To read this content please select one of the options below:

Experts as facilitators for the implementation of social media in the library? A social network approach

Hadewijch Vanwynsberghe (Department of Communication Sciences, iMinds-MICT-Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium)
Elke Boudry (Department of Communication Sciences, iMinds-MICT-Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium)
Ruben Vanderlinde (Department of Educational Studies, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium)
Pieter Verdegem (Department of Communication Sciences, iMinds-MICT-Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium)

Library Hi Tech

ISSN: 0737-8831

Article publication date: 9 September 2014

2026

Abstract

Purpose

Based on the social capital theory, the authors assume that personal and professional experts are both relevant to people's competence development. However, to date, there is little empirical evidence of how professional experts can support, or impede, people in learning how to deal with social media. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role and position of social media experts in the distribution of information on social media within the library as organization.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws upon social network and qualitative methods, within three public libraries located in Belgium.

Findings

The findings suggest that as the most central actors, social media experts in a library play a significant role in either supporting or constraining the distribution of information on social media.

Research limitations/implications

While the sample size was chosen to conduct a mixed methods study that would explore how the position of a social media expert in an organization such as the library facilitates or prevents the exchange of social media information, the authors acknowledge the need for large-scale empirical studies that can substantiate the findings in larger and more diverse samples.

Originality/value

This unique study explores how the role and position social media experts in Belgian public libraries can support, or impede, librarians in learning how to deal with social media. This study is useful for other public libraries who want to implement social media, establish a social media policy and/or provide social media training.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research is conducted within the EMSOC – User Empowerment in a Social Media Culture – project, funded by the government agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT, SBO programe) in Flanders, Belgium.

Citation

Vanwynsberghe, H., Boudry, E., Vanderlinde, R. and Verdegem, P. (2014), "Experts as facilitators for the implementation of social media in the library? A social network approach", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 32 No. 3, pp. 529-545. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-02-2014-0015

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles