Social media is an effective tool in today's environment to market any product. Library can also use these tools to connect to the readers. Through this medium, personalized service are possible to every user. As students are techno savvy and most of them have smartphones, we can market the library products and services through this medium.
The advantage of the SM is uncontrovertible. Through social media platforms you can address a wide range of people and direct them to your library (physically) or your service. If some people visit your library you reached (one parf of) your goal. But the other part of people would like to use your services from their home, bus stop, etc. That is why it is a good thing to adjust your services to the grown demands. First is to make the library website available on mobile devices (smart phone, tablet) or make it responsive (it is very annoying if users read a good writing on your FB or Twitter site and after that land an old-school only-desktop-ready site which is not user friendly and hard to use on small screens ).
It could be a good decision to make native mobile applications (for Android, iOS, Windows Phone) to make your service (renewing, "my loans", online catalogue, e-journals and databases) available, users will love it. Of course, if most of the services can be done by web, you can ignore native apps.
Online live chat (ask a librarian online) also could be a valued service. There are many aspects, most of them depends on your library type/size and your services.
I hope it was useful. :)
Dear Vinita,
As revealed my recent study on Social media usage in Academic libraries in Sri Lanka revealed strongly librarians' perception towards the use of social media for promoting library resources and services were positive. They strongly agreed that through the use of Facebook they are in a position to promote resources, services, usage, events to be organized by the respective libraries from time to time, news updates and press releases etc of the library. But apart from potential plus points there are also numerous problems associated with managing a Facebook page for their respective libraries. Concerned about the confidentiality of student's information. Some library authorities do not allow library staff to access Facebook during library hours. Cheers Lionel ^_^
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Social Science
- Media
- Social Media