Structure of the social network of Beninese library and information professionals

摘要

This paper aims the Benin Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals' access to individuals on the social network through the study of the structure and use of the network. Subscribers to the library association's listserv participated in a web-based survey to identify the colleagues they could easily reach. The analysis uses social network techniques and Pajek, a social network analysis software, and focuses on centralities, prestige and subgroups to identify the key actors required for effective information sharing within the network. The density of this is very low and suggests that intermediaries are important for the connectedness of subscribers (also referred to as actors); network centralisation is moderate and explains that some actors are central for communication among the subscribers. About 60% of the subscribers fall within one of two groups. In the first group, six subscribers are central to the network, because they are moderators of the listserv, members of the association board, or well-connected to other well-connected actors. The others fall within the isolates or had few connections.