SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING PRACTICES AMONG LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE STUDENTS OF THE FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC OFFA AND LENS PLYTECHNIC OFFA

This study investigated social media use and knowledge sharing practices among Library and Information Science (LIS) students of Federal Polytechnic Offa and Lens Polytechnic Offa in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by the growing prominence of social media platforms in academic environments and the increasing need to understand how students in LIS programmes leverage these platforms for knowledge sharing. The study specifically examined the types of social media platforms used, the frequency and purpose of use, the nature of knowledge sharing practices, the benefits derived, and the challenges encountered by LIS students on social media. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The total population comprised 320 LIS students from both institutions, out of which 175 were selected using stratified random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used as the primary instrument for data collection, and data collected were analysed using simple percentages and frequency distribution tables. Findings revealed that WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube and Telegram were the most widely used social media platforms among the students. The majority of respondents used social media daily, primarily for academic discussions, sharing course materials and accessing educational content. The study found that peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, group discussions, resource sharing, and collaborative learning were the dominant knowledge sharing practices. Among the benefits identified were enhanced learning experience, access to information beyond the classroom, and improved collaboration among peers. The major challenges included epileptic internet connectivity, data costs, distraction, misinformation and lack of digital literacy skills. The study concluded that social media is an essential tool for knowledge sharing among LIS students in both institutions but its full potential is constrained by infrastructural and behavioural challenges. It was recommended that institutional policies be formulated to guide effective use of social media for academic purposes, that internet infrastructure be improved, and that digital literacy be embedded into the LIS curriculum. Keywords: Social media, Knowledge sharing, Library and Information Science, Federal Polytechnic Offa, Lens Polytechnic Offa, Academic use.