Information-sharing experiences of librarians on social media: a qualitative inquiry

• Main Authors: Cole, Mary Whieslyn N., Miranda, Christler Aaron, Cajocson, Kester Anne D., Regidor, Irvin Dan M., Alcorin, Ma. Divina S., Zabala, John Louie T.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_clis/2022/Schedule/10
• Institution: De La Salle University

Purpose/objectives. The objective of the study is to describe the lived experiences of Librarians in sharing information on Social Media (SM) platforms. It aims to inform the design of Information Literacy Programs (ILPs) for Librarians and help advance future research. It seeks to answer the research question: What are the lived experiences of Librarians in sharing information on SM? Design, methodology, approach. The study employed the descriptive phenomenological approach of Edmund Husserl to effectively capture the experiences of Librarians in sharing information on SM. Purposive sampling was used to select twenty-five Filipino Librarians who have SM accounts and those who share information on SM as participants. Primary data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured, online interviews via video-conferencing platforms. An online open-ended questionnaire using Google Form was also used to gather supplementary data. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data gathered. Findings. Six themes were identified in the study, namely: (1) behaviors and observations, (2) platforms used, (3) information shared, (4) reasons for sharing, (5) methods of evaluating information, (6) easiness and difficultness of evaluating information. It was found that Facebook and Instagram are the most used SM platforms by the participants. They posted information on their SM accounts mainly to educate the public, entertain, and promote their professional activities. Most of the participants determine the authenticity of the information they share by checking the author and source of information and by cross-checking with other sources. However, it was noted that other participants are having difficulty in evaluating information and cited the tedious work and time involved as their reasons. There are also participants who are hesitant to share information on their accounts because they’re not sure of its authenticity. Participants who had an easy time evaluating information mentioned their prior knowledge and helpful fact-checking tools as their aids. Practical implication. The findings of the study can inform library managers, library associations, and policymakers on the design of ILPs for Librarians. It will also help future researchers, especially those who will study the experiences of librarians on SM. Originality of the paper: The paper will provide evidence and will dig deeper into the subjective experiences of librarians on sharing information on SM. It will also address the dearth of literature showing the qualitative experiences of librarians in using SM.