Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore social media usage in an academic library in South Africa and the factors influencing its use. The primary goal of the study was to examine perceptions surrounding the impact of non-adoption of social media on morale, and to explore the consequences of digital inequality.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a qualitative method, in-depth interviews were conducted with a small sample comprising six key informants at the University of Limpopo Libraries.
Findings
The findings suggest that non-adoption of social media has a negative influence on morale, and that it is a very necessary tool required for interaction with students as well as promotion and marketing of the library’s resources.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited to one academic library in South Africa situated in a rural area. The research suggests that more academic libraries in rural areas be studied to ascertain if geographical location and finance are barriers to social media adoption.
Originality/value
This study addresses non-adoption of social media and suggests ways to improve employee morale and retention. The research contributes to current research.
This paper addresses the adoption and non-adoption of communication methods such as social media and explores the implementation of Web 2.0 technologies and their use in academic libraries. I interviewed 16 library employees from six academic university libraries in the Flanders region of Belgium and in South Africa. I explored five academic university libraries in the urban regions of Flanders and South Africa and one situated in a rural region of South Africa. This article discusses the benefits of using social media as a communication tool to engage with students. The results demonstrate that ‘ease of use’ was portrayed as a beneficial construct and has a positive influence on behavioural intention and use of Web 2.0 technologies. A comparison on the adoption of social media between the two countries indicate that financial resources, infrastructure and management support are crucial determining factors in service delivery.
Informed by Pierre Bourdieu’s theory on social capital, this paper examines how academic libraries might be considered places to create social capital. The study that directed this article utilised a qualitative approach and drew upon the perceptions of both the student population and library professionals at the University of Antwerp in Belgium and the University of Limpopo in South Africa. This study explored the similarities and differences in respondents’ perceptions of their respective libraries. The study relied on semi-structured interviews comprising 34 participants: 30 students and four library professionals. To inform this study, data were collected on the perceptions of the libraries’ physical and virtual spaces to ascertain differing views regarding academic libraries’ social values and their contribution to creating social capital. Students use the physical space extensively as a gathering place for group discussions and independent academic work, and depend on library professionals to disseminate information effectively on reliable and suitable platforms. The differences in students’ perceptions between the two academic libraries can be clarified based on their respective geographic settings, which influenced their perceptions and needs of the library. The article notes various restrictions at the University of Limpopo compared to current practices at the University of Antwerp in the context of social capital, physical space and technology, owing to uneven distribution of resources and autonomy.
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