THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE IMPROVEMENT OF MARKETING ACTIVITY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF CENTRAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY IN BUCHAREST

After a prolonged and complex process of reconstruction, extension and modernization, Central University Library "Carol I" in Bucharest has re-opened to public access in November 2001, bringing a new concept on what library services should mean. Under these auspicious circumstances, the library's offer has widened, the quality of services offered has improved, gradually displaying an interest in developing a closer relationship with its customers. The necessity of being more oriented to the marketing tools and techniques has become more apparent. Therefore, the top managers of the Central University Library have included in their three general development strategies produced so far, specific objectives, such as: an increase of the volume of paid serviced provided, promoting the services and work elaborated by its specialists through leaflets, presentations, albums, folders with press extracts. Beyond these actions with positive effects, the efforts of Central University Library for strengthening its position on the market of the providers of information services are diminished by the various malfunctions that characterize the marketing activity of this institution. Therefore, this work intends to contribute to the improvement of the marketing activity of the library by coming up with some solutions that could remove or at least diminish these weak points.