Social Media as an Effective Channel of Professional Communication Among Public Library Specialists

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the role of social media in the process of professional communication among public library specialists. Research methods. The methods of analysis and synthesis were used, which contributed to a comprehensive understanding of the processes of using social media in public libraries in Ukraine. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the introduction of data on the peculiarities of using social media in public libraries of Ukraine as platforms for presenting their professional activities and improving their reputation, establishing and deepening professional contacts and creating professional collaborations, exchanging professional information and experience, and improving their skills. The article summarises the data on the activities of leading public libraries in Ukraine in using social media to promote their goals, attract readers and communicate professionally. The main trends in the use of social media for professional communication by public library professionals are identified. Conclusions. It has been concluded that the professional communication of public library specialists is a special kind of semantic communication that serves to transfer professional knowledge and is implemented in a specific library environment or library space. As a channel of professional communication, social media is a new promising type of organisational and production structure and at the same time an electronic resource. In the process of professional communication, public libraries of Ukraine use social media, which are not only platforms, access points to resources or the main interface of public libraries, but also a platform for presenting information and interacting among the professional library community.