The university libraries in the social network VKontakte: The administrator’s experience

Abstract

The social media have become part and parcel of the modern society, as they are a social communication channel. Using social networks for connecting to potential users have been increasingly important for the libraries. The libraries have been setting up groups and accounts in the social media to connect to their users, to draw attention to their work and to widen its scope. The university libraries, like many other libraries of educational institutions, participate in the process. The author analyzes the experience of Perm State Humanitarian Pedagogical University with VKontakte network subscribers group in 2013-2018. The general statistical data characterize group evolution during the selected period; dynamics of views, and the viral coverage and subscribers group coverage are provided. The author examines the administration mistakes that result in the loss of subscribers; she reviews the experience of attracting users, and rules for content presentation. She concludes that group success is determined by interesting and quality content relevant to the group aims and tasks; that the librarian in charge must be familiar with the principles of social group administering and content generation in accordance with the library’s goals and tasks.