Use of Social Media by the Library

The White Paper Survey Findings

http://bit.ly/LibrarySM

Shafina SegonHead of Marketing, South AsiaJournals & Online Resources

1

Why look at social media in the library?

• To benchmark how social media tools are currently being used in the library in a constantly evolving digital and social climate

• To prepare for the future role social media will play in a library and scholarly communication environment

• To inspire new approaches and share ideas on Social Media by creating and facilitating dialogue between our library partners

2

Methodology

• Focus groups in the UK, USA & India

• 10 telephone interviews

• Twitter party• Online survey• Desk research

https://storify.com/LibraryLantern/use-of-social-media-in-the-library/

3

Who responded to our survey?

4

By countryCountry

Respondents

Percentages

CountryRespondent

sPercentag

esUnited States 182 56.0% Chile 1 0.3%

United Kingdom

50 15.4% Finland 1 0.3%

India 12 3.7% Germany 1 0.3%Australia 7 2.2% Ghana 1 0.3%Ireland 6 1.8% Hong Kong 1 0.3%

South Africa 5 1.5% Indonesia 1 0.3%Spain 4 1.2% Israel 1 0.3%Brazil 3 0.9% Jamaica 1 0.3%

Canada 3 0.9% Japan 1 0.3%Malaysia 3 0.9% Lebanon 1 0.3%

New Zealand 3 0.9% Lithuania 1 0.3%Philippines 3 0.9% Moldova 1 0.3%Switzerland 3 0.9% Nigeria 1 0.3%

Czech Republic 2 0.6% Norway 1 0.3%France 2 0.6% Poland 1 0.3%Greece 2 0.6% Puerto Rico 1 0.3%

Hungary 2 0.6% Singapore 1 0.3%Italy 2 0.6%   Slovenia 1 0.3%

Netherlands 2 0.6%   Sri Lanka 1 0.3%

Pakistan 2 0.6%   Sweden 1 0.3%

Portugal 2 0.6%   Turkey 1 0.3%

Argentina 1 0.3%   Vietnam 1 0.3%

Bahamas 1 0.3%   Zimbabwe 1 0.3%

5

By institution type

Type of institution Respondents Percentage

Academic 262 78%

Public 21 6%

Medical 18 5%

Government 17 5%

Special Library 13 4%

Corporate 5 1%

6

By job role

Library administration

Training and Education roles

Collections, acquisitions, e-resources and subscription management roles

Communication roles

Digital information and services roles

Technical support

25%

24%22%

10%

9%9%

7

By audience size

How are libraries currently using social media?

9

Social Media in the Librarythe current reality

The importance of social media

Numberof socialmedia accounts

How often librarians post on social media

Managing social media accounts

Channels currently used

Librarians’objectives when usingsocial media

1010

Top 5 uses for social media in the library

• Events promotion 76%

• Library Services Promotion 72%

• Resources/collections promotion 70%

• Library refurbishment updates 63%

• Promotion of new acquisitions 61%

1111

5 least popular uses for social media in the library

• Highlighting subject specific information 38%

• Connecting with potential students 34%• As a teaching tool to promote information

literacy etc 22%• To promote courses 25%• As a research tool to locate official

documents 21% 12

The importance of social mediaRate how important the use of social media is in your library…

How long have you had asocial media accountin your library?

72%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90 10

13

Social Media in the Librarythe current reality

Numberof socialmedia accounts

How often librarians post on social media

Managing social media accounts

Channels currently used

Librarians’objectives when usingsocial media

The importance of social media

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900 100

72%Librarians saying social media is important

14

Social Media in the Librarythe current reality

How often librarians post on social media

Managing social media accounts

Channels currently used

Librarians’objectives when usingsocial media

0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9+accounts

Numberof socialmedia accounts

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900 100

72%Librarians saying social media is important

15

How often librarians post on social media

Never

Less thanonce a month

Once amonth

Two or threetimes a month

Oncea week

Two to fourtimes a week

Oncea day

More thanonce a day

16

How often librarians post on social media

Never

Less thanonce a month

Once amonth

Two or threetimes a month

Oncea week

Two to fourtimes a week

Oncea day

More thanonce a day

26%

20%

10%

13%9%

11%

5%

7%

17

How often librarians post on social media

Social Media in the Librarythe current reality

Managing social media accounts

Channels currently used

Librarians’objectives when usingsocial media

0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9+accounts

Two to four times a week

26%26% 20%20%

Morethan once

a day

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900 100

72%Librarians saying social media is important

18

Managing social media accounts

How many people look after thesocial media accounts for the library?

Has your library implementeda Social Media policy?

No plans for implementation Planned Implemented

19

Social Media in the Librarythe current reality

Managing social media accounts

Channels currently used

Librarians’objectives when usingsocial media

0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9+accounts

1 2 3 4 5+account managers

notformalised

Two to four times a week

26%26% 20%20%

Morethan once

a day

None Planned Implemented

Social Media Policy

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900 100

72%Librarians saying social media is important

20

Channels currently used

Please rate how often you use the following Social Media channels in the library:

21

Social Media in the Librarythe current reality

Channels currently used

Librarians’objectives when usingsocial media

0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9+accounts

1 2 3 4 5+account managers

notformalised

Two to four times a week

26%26% 20%20%

Morethan once

a day

None Planned Implemented

Social Media Policy

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900 100

72%Librarians saying social media is important

22

Social Media in the Librarythe current reality

Promote events

Promote services

Promote resources

Customer feedback

0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9+accounts

1 2 3 4 5+account managers

notformalised

Two to four times a week

26%26% 20%20%

Morethan once

a day

None Planned Implemented

Social Media Policy

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900 100

72%Librarians saying social media is important

23

86% 65% 39% 7%

75% 57% 42% 7%

71% 55% 42% 5%

58% 38% 19% 6%

Social Media in the Librarythe current reality 0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9+

accounts

1 2 3 4 5+account managers

notformalised

Two to four times a week

26%26% 20%20%

Morethan once

a day

None Planned Implemented

Social Media PolicyPromote events

Promote services

Promote resources

Customer feedback

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900 100

72%Librarians saying social media is important

24

86% 65% 39% 7%

75% 57% 42% 7%

71% 55% 42% 5%

58% 38% 19% 6%

Social Media in the Librarythe current reality 0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9+

accounts

1 2 3 4 5+account managers

notformalised

Two to four times a week

26%26% 20%20%

Morethan once

a day

None Planned Implemented

Social Media PolicyPromote events

Promote services

Promote resources

Customer feedback

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900 100

72%Librarians saying social media is important

25

Social Media in the Libraryfuture direction?

Will social media become more important to the library in the future?

The opportunities of social media

Thechallenges of social media

Will more roles dedicated to social media appear in the library in the future?

26

Social Media in the Libraryfuture direction?

Will social media become more important to the library in the future?

Will more roles dedicated to social media appear in the library in the future?Social media to become more

important in the future?More dedicated social media

roles in the future?

The opportunities of social media

Thechallenges of social media

27

The opportunities of social media

28

The challenges of social media

29

Future of social media

It's crucial to note that our upcoming wave of library patrons - students, colleagues, and staff - will be from this generation who are technologically sophisticated, well-connected on the social web, entrepreneurial, and oftentimes, impatient.

We will have to become more media adept; will need to learn advertising skills

Librarians will need at least some degree of digital literacy, and the willingness to see these channels as ways into the institution, as much as means to broadcast out of it.

We need to dive in on the teaching front – students are taking on the role as educators.

Future of social media: INDIA

We consider Google as one of the biggest enemies or as a complete threat of the library…It connects between knowledge and the user so basically this is going to be the biggest challenge for the libraries in the future

The students of library science should be trained on the various tools and techniques on adopting social media

I believe that the librarian in the future will have a definite social presence and this will be a factor in bringing the user back to the library

Librarians should always go along with the technology because otherwise you’re suddenly obsolete

Continuing the discussion

Visit http://bit.ly/LibrarySM to:•Read the white paper•View accompanying infographics•Browse full supplementary data, including analysis by librarian role and a copy of the survey•Further best practice guides will be available focusing on topics including measuring impact, customer service, and using social media as a teaching tool