Reference Services, University of Colombo, Colombo, 03, Sri Lanka, E-mail: chaminda_chiran@yahoo.com, Tele: 00-94-1-586432/414183, Fax: 00-94-1-583403. Corently: 40, Sharrow Street, Shefield, S11 8BY, UK.
Libraries chronically face financial difficulties. While librarians of may think that they have already tried everything possible, more than ever they must be innovative in developing additional funding source. In addition, librarians in the present context have understood the importance of their customers and customers needs, and how to help them by providing quality service. This paper argues, that most special libraries in Sri Lanka have failed to exploit marketing techniques within the frame work of customer relations and providing quality service. In order to fulfil financial requirements, the paper presentes a well-established concept commonly used by high potential profit - making organizations in the business world. That is, Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) system a process which effectively combines marketing, customer service, and quality with the reiw to retaining customers.
