Facebook use by Library and Information Science students

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine whether Library and Information Science (LIS) students' patterns of Facebook use are affected by personality characteristics (e.g. extroversion, introversion, self-esteem) and by their perceptions about Facebook. Design/methodology/approach: Different questionnaires were distributed to 140 LIS students in a prominent LIS department in Israel. Findings: The present research revealed that personality characteristics as well as gender, level of education and age influence both LIS students' patterns of Facebook use, and their perceptions about Facebook. Practical implications: LIS educators should expose MA and PhD students more to social networking sites, enabling them to experience their advantages and disadvantages in the personal as well as professional realms. This exposure may cause these students to use social networks in their future work as librarians or information scientists, understanding that these platforms can serve as an additional channel of communication with their patrons. Originality/value: The findings emphasize the importance of individual differences in technology use and acceptance, and may lead to further research in this field.