Use of
Social Networking Sites among Students of Library and Information Science, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur
Harish Kumar Sahu*
School of Studies in Library & Information
Science, Pt. RavishankarShukla University, Raipur (Chhattisgarh) India.
Abstract: This study examines
the social networking sites among college students in India have significantly increased. The purpose
of the study is to investigate the use of social networking sites among students
of Library and Information Science, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur,
Chhattisgarh. Structured
questionnaires were used to collect the data from a representative sample of 61
(B. Lib. & I. Sc. 33, M. Lib. & I. Sc. 18 and 10
research scholars) students who were selected. The collected data were analyzed
using different statistical methods. The result indicates that all Library
and Information Science students are
aware of social networking sites. They are using at least one form of social
networking website to interact with family members and friends and also connect
to their classmates for online study. Facebook and Whatsapp are the commonly
used social networking sites among the Library and Information Science students and they use them for friendly
communication. There are benefits of using social networking sites as well as
dangers associated with social networking sites which are discussed in this
paper.
Keywords–
Socialnetworking sites, Social media,
Social networking,University,Library and Information Science.
Introduction
In this present era, Social Media enables users to
generate interpersonal connections based on common grounds. Social networking
sites (SNS), such as Facebook, YouTube, Whats-app, Friendster, LinkedIn,
MySpace Orkut, Flixter, Twitter, My Life, and Wikipedia set up personal
communities, allow users to make comments on the profiles of their friends and
send private messages. So SNS are being currently used regularly by millions of
people. Because of this, the impact of SNS has increased. It is a modern communication
channel through which people connect to share with one another their
experiences, ideas, messages, pictures, and information of interest. In the
modern age, social networking sites are boon for internet users.
Objectives of the Study
- To identify the benefits and purpose of using social
media in students of Library and Information Science, Pt. Ravishankar
Shukla University.
- To know the various categories of social networking
sites using social media.
- To examine the frequency of use of social networking
sites using social media.
- To find the purpose of the student's usage of social
networking sites.
- To know the benefits and dangers of using social
networking sites using social media in students of Library and Information
Science, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Scope
of the Study
This study is limited to the use of networking sites
by61(B.
Lib. & I. Sc. 33, M. Lib. & I. Sc. 18 and 10 research
scholars) students of Library and Information Science, Pt.
Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh.It covers the extent of the use of social networking sites by undergraduateand
postgraduate students.
Review of
Literature
Numbers of studies have been published on social
networking sites in the journal, etc. some significant studies are:
“Singh (2016)1studied
social networking is very popular among all sections of society and to connect
people. In this modern era libraries are using as a social networking platform
for promoting, marketing their services, while connecting each other their
users and to provide the latestInformation.”
“Omeluzor, Oyovwe – Tinuoye &Abayomi(2016)2study adopted a survey design using 173
librarians from the zone. Findings showed that some librarians used SN in
libraries for the delivery of library services. It also revealed that SN will
be beneficial and cost-effective for academic libraries to adopt. Some
challenges identified in this study inhibiting the use of SN in academic
libraries are erratic power supply, inadequate skill to manipulate SN and other
ICT tools, technophobia, lack of awareness, insufficient bandwidth, apathy in
using modern technologies and lack of internet connection.”
“Kaushik (2016)3analyzed the Social
networking sites that are widely used by the library information science
professionals for libraries for various purposes due to their characteristics,
facilities, and connectivity. This study provides views of library and
information science professionals regarding the usages of SNS tools and
services for their libraries.Apart from this, the maximum number of respondents
said that SNS tools and services will be used for libraries in full extend in the
future.”
“Chikkamanju (2014)4study
examines the relationship between the use of Face book, a popularonline social
network site, and the formation and maintenance of social capital. We explore a
dimension of social capital that assesses one’s ability to stay connected with
members of a previously inhabited community, which we call maintained social
capital. a survey conducted from undergraduate students at the University of
Mysore (N = 186 (93.00%) suggests a strong association between the use of Face
book and the three types of social capital, with the strongestrelationship
being to bridging social capital.”
“Singh and gill (2011)5study is an attempt to determine the use and
effectiveness of such applications in education and research by the research
scholars. The study conducted through a structured questionnaire administrated
among the research scholars pursuing their research at GND University Amritsar.
The study finds that the majority of the respondents were found to be aware and
making use of such applications in their research affairs and it was revealed
from the study that Facebook is the most popular SNS by all categories of
research scholars.”
Methodology of the
Study
This study was conducted among 61 respondents between the
age groups of 22 to 38 years who were undergraduate,
postgraduate students and Research Scholars of Library and Information Science,
Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh.Questionnairetools have been used in the study of collecting the
Primary data.
Analysis and Discussion of the Study -
5.1Questionnaire
distribution
Questionnaires were distributed
among 61students
of Library and Information Science, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur,
Chhattisgarh. Table 1 indicates the total number ofquestionnaires distributed
to the male and female respondents.
Table 1 Questionnaire distribution
|
Distributed
Questionnaire
|
No of Questionnaire Distributed
|
No of
Responses
|
|
Female
|
45 (B.Lib.-24,
M.Lib.-15 and Research Scholars-06)
|
45 (73.77%)
|
|
Male
|
16 (B.Lib.-09,
M.Lib.-03 and Research Scholars-04)
|
16 (26.22%)
|
|
Total
|
N=61
|
61 (100%)
|
Figure
1 Questionnaire distribution
Figure 1 reveals that 45 (73.77%)
respondents are female and the remaining 16 (26.22%) respondents are male.
1.2 Frequency of the use of social networking
sites
Figure 2 exhibits that the average duration of use of
the social networking sites (89%) majorities
of students are using SNS every day, (5%)
students use SNS weekly, (3%) students
use SNS twice in a week and also
occasionally uses of the respondents have reported that they have use of the
social networking sites.
Figure 2Frequency of the use of social networking
sites
5.3Time-Duration spend on SNS
Figure 3 is clear in that the (80%) students use SNS 1-2 hours, (15%) use SNS 2-3 hours, and (5%) use SNS for more than three hours.
Figure 3 Time-Duration spend on SNS
5.4
The purposes of using social networking sites
The varieties of the
purpose of using social networking sites have been given in Figure 4. For
online learning and getting study materials (73.77%), For discussing/sharing ideas/news/events and
entertainment/watching movies (59.01%), For access electronic resources,communicating
and interacting with friends and
keeping up to date (49.18%), For
finding useful information about Conference/Seminars (39.34%),and For private messaging/uploading photos (29.50%) are the top-priorities for
using the social networking sites.
(Multiple
answers permitted)
Figure 4 Purposes of using social networking sites
5.5 Various
categories of social networking sites and there uses
Figure 5 indicates
that the most commonly used SNS in order of preference by the student’s
community is: Whats-app (100%), Face
book (85.24%), YouTube (83.60%), Friendster (34.42%), My space (31.14%), Linkedin (22.95%), Flickr
(21.31%), Twitter and Orkut (18.03%), and Instagram (13.11%).
(Multiple
answers permitted)
Figure 5 various categories of social networking
sites and there uses
5.6
Sharing contents through SNS
Figure 6 shows that (83.60%) students accepted Videos/Audios to share through SNS, (52.45%) students use SNS to share Stories/images
and (36.06%) students accept to
use SNS were shared Personal Profiles (Photo, etc).
(Multiple
answers permitted)
Figure 6 Sharing contents through SNS
5.7
Benefits by using social networking sites
Figure 7 shows that the majority (86.88%) students accept that SNS help
in learning, (77.04%) students
accept to use SNS were sharing own views, ideas, events, etc, (60.65%) accept that SNS promoted
reading and writing web information,
(54.09%) students accept SNS provide general information and (50.81%) students accept social
networking sites to encourage information searching.
(Multiple
answers permitted)
Figure 7 Benefits by using social networking sites
5.8
Dangers that is associated with the social network sites
Figure 8 indicates that the majority (80.32%) students say the use of SNS
as an E-crime e.g. identity theft, theft of valuable data, financial loss, (68.85%) said it the Misuse of
Personal Information, (62.29%) students accept the use of SNS is a waste of
time and (34.42%) students say the use of SNS bring about laziness.
(Multiple
answers permitted)
Figure 8 Dangers that is associated with the social network sites
Conclusions
The study is limited to the use of networking sites by
undergraduate and postgraduate
students of Library and Information Science, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University,
Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The Study results obtained a reasonable number of students
using social networking sites. Whats-app, Face book, and YouTube have emerged
the most popular SNS’s and have contained to grow in popularity. Students say
that these websites create new ways of communication with friends and family
and also influence an individual’s self-concept. Students indicate dangers with
social networking sites as well.
References
- Singh, Roopendra.(2016).
Social Networking as a tool for Marketing Library Service. Knowledge Librarian.3(1):
99-108.
- Omeluzor,Saturday U., Oyovwe – Tinuoye,Gloria O.
& Abayomi,Imam. (2016). Social Networking Tools in Library Services
Delivery: The case of Academic Libraries in South-East Zone of Nigeria. DESIDOC
Journal of Library and Information Technology.36 (5): 269-277.
- Kaushik,Anna.(2016). Use of Social Networking sites Tools and Service by
LIS Professionals for Libraries: A Survey. DESIDOC Journal of Library and
Information Technology.36 (5): 284-290.
- Chikkamanju. (2014). Use of Social Networking sites
by Mysore University Post Graduate Students: A Study. International Journal of
Librarianship and Administration.5 (2): 107-112.
- Singh, K. P.& Gill,Malkeet Singh. (2011). Use of
Social Networking sites by the Research Scholars: A study of Guru Nanak Dev
University, Amritsar. Library Herald.49(3): 229-241.
- Sahu, Harish
Kumar. (2017). Use of Social Networking Sites among Undergraduate Students of Arts and Commerce Colleges, Raipur,
Chhattisgarh. IASLIC Bulletin. 62 (1): 51-58.