| This mixed methods study combined quantitative and qualitative data gathered from library websites, library social media posts, and a survey of library leaders in California community college libraries to explore how California community colleges use Library/Web 2.0 technologies like social media, chat reference, and text messaging. Facebook and LibGuides emerged as the predominant Library/Web 2.0 technologies used by more than half of California community college libraries. The majority of California community college librarians rated LibGuides as effective or highly effective; whereas Facebook was most commonly rated as only somewhat effective. The majority of the librarians in the study agreed that social media could be an effective platform to promote library programs and events to students, and that social media could be an effective outreach tool. Reported barriers to the implementation of new technologies were lack of staff time, limited budgets, lack of staff training, and institutional policies. Student response to library social media was measured through growth in subscribers to library social media and through analysis of the types of content that garnered the most student response. Students responded most frequently to local library content that could be interpreted as an attempt to build connections and community. Examples of this type of content were humor, invitations to conversation and connection, and local library pictures. |
