Comparative Study of Academic Library Websites in Iran and United States from Standpoint Users Engagement Through Social Medias

Abstract

The present study offers a comparative analysis with exploration approach among university library websites in Iran and United States from standpoint user engagement via social medias. Descriptive survey method was used in this study. Websites composed of 21 academic university library websites in Iran and 16 academic university library websites in United states (37 websites) were investigated by direct observation using analytical database “similarweb“ during 3 months (February up to April 2019). Findings showed that in United States, 100% of the total university library websites attracted users through social media, compared to 19% in Iran. The number of users clicking or visiting the website of the university library via social media in Iran was 3% of the total number of users visiting the library's website. This figure in United States was up to 1% (Except for the MIT University libraries that the number was 11%). Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, Researchgate and Pinterest were the top media that university library websites in United States had user engagement through them.

Keywords

• academic libraries
• digital libraries
• social medias
• users engagement