Investigating Social Networking among Librarians (Case Study of Near East University) By Azadeh G.A. Tabrizi Near East University Statement of the problem

• Hague and Payton (2010) claims that with the emergence of media technologies in the 21st century, digital literacy* is shown by way of critical thinking and sufficient skills, which can lead to an effective participation in digital society, and effective workplace information seeking and use.

• On the other hand, the use of online social networks by individuals and different information organizations is increasing , so it can be considered as a growing tool that is being used to communicate with more potential library users, as well as extending the services provided to individuals in libraries. ***************************

*Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills. (American Library Association's digital-literacy task force), In other words, digital literacy can be defined as the awareness, attitude and ability of individuals to appropriately use digital tools and facilities to identify, access, manage, integrate, evaluate, analyze and synthesize digital resources, construct new knowledge, create media expressions, and communicate with others, in the context of specific life situations, in order to enable constructive social action; and to reflect upon this process * Social networking site (also social networking site, SNS or ) is a web application that people use to build social networks or social relations with other people who share similar personal or career interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections. Purpose of the study

*To explore the popular social networking sites among Near East University librarians

*To understand the concept of social networking sites among Near East University librarians

*To investigate the engagement and practices of social networking site among Near East University librarians

*To find the opportunity and limitations of utilizing social networking sites among Near East University librarians Research questions

QoS 1 : What are the popular social networking sites among Near East University librarians?

QoS 2: What are the main purposes of using social networking sites among Near East University librarians?

QoS 3 : What is the concept of social networking among Near East University librarians?

QoS 4 : What is the opportunity of accessing to social networking sites among Near East University librarians?

QoS 5: What are the skills and practices on social networking sites among Near East University librarians?

QoS 6 : What are the main obstacles for implementing social networking sites on library professional career in Near East University from the perspective of librarians? Significance of the study - Academic

* People use social media sites as , , MySpace,etc to create and sustain relationships with others (Boyd & Ellison 2007) On the other hand, librarians should adapt to the digital age, new learning environments, and 21st-century skill expectations of today's new communications practices (Johnson, 2013)

* So, the importance of the nature of library career, as well as popularity of using new media all around the world, make it important to study different aspects of using them.

*By knowing that, university managers might be aware of potential of social networking sites if they are a good practice for easing the work, saving time, as well as introducing the value of the library to current users and future potential users. Significance of the study - Practical

*This study is among the first attempts to discover a specific type of digital literacy among librarians in Northern Cyprus

*The study helps to examine the extent of NEU librarians’ awareness of social networking as well as the various social networking tools available to librarians for an effective communication with colleagues, students and scholars

*Libraries have particular significance for social inclusion because they provide an access to knowledge materials for all, so the knowledge of librarians about new media applications, is crucial for improving all the possible ways of sharing knowledge, especially to new generations Methodology

• Qualitative research

• Semi-structured interview

• 8 Librarians participated

• Data collected in a one week period (from 10 to 17 April 2018) Theoretical model of Digital Literacy (Adapted from Beetham and Sharp model, 2010)

According to Beetham and Sharp, the model describe how individuals develop higher order digital capabilities on a foundation of access and functional skills, and how can be motivated to try new technologies and gain new skills by challenges at the higher level of the pyramid Main results as answer to QS1 :

What are the most popular social networking sites among Near East University librarians?

Facebook Instagram Twitter

Pinterest VK Main results as answer to QS 2:

QoS2 : What is the concept of social networking among Near East University librarians? A : Virtual place for entertainment and chatting, a useful option for marketing B : A website for communication C: Online service for communication with friends and families, and entertainment D: Virtual place for sharing activities in free times, searching information and news E : New technology for sharing friendly photos, videos, messages and communication to spend free time F : Online service for being in touch with distant friends, family and getting news G: Virtual place for sharing last pictures and videos or temporary stories to have fun Online useful services for chatting / entertaining / searching / marketing/ informing / communicating Main results as answer to QS 3 :

What are the main purposes of using social networking sites among Near East University librarians? A : search for secondhand products in Northern Cyprus, uploading photos , staying in touch with children in abroad, B : Chatting with family, colleagues, friends; dating foreigners; sharing personal artworks C: Following celebrities’ pages, staying in touch with family and friends, advertising on buy/sell products pages , getting news and information D: Chatting with old distant friends, meet new people to practice language, stalking accounts E : talking and chatting with friends and family, uploading new photos from parties or vacancies, F: To be up-to-date with world news, last events in university, share activity and advertising in buy and sell product pages, seeing latest photos / news of friends and colleagues G : Uploading pictures and stories, entertaining and online chatting

To stay up-to-date To stay in touch To meet new people To search and find with latest news of with friends and (peers, dates, products (new / old university and families foreigners) brands) world

To share photo and To find latest news To buy or sell Stalking and activities about celebrities secondhand products spending time Main results as answer to QS 4:

QoS 4 : What is the opportunity / limitations for accessing to social networking sites among Near East University librarians?

Opportunity : A: Always via smartphone , login at workplace and home B: Always via smartphone, Laptop, login at workplace and home C: Often via smartphone, laptop , login at workplace D: Always via smartphone, computer, laptop, login at workplace and home E: Often via smartphone , login at home F : Always via smartphone, laptop, computer, login at workplace, home, internet café G: Always via smartphone, laptop, login at home H : Always via smartphone, laptop, computer, login at workplace, home

Limitation : A : N/A Always having opportunity to B : N/A C : Sometime low internet speed access to social networking sites D : N/A via smartphone, laptop, PC, E : N/A Internet Café, without a real F : N/A G : N/A difficulties H : N/A Main results as answer to QS 5:

QoS 5: What are the main skills and real practices on social networking sites among Near East University librarians? A : creating an account, adding / unfriending friends, following, liking posts / pictures, commenting ideas, replying, uploading stories B : creating an account, adding /unfriending friends, reposting amazing contents, inviting acquaintance to follow, liking posts / pictures C : Creating an account, adding friends, following, liking posts / pictures, search for mutual friends, share amazing events / moments of university events with related hashtags / location, tagging D : Creating account, adding /unfriending friends, following, liking, uploading stories, E : Creating account, adding/unfriending friends, liking posts, commenting, uploading stories, tagging F : Creating account, following, sharing activities, uploading photos and stories G : Creating account, following, direct messaging, uploading posts with related hashtags/ tagging

Creating new  Sharing / accounts/ Adding, Uploading/ Live group Creating Sharing live searching following / messaging groups content accounts , reposting pages,groups unfriending Creating Privacy Copy – Commenting/ Direct issues right terms public Tagging messaging page Main results as answer to QS 6:

QoS 6 : What are the main obstacles for implementing social networking sites on library professional career in Near East University from the perspective of librarians?

Library rules and priorities, lack of a sense of collaboration among librarians in order to investigate students/users/colleagues’ needs and interest in social media, Language difficulties for communication with other language than Turkish (elder librarians) / Lack of awareness about successful experience of social media activities among librarians / Lack of any related training in preparing courses before getting employed Conclusion

While Near East University librarians seem to be well-aware of the nature of social networking sites and have a good opportunity to access to different social media , they don’t seem to be familiar with many potential features and services that might be capable for more practices on sharing new knowledge, group discussions, introducing activities related to library / recent publication /professional gatherings/ or getting new ideas about the modern ways of librarianship jobs through new social media. Despite having some basic skills to use social networking sites, NEU librarians seem to suffer from the lack of sufficient literacy about social networking usefulness and capacity for professional development and build beneficial connection or reputation broadly (fruitful practices and making related identity) Conclusion

The research results provide the starting point for an analysis of digital literacy of Near East University librarians, and have led to the following recommendations:

-Library administrator in Near East University may sensitize library staff on the use of different social media tools for informal scientific communication

-Library administrator may provide related courses in order to introduce tips on create / generating content in social media

-Librarians should learn more about sharing information, updates and communicate to students and scholars by means of more related social networking sites, as it would be cheaper way , as well as helping saving time and sharing more knowledge in an attractive and entertaining virtual place

- Training librarians (specifically elder ones) periodically on the use of the different social media in carrying out library services might be beneficial. It may enable the librarians use appropriate social networking for the purposes of scientific communication among both professional colleagues and users

-It is necessary that librarians can achieve higher levels of digital skills so that they will later be responsible for bringing different digital literacy services into the population Limitations of the study and Recommendations for Future Works • Limitations - Time restrictions that resulted in smaller sample size and limited findings -Lack of English knowledge among some librarians, that resulted in shifting some parts of interview into Turkish language -Lack of similar previous studies on librarians’ digital literacy • Recommendations - Future studies may focus on social media roles on improving reading culture among teenagers and youth groups

- Future studies can also explore and compare current practices of utilizing social media in world famous university libraries Acknowledgement

I would like to appreciate Prof. Dr. Mustafa Sağsan, and Prof. Dr. Oya Gürdal, for giving opportunity to participate in the conference