The Impact of Social Networking on Improving Information and Attracting Public Library Contacts from the Viewpoint of Librarians

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of social networks in improving the information status and attracting audiences of public libraries in Tehran from the perspective of librarians

It is a descriptive and analytical survey. The statistical population is the librarians of public libraries in Tehran. Research data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. The validity of the instrument was assessed with the help of 10 educated and professional students and 5 experts in the field. The reliability of the instrument was calculated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Finally, the collected data were entered and coded in SPSS software. The K2 test and Friedman test were used to analyse the data.

While the survey data was collected at the time Telegram filtering began, however, a significant number of librarian responses indicate that this network is used more than any other social network. It actually shows the extent of social media penetration in everyday life, and although it is costly to bypass filtering, it has not stopped being used. According to the survey and the results, the Telegram Social Network is the most used among the target audience of the libraries studied, followed by the second level of the Instagram Social Network and the audiences are interested to follow the possible pages of the library on Instagram. The survey shows that Soroush social network has the least use among library audiences. It seems that due to the filtering of the telegram and the emergence of Soroush social network with a similar context, the telegram still can attract audiences. The plausible point in these responses is that none of the librarians stated that the library does not require the use of social networks.

According to these librarians, the use of social networks is effective in improving information and attracting audiences to public libraries, and it is better to use these networks to increase efficiency and provide better and more appropriate services. In this regard, librarians are interested in receiving training in this regard. Therefore, upgrading the necessary infrastructure for the use of social networks should be considered by decision- makers and policymakers of public libraries and with efficient policies and targeted planning, can gradually institutionalize the position of public libraries in the heart of society. It is also suggested that to create a competitive environment among public libraries, the use of cyberspace and attracting audiences to use library resources, and increasing the reading rate in the community should be considered in evaluating the performance of public libraries.