Impact of Social Media on Creative Libraries: with special reference to Public Libraries in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Social media is becoming a very popular part of the day today life of the human being. In this virtual community people can express their ideas, knowledge and everything with others easily. As an essential part of day today human lives, a library can achieve more benefits via social media. Social media give vast opportunities for libraries and information centers. This research identified how libraries can become smart and creative when using social media and their impact on society. The major objectives of this research were to identify the functions of the public libraries’ social media sites for sharing and discussing the information of the library, how the authenticity of information and library resources is being promoted, how they educate the people in different ways and how far they are being updated. The sample consisted of 10 leading public libraries in Sri Lanka. Librarians and site developers were interviewed with structured questionnaires while their social media sites were observed to collect data. Thereby technological methods and new trends practiced by the librarians, user attractions and activities promoted in their social media sites, and effectiveness of the sites for creating image of the library were observed.