An Overview of Social Media in Library and Information Services

Abstract

Social Media has become a platform that everybody, organizations and institutions cannot do without. The emergence of social media platforms such as such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp has affected virtually every sphere of human endeavour as it revolutionized information environment. In this paper, social media has become an increasing familiar tools employed in academic libraries in improving services and resources to patrons. The paper also discussed the application of social media to library and information service practice. The application of social media platforms in library services such Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Blog, Academia.edu, Reserachgate, Instagram and WhatsApp were also highlighted and discussed. The paper concluded that social media applications offer boundless opportunities for users to learn while also contributing to the knowledge of others. The paper recommended that there should be increased advocacy at all levels on the use of social media for effective delivering library services.