A marketing tool for archival materials held in Makerere University Library

Abstract

The study is titled “A Marketing Tool for Archival Materials Held In Makerere University Library.” The specific objectives of the study were to establish what archival materials are held in Makerere library, to establish how the Makerere Library archives are currently marketed and identify gaps in marketing of archives. In addition study examined the preference regarding marketing of the Makerere University Library archives and thereafter a tool was developed a marketing tool for archival materials held in Makerere Library. From the findings of the study, it can be concluded that there are four different types of archives which include Makerere University archives, Church Missionary archives, Buganda government archives and Uganda Protectorate archives, of which the University archives are used most by the users. It can be concluded that the strategies used to market the archives currently include, exhibitions like the Library day, marketing through the Library webpage (MakLib) and Instant messaging methods like “Ask the Librarian” which is a chat group. Other strategies used include the word of mouth and having Guest talks on the materials that are archived in the Library. It can also be concluded that main challenges or gaps that are facing marketing of archives include insufficient funding, work backlog due to understaffing in the Africana section, insufficient materials for digitization all the archives and inconsistent update about available materials. Lastly, it can be concluded that most of the users prefer having the materials marketed over the Library Intranet while others prefer blogs, and others prefer Social media platforms and the rest suggest having flyers put at the entrance of the library

From the above findings, the research recommends the following;The Library should consider digitization of all the archives that exist since users prefer more of the digital copies as compared to the hard copies, consider using new marketing tools like the blogs which this study has developed since its second of the preferred marketing strategies by the uses and publicizing the Library day so as to have more Library users get to know about the materials that are archived in the Library.