Social Media as a Driver of Innovative Service Delivery in Academic Libraries

Abstract

As technology continues to impact the delivery of library and information services, traditional academic library systems have continued to experience changes. Social media are changing and becoming more sophisticated, and librarians need to adopt them for innovative services to their users. Library staff skills and library services have to shift from book-eccentric to user-eccentric. As the academic library continues to redefine its role in the digital environment, it needs to leverage its strengths and create responsive and convenient services. The chapter discusses how social media can be adopted and utilized for delivering innovative services and the various innovative ways social media can be utilized in effective service delivery, the challenges associated with social media and innovative service delivery, and the strategies to enhance the use of social media for innovative service delivery in academic libraries. The chapter serves as guide to students and practitioners on the various ways to use social media for effective service delivery in academic libraries.

Factors influencing the use of social media by academic librarians in Zimbabwe: a UTAUT model analysis

“…The use of social media has become widespread across various sectors of society, and academic libraries are not an exception. Oche (2022) notes that social media present an opportunity for libraries to provide user-centric innovative services. Social media refers to "Internet-based applications and websites that promote the sharing of user-generated content, communication and participation on a large scale" (Cooper, 2016).…”