Impact of Facebook as a Marketing Strategy for Enhancing Patronage of Digital Libraries in Tertiary Institutions in Imo State

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of Facebook as a marketing strategy for enhancing patronage of digital libraries in tertiary institutions in Imo State, Nigeria. The study was guided by five research questions focusing on the extent to which tertiary institution libraries use Facebook for marketing digital library resources and services, the influence of Facebook information dissemination on users' awareness, the influence of promotional content and interactive communication on patronage, and the influence of multimedia content on digital library patronage. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population of the study comprised 9,201 final-year students in eight tertiary institutions in Imo State, while a sample of 950 final-year students was drawn from five selected universities using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled Facebook Marketing Strategy on Digital Library Patronage Questionnaire (FMS-DLPQ). The instrument was validated by experts in Library and Information Science, Educational Measurement and Evaluation, and Educational Technology/ICT, while a Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of 0.70 was established. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. The findings revealed that tertiary institution libraries used Facebook for marketing digital library resources and services to a high extent, with a grand mean of 3.04. Facebook information dissemination was found to have a high influence on users' awareness of digital library resources (grand mean = 3.14). Facebook promotional content also had a high perceived influence on digital library patronage (grand mean = 3.01). Interactive communication through Facebook had a high perceived influence on patronage (grand mean = 2.87), while multimedia content recorded the highest influence among the four dimensions of Facebook marketing, with a grand mean of 3.15. The findings indicated that Facebook can serve as an effective channel for increasing awareness, attracting users, facilitating interaction and encouraging utilization of digital library resources. The study concludes that deliberate and user-oriented Facebook marketing can contribute to enhanced patronage of digital libraries in tertiary institutions. It was recommended, among others, that tertiary institution libraries should develop systematic Facebook marketing strategies, provide regular and relevant promotional content, strengthen librarian-user interaction, and make greater use of videos, images and demonstrations to promote digital library resources.