Mobile Instant Messaging for Reference Queries Post COVID-19

ABSTRACT

The study investigated whether students would prefer mobile instant messaging versus in-person enquiries for reference queries post-COVID-19. A descriptive survey research design was utilized in the study. The population consisted of 245 Adeleke University undergraduates that partook in library orientation programme. A descriptive statistic was employed to analyze the data. Findings indicated that the most preferred mobile instant messaging for reference queries by students are WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, default text messenger and Facebook Messenger. However, the most significant problem of using mobile instant messaging for reference queries were discovered to be internet access issues. The study concluded that Adeleke University undergraduate students prefer to utilize mobile instant messaging to make reference queries rather than in-person reference queries post-COVID-19, hence reference librarians should enhance their use of mobile instant messaging to receive reference queries.

KEYWORDS:

• Mobile instant messaging
• chat reference queries
• reference librarians
• reference services
• patrons

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no funding to report.