Social technologies in public libraries: exploring best practice
| Published date | 04 March 2014 |
| Pages | 224-238 |
| Date | 04 March 2014 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-09-2013-0087 |
| Author | Kathleen Smeaton,Kate Davis |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries |
Social technologies in public
libraries: exploring best practice
Kathleen Smeaton
Information Studies Group, Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane, Australia, and
Kate Davis
Information Systems School, Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane, Australia
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this article is to report on a research project that explored social media
best practice in the public library sector.
Design/methodology/approach – The primary research approach for the project was case study.
Two organisations participated in case studies that involved interviews, document analysis, and social
media observation.
Findings – The two case study organisations use social media effectively to facilitate participatory
networks, however, there have been challenges surrounding its implementation in both organisations.
Challenges include negotiating requirements of governing bodies and broader organisational
environments, and managing staff reluctance around the implementations. As social media use
continues to grow and libraries continue to take up new platforms, social media must be considered to
be another service point of the virtual branch, and indeed, for the library service as a whole. This
acceptance of social media as being core business is critical to the successful implementation of social
media based activities.
Practical implications – The article provides an empirically grounded discussion of best practice
and the conditions that support it. The findings are relevant for information organisations across all
sectors and could inform the development of policy and practice in other organisations. This paper
contributes to the broader dialogue around best practice in participatory service delivery and social
media use in library and information organisations.
Originality/value – Research around social media has focused on the usage of tools rather than the
conditions that allow staff to use social media to reach users effectively. This research fills the gap by
exploring the organisational culture that allows staff to use social media in order to develop a
participatory library service.
Keywords Social media, Publiclibraries, Organisational culture,Best practice, Participatory library,
Social technologies
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
As the populations thatlibraries serve change there is an increasing need to meet users
in their space online rather than relying on them to come to the library web site (Cahill,
2011). Many libraries have accepted that social technologies canhelp them achieve their
mission of engaging with the community and have started to use a variety of social
media tools to do so (Rutherford, 2008a, b). Socialtechnologies can be used to support the
traditional goals ofthe library – connecting users with information – in new ways that
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
The authors would like to acknowledge staff at Yarra Plenty Regional Library and City Libraries
Townsville for agreeing to take part in this research.
LM
35,3
224
Received 8 September 2013
Revised 3 October 2013
Accepted 5 October 2013
Library Management
Vol. 35 No. 3, 2014
pp. 224-238
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-09-2013-0087
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