Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016 ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in

Social Networking Sites As A Viable Tools For An Effective Delivery Of Library Services

Anand Y. Kenchakkanavar1 & Dr. Gururaj S. Hadagali2

1Junior Research Fellow, Department of Studies in Library and Information Science, Karnatak University, Dharwad – 580 003, India. 2Assistant Professor, Department of Library and Information Science, Karnatak University, Dharwad – 580 003, India.

Abstract : The main purpose of the present study Boyd & Ellison (2008) define SNSs as is to shed light on the importance of , “Web-based services that allow individuals to (a) particularly Social Networking Sites (SNSs) in construct a public or semi-public profile within a Library and Information centers (LICs). Libraries bounded system, (b) articulate a list of other users are slowly adopting SNSs to provide effective with whom they share a connection, and (c) view services to its user’s community without wasting and traverse their list of connections and those much of their time. Further, the paper highlights on made by others within the system”. the Internet and SNSs users, importance and general features of SNSs. A number of services Internet and Social Media users which can be provided using SNSs are enlisted in this paper. Since its inception in the early 1960s, the internet was used by computer experts, engineers, scientists and librarians. Over a period of time, Keywords: Internet, Library services, Social there was a gradual increase in the number of Media and Social Networking Sites. internet users. At present, around 40% of the people have internet connection worldwide. The figure 1 shows the internet users of the world from Introduction 1993 to 2014. There is an exponential increase in The present society has witnessed a the number of internet users from 1993 to 2014. tremendous change in all matters, be it educational During 2005, there were one billion internet users institutes, R&D organizations, business enterprises worldwide. Within a span of five years it has and library & information centers which are not reached the two billion mark. exception to these developments. The use of social The table 1 shows the statistics of top ten networking sites such as , , countries’ internet users. It indicates that China LinkedIn, Google+ YouTube etc. have become a leads the table with 64,16,01,070 internet users. On popular and integral part of everyday an average, there is a growth of 2.5 crore internet communication. The technology savvy users have users every year (with 4% growth every year). considered these communication tools as the sixth Among the total internet users of the world, there is basic need of human being. However, in addition to more than 20% share from China alone. The US communication, social networking sites facilitate and India ranked second and third respectively as the creation and sharing of various forms of content per the internet users are concerned. It is interesting including blogs, photos, videos, audios, files, status to note that Nigeria has 16% growth of internet and many more. These Social Networking Sites users in one year whereas that of India and Russia (here after SNSs) are helping people evolve with a are 14% and 10% respectively. The penetration of current trends in technology and changing face of internet users compared to the population is highest the world of communication (Madhusudhan, 2012). among US, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, The SNSs are profile based websites that allow the France etc (more than 80%). users to maintain social relationships by viewing, visiting and sharing the lists of social connections with the members (Boyd & Ellison, 2008).

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016 ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in

Figure 1: Internet users in the world from 1993 to 2014 (As on 1st July 2014)

Source: http://www.internetlivestats.com

Table 1: Internet users of the different countries

Country's 1 Yr Penetration Country's 1 Year 1 Year Total share of Internet Population (% of Pop. share of Rank Country Growth User Country World Users Change with World % Growth Population Internet (%) Internet) Population Users

1 China 641,601,070 4% 24,021,070 1,393,783,836 0.59% 46.03% 19.24% 21.97% United 2 279,834,232 7% 17,754,869 322,583,006 0.79% 86.75% 4.45% 9.58% States 3 India 243,198,922 14% 29,859,598 1,267,401,849 1.22% 19.19% 17.50% 8.33% 4 Japan 109,252,912 8% 7,668,535 126,999,808 -0.11% 86.03% 1.75% 3.74% 5 Brazil 107,822,831 7% 6,884,333 202,033,670 0.83% 53.37% 2.79% 3.69% 6 Russia 84,437,793 10% 7,494,536 142,467,651 -0.26% 59.27% 1.97% 2.89% 7 Germany 71,727,551 2% 1,525,829 82,652,256 -0.09% 86.78% 1.14% 2.46% 8 Nigeria 67,101,452 16% 9,365,590 178,516,904 2.82% 37.59% 2.46% 2.30% United 9 57,075,826 3% 1,574,653 63,489,234 0.56% 89.90% 0.88% 1.95% Kingdom 10 France 55,429,382 3% 1,521,369 64,641,279 0.54% 85.75% 0.89% 1.90%

Source: http://www.internetlivestats.com/internet-users-by-country/

The Figure 2 indicates the latest numbers subscription. Out of 946 million mobile on mobile connections, internet users and social connections, more than 25% population is having media users in India. India has near about 946 internet connections. Out of 243 million active million active mobile connections against the total internet users, 118 million active social media users population of 1,265 million. The data shows that are there. more than 75% of the population has the mobile

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016 ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in

Figure 2 -Internet and Social Media Users in India (As on January 2015)

Source: https://www.techinasia.com/india-web-mobile-data-jan-2015/

Importance of Social Networking Sites Ryze.com was launched in 2001 to help people leverage their business network (Sampath Kumar et The Information and Communication al., 2013). launched in 2002 as a Technology (ICT) has significantly changed the complement to Ryze. It was designed to compete way in which people, especially young chaps with match.com, a profitable online dating site interact with their peers and the world around them. (LIU and YING, 2010). MySpsce attracted the The usage of landlines, pagers, and other devices majority of social media attention in the U.S and for communication are becoming obsolete over a abroad. became the premier SNS in Brazil period of time. Due to continuous research, now a before growing rapidly in India (Boyd & Ellison, day, android based cell phones as well as Smart 2008). attained widespread adoption in Japan, phones are available with cheaper cost with all LunarStorm took off in , Dutch users features. Because of these devices, one can embraced , Grono captured Poland, was communicate, share videos, and interact very easily adopted in smaller countries in Latin America, without any barriers. Recent survey conducted by South America, and Europe, and became very Tata Consultancy Service on use habit of mobile popular in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and and Smartphone among the students of high Australia (Donelan et al, 2012). Facebook was schools in 14 cities across the country (“GenY” & originally launched in 2004 for Harvard students “Post-Millennials”, 2012). The survey included and Twitter created in 2006 by Jack Dorsey 17,478 students in 1660 schools among the cities (Lusted, 2011). LinkedIn is a business oriented during August 2012 to December 2012. As per the social networking site founded in December 2002 survey, students are more interested by using social and launched in May 2003, which is mainly used networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Orkut etc. for professional networking (Cunha and Manuela, Social Networking Sites allow users to 2011). YouTube is a (Google-Owned) video create personalized websites where they can post sharing, on which users can upload, share and view personal profile photos, music, blogs etc (Miller et videos (Elza, 2011). A wide variety of user al., 2010). The first recognized SNS was launched generated video content is displayed, including film in the year 1997 and named as ‘Sixdegree.com’ and TV clips. Thus, the social networking is a (Boyd & Ellison, 2008). This site allowed users to practice of expanding of one’s business and / or create profiles, list their friends etc. During 1997- social contacts by making connections through 2001 a number of community tools began individuals. Hence, SNSs attract a wide audience to supporting various combinations of profiles and communicate each other. publicly articulated friends. The Korean virtual Features of Social Networking Sites world’s site ‘’ was started in 1999 and The following are some of the features of added SNS features in 2001 (Boyd & Ellison, SNSs in general. The list is exhaustive but not 2008). The next waves of SNS began when limited to these only;

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016 ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in

i. SNSs help to share and discuss iv. SNSs allow to provide the arrivals of new information among others. books, journal issues, news papers to the ii. It helps people to share their and library. experience. v. The online services like ‘Ask-a-librarian’ iii. It helps to create social groups. or ‘Help Desk’ through SNSs to answer iv. It helps to create Forums, Groups, Events specific queries of the different users is and listings etc. possible through online. v. It allows users to have online profiles and vi. To discuss with the users, online chat invite others to be their friends. service can be extended to the users vi. It encourages people to join virtual groups particularly with regard to library based on the common interest. collections, staff, services, facilities and vii. SNSs allow individuals to be visible to users respective subjects. others and established or maintained vii. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) connection with others. through SNSs will allow users’ to find viii. It helps form community groups. answers and solutions for the common ix. Some of the SNSs allow chatting. problems encountered in using the library x. Some of the SNSs allow services. videoconferencing. viii. Using SNSs library can provide xi. Few of the SNSs offer free phone calls. information about the general library xii. Real time interaction. policy/guidelines for the various types of xiii. It allows users to share experiences, ideas, users. events, activities and interests within the ix. Libraries can render Selective individual network. Dissemination of Information (SDI) services by providing information sources Social Networking Sites and Library Services and useful links on their specialization. Today’s buzzwords are social media, x. A library can provide services like online social networking sites, Facebook, WhatsApp, document reservation and cancellation. Google plus, Twitter, Blog etc. Over the past few xi. Libraries can conduct online quiz’s, as an years, these SNSs have been more popular among outreach activity there by creating public the young population especially college students. awareness programmes. Nowadays, SNSs have become increasing xii. Reference service can be provided using requirements in almost all organizations and hence, SNSs. libraries are not an exception to this. SNSs can be a xiii. Users will come to know that their great tool to save money and promote library materials have arrived at the library via services and collection (Tella et al., 2013). As a SNSs tools rather than phone or mail. result, most of the professionals are using these xiv. SNSs help the users to introduce subject SNSs to connect other libraries and professionals. specific information available on The professionals are communicating with collaborative weblogs. potential library users by extending services using xv. SNSs allow the library staff to get SNSs (Suraweere et al, 2011). feedback, suggestion or for the acquisition The following are some of the services of title, which helps the library staff to enlisted which can be rendered by the libraries improve the services. using SNSs especially Facebook, Google+, xvi. SNSs allow users to get links to online MySpace, Twitter, Blogs, LinkedIn, YouTube, and resources, subject gateways, knowledge others. portals and digital repositories etc. i. SNSs can be useful in the activities like, xvii. SNSs allow users to browse collections of Book Acquisition request, bookmarks of other users and require a recommendation of books, Borrowers card certain participation to become successful. request, overdue charges etc. xviii. Libraries can use some SNSs for ii. SNSs allow to provide Current Awareness disseminating library related video Services to the library services viz., contents and as library virtual tour guides. forthcoming events like, Library can also upload videos like those seminars/conferences/workshops/tutorials, of guest lectures, Seminars, Conferences, Book exhibitions, special lectures etc. Library tour, User orientation etc. for the iii. Through SNSs information can be benefit of users. disseminated such as calendar of events, Above mentioned services are broad list of holidays, working hours during views of based library services, holidays. which focus on different types of library services. Social networking sites emphasise on the need to

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016 ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in provide the quality library services in social 3. Donelan, H., Kear, K., & Ramage, M. network environment, which creates a positive (2012). Online Communication and environment among the tech-savvy users. Collaboration: A Reader. New York: Conclusion Routledge. The Information and Communication 4. Elza, D. (2011). Interactive Media Use Technology (ICT) has made a tremendous impact and Youth: Learning, Knowledge on the service sectors, be it banking, health, Exchange and Behavior: Learning, transportation, education and library and Knowledge Exchange and Behavior. information centres (LICs) (Subramanian, 2015). Hershy PA: Idea Group Inc. The latest trends in LICs are Interoperability, Ontology, Web 3.0 especially social networking 5. Internet Live Stats (2015). Retrieved June and social networking tools. In the present 6, 2015 from knowledge based society LICs are not merely http://www.internetlivestats.com/ internet- places to visit and collect information but also users-by-country/ disseminate the information using latest electronic/communication gadgets/ tools. 6. Liu & Ying (2010). A Review of Social Network Sites: Definition, Experience and In the present era, social media has Applications. Scientific Research, 749- become the buzzword. It is a new way of providing 752. Retrieved July 6, 2015, from library services through Internet technology. It has http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperDownl become a viable tool for cooperation and sharing of oad.aspx?paperID=12714 knowledge. Social networking is an evolutionary development of online participation where people 7. Lusted, M. A. (2011). Social Networking of common interest, communicate, share and MySpace, Facebook and Twitter. contribute on the social cyberspace (Subramanian, Minnesota: ABDO publishing company. 2015). 8. Madhusudhan, M. (2012). Use of social Social media and use of social networking networking sites by research scholars of sites in Indian libraries are slow compared to the the University of Delhi: A study. The libraries of developed countries and some of the International Information & Library developing countries. The adoption and usage of Review, 44(2), 100-113. social networking has to be geared up in the Indian context. Since the social networking technologies 9. Miller, R., Parsons, K., & Lifer, D. (2010). are very useful for user catered reference services, Students and social networking sites: the it is essential for the LICs to implement the social posting paradox. Behaviour & Information media tools. Once the LICs set up the social Technology, 29 (4), 377-382. networking, it becomes very easy to provide services to the users’ community. Thus, social 10. Sampath Kumar, N., Chandran, U. K., media can be a complementary technology tool to Arun Kumar, N., & Karnavel, K., (2013). the traditional library system for library Social Networking Site for Self Portfolio. professionals. International Journal of Research in Engineering & Advanced Technology, 1 References (1), 1-4.

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