Renewing the marketing strategy: from meeting user needs to values creation

Today the library has to orient not only to users’ needs, but also to the problems of all society. So we are learning to think about our users not only regarding their information needs, but also considering their attitudes, emotions, and most importantly – their values.Our practice shows that the modern customer actively addresses to the human values. This was proved by successful implementation of our two new projects – „Talking Textbooks“ (recording of audiobooks for blind students) and „The Library without Walls“ (servicing students with special needs at their home). For these projects we have actively used fundraising (EU Structural Funds, the Archimedes Foundation), stackeholders’ support (partnership with Office of Academic Affairs of Tartu University and help of the volunteers. It appeares that investors, stakeholders and volunteers are highly motivated by the social values the projects offer. Therefore, the projects that show their special value for society will draw more attention of public and sponsors. The library services are not only our product in the marketing-mix and not only what and where we do, but also why we do it. In other words, it is time to widen the library marketing approach, and on the agenda for libraries today is a relationship and values based marketing.