Tansian University Journal of Arts, Management & Social Sciences

This study examines the information-seeking behaviours and health information needs of social media users who engage with digital libraries. The study adopted survey method with 280 active social media users. It was based on Wilson's Information Seeking Behaviour Model. Structured online surveys were used to collect data, which was then analysed using descriptive statistics. The results show that significant users use digital libraries accessed through social media to access health information. YouTube, Academia.edu, and ResearchGate were found to be the most popular sites, with Facebook as the dominant platform. On the other hand, LinkedIn and Reddit were not very useful for getting to digital libraries. Some of the main problems that have been found are copyright violations, issues about privacy and data security, and problems with access. These things make it much harder for users to use social media to get the most out of digital libraries. The study found that social media increases access to digital libraries for health information, but it also points out the need for better copyright enforcement, data protection and access methods. Based on the findings, it is recommended that libraries and social media sites work together in smart ways to make sure that health information is accurate, easy to find and safe.

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