Social Media in Libraries

Libraries should find strategies of sustaining relevance without changing the role of the library. The advent of new technologies has changed the scene in the information world. Today, information is available at the users’ fingertips through social media. Social media can be a Trojan horse for library. New technologies shorten the distance between the library users and the rest of the world through tools and sites such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. It is a real-time connection, where user can subscribe to other users’ activities, and share new ideas and technology. This book attempts to introduce new technology, how library can stand up in future social world with its aims and rules, and with its strategic planning, how it (new technology) can be used effectively, how a user can access this world of information. As today, mostly everyone including librarian already exists in social media world. Generally, people watch or comment on a YouTube video, like a friends’ facebook, update and read your colleagues blog, then they are using social media, but they don’t necessarily know how to use social technologies effectively and meaningfully. In our research endeavours also, we can utilize social media to share our work with our colleagues and work collaboratively in more efficient ways. The adaption of these tools will also help libraries professionals to communicate, participate and add value by accessing and sharing knowledge from available sources.