Science Communication and Social Media

A Study of Instagram Profiles in the Field of Library Science in Brazil

Abstract

Science communication is the dissemination of scientific information aimed at the lay public, i.e. non-specialised audiences. It can be practised on various types of media, but this research is concerned with its practice on social media, seeking to understand the current scenario on Instagram in the area of Librarianship in Brazil. Its main objective is to analyse social media geared towards scientific dissemination in the field of librarianship. In order to do this, it was necessary to: a) identify the profiles that carry out CD, b) characterise those responsible for the profiles, the start of operation, the number of posts, the nature and content of the messages and c) present an overview of these media in Brazil. It is characterised as applied research, with exploratory and descriptive objectives, a qualitative-quantitative approach and a netnographic procedure. The results showed that there are 21 profiles that carry out the activity of scientific dissemination, the majority of which are managed by organisations, using images, videos and text, as well as demonstrating that, in the majority of profiles, the publications are related to the typology of the library.