Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance of the academic libraries’ Facebook pages in relation to the type of content they provide and the user engagement they generate. Design/methodology/approach Facebook pages of ten university libraries in the Philippines were analyzed for their posts and user interaction to look at their effectiveness in driving engagement with their target audience. Findings This study reveals that engagement is low for majority of libraries. For the most part, frequency of posts is directly proportional to the engagement rate. Photo posts and events-related posts account for the bulk of status posts and gather a higher level of interaction than any other type of postings. Status posts that are non-library related are also receiving a considerable engagement rate. Research limitations/implications Because of the absence of the Facebook Insights data, only the information publicly available from the Facebook pages of the libraries were utilized for this study. The findings of this research will help libraries to effectively create a plan of action to further build community and increase interaction in their Facebook sites. The results may also provide useful data for best practices and establish benchmark by which other libraries could evaluate their own performance. Originality/value While majority of the studies conducted analyze the type content posted by libraries in their Facebook pages, this study provides further investigation by looking at the engagement level generated by these posts as a primary gauge for determining the effectiveness of the libraries in creating engagement amongst their audience.

In this time of disinformation and misinformation, libraries remain a reliable source of truthful and factual information. As they fervently support the agenda of lifelong learning, libraries recognise that there are various influences that redefine the process of student learning. Admittedly, librarians need to be more creative in motivating post-millennial students to help them fully develop their Media and Information Literacy (MIL) skills.   This paper explores how games are adopted and utilised by academic libraries as an interactive approach to entice students to learn essential MIL competencies. It shows how games can be a viable tool not only to deliver information literacy (IL) instruction in a collaborative learning environment but to also effectively engage and attract students to use the library resources and services. While the use of games is not novel, the way it is delivered and re-purposed to meet MIL competencies is vital for today’s young generation of learners. This report demonstrates how two academic libraries in the Philippines and Kazakhstan were able to embed MIL skills through a library race challenge. Furthermore, this paper discusses the practical steps undertaken in the preparation of the game as well as the observations made during and after the activity was conducted. From this, other libraries may gain insights and best practices on how to leverage this method to further champion MIL in their own communities.

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Objective. This paper aims to investigate the types and scope of community engagement and outreach activities of academic libraries while the physical library spaces remain closed or operating on a limited capacity. It also looks at the tools and methods employed to implement such activities. The paper also attempts to uncover patterns or emerging themes as libraries explore innovative ideas and take new initiatives for the betterment of the community they serve. Methods. The study employs a website and Facebook page survey of AUN (ASEAN University Network) Inter-Library Online (AUNILO) member-libraries. The following six outreach categories will be utilized: (1) Collection-Based Outreach; (2) Instruction & Services-Based Outreach; (3) “Whole Person” Outreach; (4) Just for Fun Outreach; (5) Partnerships and Community-Focused Outreach; and (6) Multi-Pronged Themed Events and Programming. Said categories were derived from Farrell and Mastel (2016) paper entitled “Considering Outreach Assessment: Strategies, Sample Scenarios, And A Call to Action.” Results. Findings of the study will offer some insights on how libraries strengthen their roles in transforming societies as they provide opportunities to bring about positive change in their communities. Moreover, this paper will also challenge libraries to take a closer look at their own activities and consider how they can design creative and inspiring ways to connect with their communities. Conclusions. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, libraries are proactively pivoting their community engagement and outreach efforts online and are finding new ways to serve faculty, students, and partners. Libraries are committed to strengthening the resilience and recovery of the community through working collaboratively with its members and building partnerships with relevant organizations.