From Books to Bytes: Exploring Social Media Opportunities in the University Libraries

Authors

  • Muhammad Tufail Khan Government College University Lahore https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6840-2813
  • Muhammad Rafiq Institute of Information Management, University of the Punjab Lahore
  • Midrar Ullah Faculty of Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi

Keywords:

Library social media, Social Networking Sites (SNS), Social Media Services (SMS), University Libraries (UL), Web 2.0 tools, Social Media Opportunities – Libraries, Social Media - Pakistan

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to explore Social Media Opportunities (SMO) in the University Libraries (UL) of Pakistan. Moreover, differences in respondents' opinions from public and private sector universities, users and non-users of social media, and respondents’ geographical locations were also identified.

Methodology: A quantitative research design was employed and data were collected through an online structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed among all head/chief Librarians of 181 universities recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. However, 124 (69%) valid responses were received out of 181 distributed questionnaires.

Findings: The study findings revealed that 54% of university libraries were using social media for library services and showed positive perceptions towards the opportunities offered by social media. Surprisingly, the librarians currently not using social media services showed more positive perceptions than social media users in university libraries. Also, the study revealed that no policy for social media use in university libraries is available. 

Practical Implications: The findings have theoretical implications for researchers and practical implications for university library administrators, policymakers, and higher education commission decision-makers. Also, help librarians in designing more library services through social media.

Originality: This study is among the first attempts to explore the perceptions of university librarians toward social media opportunities for university libraries in an organizational context by covering the whole population.

Author Biographies

Muhammad Tufail Khan, Government College University Lahore

The author has sixteen years of professional experience in librarianship and has been working as a Senior Librarian since 2021 and a Librarian at Government College University (GCU) Lahore, Pakistan, from 2011 to 2021. He is also an Associate Editor of GCU - Academic Journals. Before joining GCU Lahore, he also worked in various capacities at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI), Topi (KPK), National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, and University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore. From January 2019 to August 2023, he also served as Vice President of KOHA Pakistan. He did a B.Sc. in Computer Science (2002-2003), B.L.I.Sc. (2004-2005), and M.L.I.Sc. (2005-2006) from the University of Peshawar Pakistan. However, an M.Phil in LIS from Minhaj University Lahore (2012-2014) and a Ph.D. in Information Management from the University of the Punjab, Lahore in 2020. He received an ALCTS fellowship for developing countries in 2010. Apart from that, a SIG-SM membership for 2019-20 was awarded. In addition, since 2008, he has been a life member of the Pakistan Library Association. He has over 20 research articles in major national and international journals, and he is widely recognized as an expert in library automation and institutional repositories using Open-Source Software. His research interests are Social Media, Open Source Software, Library Automation and Digitization and Library Services. 

Muhammad Rafiq, Institute of Information Management, University of the Punjab Lahore

Associate Professor at Institute of Information Management, University of the Punjab, Lahore [Pakistan]. Editor - Pakistan Journal of Information Management and Libraries. Over two decades of professional career in graduate and postgraduate teaching and research, administering libraries, managing IT applications in information settings and digital repositories, and records and archives consultant. 

Midrar Ullah, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi

Dr. Midrar Ullah started his career as a lecturer at the Department of LIS, University of Peshawar. He is now working as a Senior Librarian in the Faculty of Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi. Also, served as a Chief Librarian at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan. He received MLIS (1994) degree from the University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan. He earned M. Phil. (2011) and Ph.D. (2015) degrees in LIS from the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. He has more than 28 years of experience in librarianship along with teaching and research experience in the field of LIS. He is the author of 32 research publications. He has presented many papers in national and international conferences. He has won Cunningham International Fellowship Award of the USA in 2012. He is also an active member of the Pakistan Library Association (PLA). His research interests are medical librarianship, information literacy instruction, online resources, and bibliometrics.

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Published

2025-05-16

How to Cite

Khan, M. T., Muhammad Rafiq, & Midrar Ullah. (2025). From Books to Bytes: Exploring Social Media Opportunities in the University Libraries. IJoLIS, 9(1). Retrieved from https://ojs.aiou.edu.pk/index.php/jlis/article/view/2369

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2024): IJOLIS

Section

Articles