Quiz

Module 5: Internet Marketing

Library Marketing on the Web

1. Describe the steps of the marketing process for a web site.

2. Look at just the home page for your library's web site and the home page of one other library of comparable size and in a community with which you are familiar. (Use the Directory of Web Accessible Ohio Public Libraries Directory at http://winslo.state.oh.us/publib/libtable.html)

Do the 2 home pages each show the following information?
-Library name, location and phone
-Library hours
-Link to branch information
-Link to catalog
-Links to services, programs, calendar, and about the library
-Link to site map
-News and events
-Link to "support the library", Friends group, or a way to get involved as a library supporter

The State of Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services Public Library Website Guidelines

3. What are the products (services, events, special collections, instruction, etc.) that the libraries are promoting on the home pages?

4. Based on your knowledge of the 2 communities, would you say that the products being promoted on the home page reflect the products most desired by community members? Why or why not? What would you add or delete?

5. What are three methods to obtain feedback about a library web site? Is feedback solicited on the home pages of the 2 libraries?

6. Rate the 2 library web sites for the following: 

• Quality - users will compare the quality of the library's web site to commercial sites.

• Performance - the web site needs to meet industry standards for performance, the amount of time pages take to load, for example.

• Durability - users want to be able to count on a site that always has what they need and doesn't change frequently.

• Reliability - the site should be free from technical problems and work the way users expect it to work.

• Image - the site should project the image that market research has shown users will be comfortable with and will be attracted to, and the site should promote the correct image of the library.

• Trends - web sites are dynamic and quickly outdated, technology changes and user expectations also change.

• Accessibility - the site should be easy enough for beginners, accessible by those with special needs, and possibly available in other languages if needed in your community.

• Availability - the site needs enough bandwidth to support usage demands.

7. What is the stated mission of your library? How does the web site contribute to that mission?

8. Select one of the following technologies and describe how it is being used, or could be used, to meet your users' needs and contribute to the mission of your library: blogs, RSS, wikis, multimedia downloads, Flickr, Podcasting, use of You-Tube, library sponsored social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook), chat or IM, eBooks, virtual reference.