Exploring Libraries’ Efforts in Inclusion and Outreach Activities Using Social Media

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the use of social media tools to enhance inclusion and outreach activities in libraries. The study also examined the existence of policies that encouraged the use of social media and the challenges that libraries face when integrating social media into their services. Invitations to participate in a survey were sent to 110 libraries in Greater China, Switzerland, United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand to investigate the use of social media tools in their inclusion/outreach programmes and librarians’ perceptions of their usefulness. Libraries were selected on the basis of indicating on their websites that they used social media. From the 110 libraries that were invited to participate in the survey, 28 responses were received and analysed. Among these, academic libraries made up 68% of the respondents, and the remaining 32% were from public libraries. The findings indicated that the libraries had already incorporated social media tools into their services, and, to some extent, for inclusion/outreach activities. In general, participants in this study indicated an acknowledgement of the benefits of using social media and an inclination to apply social media in the future, although the libraries and librarians faced the challenge of equipping themselves well in order to keep abreast of these technologies. The study highlighted the lack of specific policies that clarified the responsibilities of libraries in promoting social inclusion. Institutionalizing specific policies on the use of social media tools in libraries could be done either using a top-down and/or a bottom-up approach.