Use of Social Media Platforms for Dissemination of Information and Creating Awareness about Library Resources and Services among Students in Lagos State University, Nigeria

Social media platforms are a combination of internet applications that build on the technological foundations of Web 2.0, which allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content. Social media platforms offer instant messages which are preferred in the contemporary world by students. The purpose of libraries for using social media platforms enhance sharing of news, market their services, provide instructions for information literacy, provide information about library resources and services and for feedback from the users. Hence this study elucidated the use of social media platforms for the dissemination of information and creating awareness about library resources and services among students in Lagos State University, Nigeria. A survey research design was used for the study. The multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 200 respondents for the study. Data were collected with the use of a structured questionnaire of the respondents. Frequency count, percentage, mean standard deviation, were used to analyse the data. Results review that YouTube = (3.70), WhatsApp = x (3.58), Facebook = (3.15), are the major social media platforms that are available and relevant to academic libraries. Also, shows that Social media provides a platform for lecturers to create chat rooms, forums and groups to expand classroom discussion to post assignments, tests and quizzes = (3.80), social media is useful for getting information = (3.80) and Social media provides Forum for Feedback = (3.74) are the major benefit of social media platform to users. The finding also shows that lack of internet access = (3.57), Network problem = (3.54), Unreliable power supply= (3.50) are the major challenges encountered in the use of social platforms among librarians and library users. In conclusion, social media are communities of people who share interests, activities and provide directions for users to interact. This study recommended that the tertiary institutions should recognise social media platforms that are used among students and librarians for education purposes