Diverse librarians collaborating around a social media globe.

Decoding Social Media in Libraries: Building Your Research Superpower

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Rhea Morgan in Mind & Education December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Unlock collaborative research: How a Canadian team built capacity through social media adoption."


In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, social media has become an undeniable force, reshaping how we communicate, collaborate, and conduct research. This is particularly true within the realm of library and information science, where professionals are constantly seeking innovative ways to engage with their communities and deliver services.

Enter the Social Media Research Team (SMRT), a Canadian initiative born from the desire to explore the potential of social media in academic libraries. Originating at the University of British Columbia (UBC), this team brought together librarians and MLIS students from across the country, united by a common goal: to share information, overcome research hurdles, and discover new avenues for collaboration.

This article delves into the SMRT's journey, highlighting their collaborative practices, diverse research interests, and the strategies they employed to build research capacity through social media adoption. Discover how this Canadian team navigated the challenges and opportunities of the digital age, offering valuable insights for librarians and information professionals looking to enhance their own research endeavors.

Breaking Down Barriers: SMRT's Collaborative Approach

Diverse librarians collaborating around a social media globe.

The Social Media Research Team (SMRT) distinguished itself by uniting librarians from diverse backgrounds and geographical locations across Canada, all sharing a keen interest in leveraging social media for library services. This collaborative spirit fueled their mission to not only share information but also to pioneer innovative research methodologies.

Recognizing the inherent challenges in initiating research projects, particularly within the demanding context of regular library duties, SMRT prioritized building a supportive network. Their efforts focused on enhancing research skills and expanding their collective capacity. This approach directly addressed a key obstacle identified in existing literature: the significant time commitment required for exploring social media tools and the scarcity of effective evaluation methods.

  • Shared knowledge and resources related to social media research.
  • Provided mutual support and mentorship for team members.
  • Collaborated on research projects, leveraging diverse skills and perspectives.
  • Developed a research portal on HLWIKI Canada to centralize resources.
To tackle these challenges, SMRT established a research portal on HLWIKI Canada, centralizing resources for team members to deepen their understanding of rigorous library and information science (LIS) research (http://hlwiki.slais.ubc.ca/index.php/Research_for_librarians_-_portal). This initiative reflects their commitment to democratizing access to research knowledge and fostering a culture of continuous learning within the team.

The Future is Social: Embracing Media Literacies for Library Innovation

Looking ahead, social media's role in libraries is poised to expand, demanding that librarians adapt and innovate their service delivery methods. This necessitates a shift towards prioritizing media literacies, equipping librarians with the skills to effectively navigate and leverage social media platforms.

Several SMRT librarians are actively exploring solutions and establishing best practices for social media integration. Their diverse projects encompass social bookmarking for scholarly influence, reference management tool evaluations, and the utilization of mobile devices in medical library settings. These initiatives underscore the team's commitment to staying at the forefront of social media trends and their implications for library services.

The SMRT's journey offers a compelling example of how collaboration and a focus on media literacies can empower librarians to overcome research barriers and enhance their professional capabilities. By embracing social media and fostering a culture of continuous learning, libraries can unlock new opportunities to engage with their communities and deliver innovative services in the digital age.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.5596/c10-032, Alternate LINK

Title: Building Research Capacity Among A Group Of Social Media Adopters In Canada: Introducing The Social Media Research Team (Smert)

Subject: Library and Information Sciences

Journal: Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association / Journal de l'Association des bibliothèques de la santé du Canada

Publisher: University of Alberta Libraries

Authors: Dean Giustini

Published: 2014-07-24

Everything You Need To Know

1

What was the Social Media Research Team (SMRT) and what was its purpose?

The Social Media Research Team (SMRT) was a Canadian initiative that originated at the University of British Columbia (UBC). It brought together librarians and MLIS students from across Canada with the goal of exploring the potential of social media in academic libraries, sharing information, overcoming research hurdles, and discovering new avenues for collaboration.

2

Why was the collaborative approach of the Social Media Research Team (SMRT) so significant?

The SMRT's collaborative approach was significant because it addressed the challenges of conducting research within the demanding context of regular library duties. By uniting librarians from diverse backgrounds and geographical locations, the SMRT fostered a supportive network focused on enhancing research skills and expanding collective capacity. This included sharing knowledge and resources, providing mutual support and mentorship, collaborating on research projects, and developing a research portal on HLWIKI Canada to centralize resources. This approach facilitated overcoming research barriers.

3

What was the role of the HLWIKI Canada research portal created by SMRT?

The HLWIKI Canada research portal, developed by the SMRT, centralized resources related to library and information science (LIS) research. Its importance lies in democratizing access to research knowledge and fostering a culture of continuous learning within the team. This resource enabled SMRT members to deepen their understanding of rigorous LIS research methodologies and facilitated collaborative research efforts.

4

What were the key challenges addressed by the Social Media Research Team (SMRT)?

A key challenge the SMRT addressed was the time commitment needed for exploring social media tools and the scarcity of effective evaluation methods. By fostering a collaborative environment and centralizing resources, SMRT reduced these barriers, enabling librarians to engage with social media research more effectively. The focus on building research capacity was a direct response to the identified obstacles, allowing librarians to overcome hurdles and contribute to innovative research methodologies.

5

How is the future of social media impacting libraries and librarians?

Looking ahead, social media's role in libraries is expected to expand. This evolution demands that librarians adapt and innovate service delivery methods by prioritizing media literacies. Librarians need skills to navigate and leverage social media platforms effectively to engage with their communities and deliver services. This shift will be critical for libraries to remain relevant and responsive in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

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