The rise of social media technologies has created new ways to seek and share information for
millions of users worldwide but also has presented new challenges for libraries in meeting
users where they are within social spaces. From social networking sites such as Facebook and
Google+ and microblogging platforms such as Twitter and Tumblr to the image and video sites of
YouTube Flickr Instagram and to geotagging sites such as Foursquare libraries have
responded by establishing footholds within a variety of social media platforms and seeking new
ways of engaging with online users in social spaces. Libraries are also responding to new
social review sites such as Yelp and Tripadvisor awareness sites including StumbleUpon
Pinterest Goodreads and Reddit and social question-and-answer (Q&A) sites such as Yahoo!
Answers-sites which engage social media users in functions similar to traditional library
content curation readers' advisory information and referral and reference services.
Establishing a social media presence extends the library's physical manifestation into virtual
space and increases the library's visibility reach and impact. However beyond simply
establishing a social presence for the library a greater challenge is building effective and
engaging social media sites that successfully adapt a library's visibility voice and presence
to the unique contexts audiences and cultures within diverse social media sites. This lecture
examines the research and theory on social media and libraries providing an overview of what
is known and what is not yet known about libraries and social media. Chapter 1 focuses on the
social media environments within which libraries are establishing a presence including how
social media sites differ from each other yet work together within a social ecosphere. Chapter
2 examines how libraries are engaging with users across a variety of social media platforms and
the extent to which libraries are involved in usingthese different social media platforms as
well as the activities of libraries in presenting a social self sharing information and
interacting with users via social media. Chapter 3 explores metrics and measures for assessing
the impact of the library's activity in social media sites. The book concludes with Chapter 4
on evolving directions for libraries and social media including potential implications of new
and emerging technologies for libraries in social spaces. Table of Contents: Preface The
Social Media Environment Libraries and Social Media Assessing Social Media Sites and
Services Evolving Directions in Social Libraries Bibliography Author Biography
