Promoting Utilization of Information Resources and Services Using Podcast: Soundmary Book TU Podcast

Abstract

Soundmary Book TU is a podcast in the online audio media category with 66 episodes posted on the Thammasat University Library YouTube channel.  The narrator is a librarian who uses narrative techniques to summarize book plots without spoiling them for potential readers. The goal is to motivate circulation and encourage individual reading by listeners. Podcast episodes already posted had an average of 53 clicks per episode, with books presented significantly likelier to be borrowed. A user satisfaction survey reported that 78 percent of respondents were satisfied with the audience's desire to use library services. and borrow more books based on recommendations; they opted to follow the podcasts to learn book contents and enable them to make informed borrowing decisions. Of some podcast episodes, listeners commented that they were “good encouragement for listening” indicating that the podcast did not only present and promote library's information resource usage, but also offered a comment section for encouraging and enlightening others in the audience as well.