The Public Library and Social Media: A Case Study from Tromsø, Norway

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the use of social media platforms to promote library services and profitable Librarianship. For this study, descriptive survey research method was used. The sample for this study consisted of 200 students at the National Open University of Nigeria, from 3 selected NOUN centers in Kogi State, Nigeria. Data were collected using questionnaire. Frequency and Means method were used to analyze the collected data. The study showed that blogs and whatsApp are the widely used social media platforms for promoting library services in libraries. The results also showed that the use of social media platforms facilitates two-way communication, ease communication with library users, provides a forum for feedback, increases library users and financially profit librarians through traffic generated as users visits their blog pages. Some challenges librarians faced were discovered, and recommendations were made. These include the provision of adequate computers and Internet services, especially free Internet WiFi within the centers, and a viable ICT policy among other recommendations.