The pervasiveness of social media in today’s society has influenced interactions and communication in both personal and professional spheres. Once perceived primarily as a platform for connecting conveniently with friends and family worldwide, social media has evolved beyond a space for personalised interactions. It has now metamorphosed into a professional realm that coexists with the personal sphere (Nisar et al., 2019).

Identity blur in the context of personal and professional boundaries in social media for information professionals refers to maintaining a clear distinction between one’s personal and professional identities online. Feher (2019) states that users generate visual depictions and personal narratives and engage in storytelling as components of their digital footprints within social networks and online communities.

Information professionals such as librarians, archivists, or researchers often use social media platforms to engage with their communities, share knowledge and stay updated on industry trends. According to Brandtzaeg et al., how individuals present themselves is frequently influenced by the specific interaction’s context and the audience they are engaging with (2020, p.160).

However, managing the balance between personal and professional content on these platforms can be complex, leading to an unintentional blending of identities. This was one consideration for employers early in the social media boom; some employers were apprehensive about the potential risks associated with employees using social media, such as the spread of criticism or excessive personal media use during working hours (Soens et al., 2021, p.454).

Organisations are now aware of the positive power of social media for connecting with customers and using it to promote their business, engage with consumers, and facilitate interactions among employees and clients (Plume et al., 2016). Demek et al., (2018) affirm that social media can improve relationships with employees and boost the effectiveness and efficiency of internal operations (p.31).

Integrating social media into an information agency like a school library has empowered librarians to showcase new services, publicise events, and connect with their communities. Such incorporations of social media have influenced the fundamental nature of private and public communication (Dijck, 2013, p.7). Specifically, as information organisations adopted social media, the distinction between personal and professional realms became less defined. To address this ambiguity, social media policies were formulated. James (n.d. para.2 & 3) proclaims that we no longer see social media policies simply prohibiting its use in the workplace. An employer implements a social media policy to establish guidelines for the appropriate use of social media within the organisation. This policy encompasses both the official channels associated with the brand and the employees’ personal and professional social media accounts.

Within a school community, this could have consequences for the teacher librarian who intends to post content that may not completely align with the school’s values. In an interview, Pantechis argues that there is no inherent right to privacy on social media (Wright, 2018), implying that content posted on a personal account, even outside work hours, can influence a person’s professional standing. A well-articulated policy can mitigate such concerns and facilitate a degree of separation between individuals’ personal and professional social media activities.

A social media policy delineates the school library’s mission and guides employees’ social media usage. The objective is to showcase the library’s offerings to the community while also infusing a personal touch into social media to portray the diverse personalities of the staff (Young & Rossman, 2017).

Information organisations, including libraries, use social media to promote new books and other materials, provide information about upcoming events and services, and foster community engagement. This enables users to interact with the library and, more importantly, engage with librarians, whom they would typically encounter in person if they were to visit (Swanson, 2012). In these instances, information professionals interact with the public through the library’s social media account. However, they can infuse their personal touch into responses and posts, akin to how their personalities influence their interaction with the public.

A well-crafted social media policy can guide the content shared on the library’s social media. However, it cannot regulate the community’s posts or how they use the available information. According to The Global Statistics (2023), about 83% of Australians use social media daily (para.2). While each user employs social media for different purposes, many choose to connect with colleagues as friends or follow their accounts. Comments after hours recounting aspects of their workday revealing matters of a negative nature or confidential manner can become problematic. These colleagues may come across the comment and might opt to report it to the organisation, potentially leading to significant consequences for the information professional and their employment. While remembering that online statements are not truly private, it raises the question of whether it is worth having colleagues as friends on social media or creating two distinct accounts, one for personal and one for professional purposes.

The answer to this dilemma is not as straightforward as creating two accounts. The information professional could leverage their personal social media presence to enhance their learning and connect with fellow librarians. Social media has facilitated the creation of various learning communities, providing a platform to interact for educational and professional development purposes (Luo & Hostetler, 2020).

In numerous libraries, including those in regional or school settings, libraries often operate in isolation or within small teams. Utilising social media to seek information from other organisations allows librarians to advance in their profession and enhance the services provided to their community. Nevertheless, suppose a librarian employs their personal social media account to engage in these online professional learning communities. In that case, maintaining a clear distinction between personal and professional identities adds to the challenge.

In information organisations like libraries, achieving a distinct separation between personal and professional boundaries in social media use is inherently challenging. Librarians are confronted with a decision: to establish a dedicated professional account for such purposes or to persist with their personal account while being mindful of their professional standing. Each librarian may approach the situation differently, and there is no definitive answer as to which approach is correct. Only time will reveal the outcomes of these choices.

References

Brandtzaeg, P.B., & Chaparro – Dominguez, M.A. (2020). From youthful experimentation to professional identity: Understanding identity transitions in social media. Young, 28(2), 157-174. From Youthful Experimentation to Professional Identity: Understanding Identity Transitions in Social Media – Petter Bae Brandtzaeg, María-Ángeles Chaparro-Domínguez, 2020 (csu.edu.au)

Demek, K.C., Raschke, R.L., Janvrin, D.J., & Dilla, W.N. (2018). Do organisations use a formalized risk management process to address social media risk? International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, 28, 31-44. https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/science/article/pii/S1467089516300422?via%3Dihub

Dijck, J. van. (2013). The culture of connectivity: A critical history of social media. Oxford Scholarship Online. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csuau/reader.action?docID=3055231

Feher, K. (2019). Digital identity and the online self: Footprint strategies – An exploratory and comparative research study. Journal of Information Science, 47(2), 192-205. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0165551519879702

James, S. (n.d.). Social media ethics: Why you should have a policy [Blog Post]. https://www.streamcreative.com/blog/bid/52570/Social-Media-Ethics-Why-You-Should-Have-a-Policy

Luo, T. & Hostetler, K. (2020). Making professional development more social: A systematic review of librarian’s professional development through social media. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 46(5).

Nisar, T.M., Prabhakar, G., & Strakova, L. (2019). Social media information benefits, knowledge management and smart organisations. Journal of Business Research, 94, 264-272. https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0148296318302303?via%3Dihub

Plume, C.J., Dwivedi, Y.K.& Slade, E.L. (2016). Social media in the marketing context: A state of the art analysis and future directions. Elsevier Science & Technology.

Swanson, T. (2012). Managing social media in libraries: Finding collaboration, coordination, and focus. Elsevier Science & Technology.

The Global Statistics. (2023). Australia social media statistics 2023 – most popular platforms. The Global Statistics.  Australia Social Media Statistics 2023 | Most Popular Platforms – The Global Statistics

Wright, P. (2018). Social media and work: Five common-sense rules every employee should know. ABC Everyday. https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/social-media-and-work-how-to-keep-out-of-trouble/10382110

Young, S.W.H., & Rossman, D. (2017). Using social media to build library communities: A LITA guide. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.