The Role of Social Media in Library Extension Services

Abstract

Libraries have been continuously moving more of their content and services to digital and online formats from its traditional forms. In the present era of Web 2.0 and Library 2.0, information services can also be provided through online mode, and thus libraries have become more user-friendly and more interactive. This makes library professionals capable enough to deliver real-time services using ICT and Social media tools and services. Social Networking Sites or SNS or Social Media have given us the enormous capacity to provide services in real-time.
The development of web version 2.0 / Library 2.0 and more advanced version like Web.3.0 and Library 3.0 have has brought to the existence of many Social Networking Sites/ tools. Generally, Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are online discussion forums, chat room, community-based personal websites and other social space accessible to users. The notable Social Networking Sites are Facebook, Twitter and My Space. Libraries are using these tools to market programs and services, and to connect and engage with their communities beyond the library walls — Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest as examples of tools that are being used successfully by libraries.
The library can harness the potentiality of social media in their day to day library and information services to connect with their user community located at a remote area and across the different campuses of the university/institutions. The paper focuses on the possible usage of SNSs to explore some of the critical social tagging, social bookmarks, and social network-related tools for library extension services.