 Delsu Journal of Educational Research and Development, Vol. 18, No. 1, October, 2021 ISSN: 978-39877-6-7 TECHNIQUES FOR MARKETING DIGITAL REFERENCE SERVICES TO LIBRARY CLIENTELE IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES ARUMURIU, Lawrence Lecturer, Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Education, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. Phone number: +2348073 119130 email: arus.lawrence @ gmail.com or Larumuru @delsu.edu.ng Abstract This study set out to investigate the techniques for the marketing of digital reference services to library clientele in university libraries. In an attempt to properly guide the study, the researcher raised five objectives to address fundamental issues that have to do with the digital reference services in university libraries, techniques for rendering digital reference services in university libraries, techniques for marketing digital reference services, challenges librarians encountered in rendering digital reference service, reasons for marketing digital reference services and marketing as a technique for reaching out to library clientele. An extensive review of related literature was carried out by the researcher. It was therefore found out that the categories of digital reference services that are rendered in university libraries are asynchronous, and the synchronous form of digital reference services. Techniques for transcription digital form of reference services include e-mail, Ask A Service, simple chat reference, instant messaging, chatterbots, etc. With the aim of marketing digital form of reference services, the use of e- communication is more viable and with the maintenance of the physical channel of marketing such as the utilisation of posters, handbills, signposts, orientation programmes, library tours, exhibition/display. The challenges inhibiting the effective delivery of a digital form of reference services include the issue of protection of intellectual property rights, security of information, etc. It was therefore suggested that digital forms of reference services have come to stay in the library system, hence, librarians should embrace it alongside the traditional library system and should equally devise strategies for reaching out to library users and non-library users. Keywords: Techniques, marketing, digital reference services, library clientele, university libraries. Copyright @ 2021 Djerd. All Rights Reserved (www.delsujerd.com) 10