Ventures in Social Media

Academic libraries are actively involved in social media platforms as part of their campus communities. They have moved past the debate of whether to participate in social media and are focusing on strategies to develop engaging content and assessment of their efforts. Social media use in the campus classroom continues to grow with more faculty using social media in academic context. Given the widespread adoption of social media on the University of San Diego campus Copley Library formed a Social Media Committee (SMC) to manage the library’s social media presence with a mission to promoting the library’s services and events. After establishing Facebook and Twitter accounts the committee looked to expand their presence on other platforms. To determine which social media platforms undergraduates were using, the committee designed and administered a survey in the fall of 2013. The survey confirmed that USD undergraduates were still using Facebook and showed 56% now use multiple social media sites: Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram. The SMC diversified onto Instagram and Pinterest platforms to interact with students on visual platforms.Ye

Blogs and Social Networks in Libraries: Complementary or Antagonistic Tools?

Blogs are among the first Web 2.0 tools that libraries have used to communicate with their users. In recent years, however, they seem to have lost their role in favour of other tools such as social networks, especially Facebook. This article analyses the downward trend that library blogs (especially academic library blogs) are experiencing in relation to the explosion of social networks. The relationship between blogs and social networks as library\u27s communication tools is also analysed

Public Relations 2.0 na przykładzie analizy profili bibliotek uniwersyteckich na portalu społecznościowym Facebook

The communications revolution implemented by social media has also influenced on public relations in libraries. Academic libraries, identified mainly with information and scientific activity, considered some new communications requirements of a user and the intercourses with environment via Facebook social network. How did the choice of communications tools 2.0 influence the relations with environment and the image of discussed libraries? In order to obtain an answer, the author of the article analysed tools and contents used by university libraries profiles on Facebook. The analysis was supplemented with the description of the interview’s results, conducted with administrators of university libraries’ profiles on Facebook

Current Prospects and Practices of social media to market library sources and services: a case of selected university libraries of Pakistan

Purpose: the prime purpose of this research study is to investigate the application of social media in the marketing of library sources and Services in the university libraries of Pakistan. Research Design/Methodology/approach: Data were gathered using a survey method and a quantitative research methodology. The Pakistani university librarians were the source of the data, which was gathered both offline and online. With the aid of SPSS and other analysis software, 100 valid responses in all have been examined. Findings: the Research findings revealed that university librarians of Pakistan are well aware of the very application of social media in the marketing of library sources and services. The result shows that majority of the university libraries are using social media for the marketing of library sources and services. However, the librarians have identified that Facebook is a more suitable tool for the marketing of library sources and services. The research result has confirmed that university librarians are well aware of the needed skills and knowledge how to implement social networking sites to market the library sources and services. The results also described that university librarians use some of the tools/methods to analyze the marketing feasibility at the country level Practical Implications: This research helps library and information workers at the international and national levels understand how social networks might be used to provide library resources. Limitation: the present Research is purely consisted to the university librarian four provinces and twin cities of Pakistan. Originality/value: This research demonstrates the value of social networking sites platforms for the marketing of library resources and services and makes a contribution to the fields of library and information science and information management. Flexible marketing platform should be created by the university libraries using social networks sites in order to promote their resources and services. The higher authority should support this effort

Connecting Best Practices in Public Relations to Social Media Strategies for Academic Libraries

Academic libraries worldwide use social media to inform and connect with users. VCU Libraries is no different and must keep up with rapidly evolving platforms and user expectations. When our presence stretched across 22 channels, we needed to ensure social media efforts were managed in the most effective and efficient manner possible. To develop a research-based, unified vision for communication for new media, we scanned the literature in the library and public relations fields and then surveyed librarians to address identified gaps. Based on results, we offer recommendations focused on best management practices and strong content strategies

Using Social Media for Marketing Public Libraries' Collection and Services in Pakistan: Current Practices, Challenges and Future Prospects

Social media has emerged as a popular marketing tool. The present study explored the current practices of social media marketing in public libraries. It also identified the barriers which hampered the usage of social media for promoting library collection and services.  We employed a qualitative approach and conducted 10 interviews with librarians from public libraries of Lahore. The findings showed that public libraries' use of social media for marketing purposes is at its infancy stage. The interviewees reported a number of personal, administrative and infrastructural hurdles which hampered the effective use of social media for promoting public library collection and services. A number of strategies are also discussed for an enhanced and effective social media use in public libraries. This study is one of the first attempts to understand the phenomenon of social media for marketing in public libraries.   &nbsp

Analysis of Library Professional’s Opinion in Implementing the Social Network Media in Academic Library

The present compact research study aims to find the opinion of Library Professional by approaching a well structured, informative questionnaire which was distributed and gathered with the help of electronic channel of e-mail, WhatsApp and Facebook for refreshing goods and services of academic library on SNM with ICT for getting maximum satisfaction from academic users. The various observations have been evaluated as in the form of result that most of librarian suggested that the SNM is an essential tool for updating the educational resources such as employment news, previous question paper and educational e-resources for the purpose of remote scholars of academic library user and making strong relationships in their user community. The internet speed and configuration of computer were not upgraded in the academic institutions except industrial organization

Building Strong Academic Libraries and Library Professionals in Uganda Through the University of Pretoria Carnegie CPD Programme

Academic libraries are encountering numerous changes due to the emerging information communication technologies trends and the ever-changing information-seeking behaviour of their users. For the librarians to effectively implement these trends and remain competitive, they need to be regularly engaged in continuing professional development (CPD) activities. The study aimed to find out the factors that influenced the motivation to participate in the University of Pretoria (UP) Carnegie CPD programme and the potential impact on service delivery of the selected academic libraries in Uganda as represented in the programme. The study applied a qualitative research design with an interpretive research approach. Exponential non-discriminative snowball sampling was used to recruit participants. The sample size of the study included eight Academic Librarians who attended the UP Carnegie CPD programme between 2014 and 2018. Data was collected using face to face semi-structured interviews and electronically using ZOOM (online platform). The findings of this study show that most UP Carnegie CPD participants mainly attended the programme due to its rich content; the hands-on subject coverage and new ICT trends, and the need to build their professional networks. The study also revealed the following challenges that were encountered by the participants during the implementations of the various initiatives drawn from the CPD knowledge and skills: difficulty in managing social media platform, lack of IR back-end support, limited data analysis skills required in providing research support, library users’ lack of interest in IL training, limited collaboration between Faculty and Librarians, and technophobia from some library staff who frustrate implementation efforts. The study provides recommendations on how to address these challenge

Building Strong Academic Libraries and Library Professionals in Uganda Through the University of Pretoria Carnegie CPD Programme

Academic libraries are encountering numerous changes due to the emerging Information Communication Technological trends and the ever-changing information-seeking behaviour of their users. For the librarians to effectively implement these trends and remain competitive, they need to be regularly equipped with knowledge and skills through Continuing Professional Development. The study aimed to find out the factors that influenced the motivation to participate in the University of Pretoria (UP) Carnegie Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme and the potential impact on service delivery of the selected academic libraries in Uganda as represented in the programme. The study applied a qualitative research design with an interpretive research approach. Exponential non-discriminative snowball sampling was used to recruit participants. The sample size of the study included eight Academic Librarians who attended the UP Carnegie CPD programme between 2014 and 2018. These were from Makerere University, Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) and Muni University. Data was collected using face to face semi-structured interviews and electronically using ZOOM (online platform). The findings of this study show that most UP Carnegie CPD participants mainly attended the programme due to its rich content; they were intrigued by the hands-on subject coverage and new ICT trends, and the need to build their professional networks. The findings further revealed that the participants’ expectations were fulfilled by the various practical sessions held. This explains the reasons for the high applicability of the knowledge and skills acquired by the participants when they went back to their institutions. Finally, the study revealed the following challenges that were encountered by the participants during the implementations of the various initiatives drawn from the CPD knowledge and skills: difficulty in managing social media platform, lack of IR back-end support, limited data analysis skills required in providing research support, library users’ lack of interest in IL training, limited collaboration between Faculty and Librarians, and technophobia from some library staff who frustrate implementation efforts. The study provides recommendations on how to address these challenge