Social Media Use and Service Delivery by Professional Librarians in Ahmadu Bello University Library, Zaria

Abstract

This study investigated the extent to which social media is used to improve library services in tertiary institutions in Ahmadu Bello University Library, Zaria. The survey research design was used for the study. The population of the study consisted of all 204 professional librarians in Ahmadu Bello University Library, Zaria. Total enumeration was used for the study. A self-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Findings revealed that Facebook (95.1%) and WhatsApp (94.2%) are commonly used by librarians followed by respondents who also indicated that YouTube (83%), Twitter (85.3%), Google+ (83.3%) and LinkedIn (71%) are moderately used in the library. Also, the services provided by librarians were e-reference services, database search, online user education and e-reader services among other available library services. This indicated that the provision of library services was moderately low in the library while findings revealed that available social media tools were not fully utilised by librarians in Ahmadu Bello University Library, Zaria. The study concluded that social media use helps librarian on service delivery of librarians in Ahmadu Bello University Library, Zaria. The study recommended that professional librarians should promote e-library services such as e-current awareness services, sele ctive dissemination of information, instant messaging services and distance learning services using diverse social media tools such as Pinterest, Ning, Flicker, Del.icio.us, Instagram and Social Bookmarking that were sparingly used in the library.