis, S., & Waugh, D.(2026).Marketing Electronic Resources: Challenges & Opportunities for Libraries. Marketing Libraries Journal, 10(1), 110-148. https://journal.marketinglibraries.org/spring2026/06_MLJv10i1.pdf