Public libraries and the social web: a review and analysis of the existing literature
| Date | 19 August 2019 |
| Published date | 19 August 2019 |
| Pages | 197-211 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-04-2019-0073 |
| Author | Namjoo Choi,Lindsey M. Harper |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Records management & preservation,Document management,Classification & cataloguing,Information behaviour & retrieval,Collection building & management,Scholarly communications/publishing,Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
Public libraries and the social
web: a review and analysis of the
existing literature
Namjoo Choi
School of Information Science,
University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA, and
Lindsey M. Harper
University Libraries, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, USA
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to update Carlsson (2015), which examined the research on public
libraries and the social web published from 2006 to 2012, and it also intends to go beyond Carlsson (2015) by
including six additional variables.
Design/methodology/approach –Literature searches were performed against Web of Science Core
Collection and EBSCOhost databases. By adapting Carlsson’s (2015) three level key phrase searches, which
were then complemented by chain searching, a total of 60 articles were identified and analyzed.
Findings –In comparison to Carlsson (2015), this study shows that the recent research, published between
2012 and 2018, leans toward a more general acceptance of the social web’s usage to improve the services
provided by public libraries; that the public library is rarely premised to be in a state of crisis; and that the
social web is mostly perceived as having a complementary relationship with librarianship and library
services. The findings from analyzing the six additional variables are also presented.
Research limitations/implications –The findings from this study provide LIS professionals a greater
understanding of where the research stands on the topic at present, and this study also identifies gaps in the
literature to offer insight into the areas where future research can be directed.
Originality/value –Given the continued popularity of social web usage among public libraries, this study
examines the literature published on the social web in the public library context between 2012 and 2018 and
offers implications and future research suggestions.
Keywords Public libraries, Social web, Social media
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Libraries have worked diligently to use various social technologies to promote its services to
its community members and library users (Lou et al., 2013). For example, 61 percent of
libraries have maintained a social media presence on at least one platform for the past three
years (Taylor & Francis Group, 2017). Other examples of social technologies include the use
of social tagging within the library’s catalog, which allows users to categorize materials
based on user-generated keywords. This type of participatory media helps library and
information science (LIS) professionals determine how their library users categorize items
while also enhancing the subject-specific access to information (Clements and Liew, 2016;
DeZelar-Tiedman, 2011). The use of social technologies within the library not only provides
a low-cost and highly efficient means of communication between the library and its patrons
(Fernandez, 2009), but also provides the ability to market the library in the face of budget
cuts, develop community networks and fundraise (Blakeman and Brown, 2010).
The term “social web”is a broad term used synonymously with other terms like Web 2.0
and Library 2.0, and also includes participatory media platforms such as social networking,
social cataloging and blogging websites (Carlsson, 2015). The social web allows users to
consume, edit and produce content, and it also provides the ability to communicate between
the platform’s consumers and content creators (Singh and Singh Gill, 2013). Differing from
stagnant websites, the social web provides an exchange of ideas and content creation in real
Journal of Documentation
Vol. 76 No. 1, 2020
pp. 197-211
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0022-0418
DOI 10.1108/JD-04-2019-0073
Received 30 April 2019
Revised 19 July 2019
Accepted 20 July 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0022-0418.htm
197
Public libraries
and the social
web
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