網際網路因其多樣的呈現方式，加上網路資源取得的便利性及普及性，越來越多營利及非營利組織紛紛架設網站，營造屬於機構的存在感，以便推廣其宗旨、目標、產品，及服務，也藉以維護公眾關係。公共圖書館藉由網路作為與服務對象溝通的管道與自我呈現的平台，使圖書館不受時間與空間限制，得以擴大服務項目，拓展服務對象。大眾社會對於組織的社會角色定位，來自於其所提倡與遵循的社會責任，其中包括組織的本質及回饋社會之利益，同樣的，公共圖書館也應關注其所背負之社會責任。有鑑於此，本研究首先探討社會責任的意涵與發展，並探討應用網路於自我呈現的優勢；接著運用網站內容分析法蒐集美國25 所公共圖書館網站所呈現之社會責任概念訊息，並加以詮釋說明出公共圖書館的社會責任類型、數位體裁型式、呈現方式等；最後回歸到自我省思，期望以美國公共圖書館作為模範對象，學習其對於社會責任之融入及參與，不遺餘力的推動各項服務，並以此為目標前進。

World Wide Web has become a focus for the popular press, mass communication,and news and media. Both profit and non-profit organizations are taking advantage of theinformation technology and innovation to promote their own agendas, causes, products,and services. One way the public defines an organization’s stance in society is throughthe notion of social responsibility and social engagement. This study therefore investigatshow public libraries as information services organizations present their goals, define theirroles, and articulate their social welfare and the public interests of their stakeholders ontheir Web presence. Content analysis was performed on 25 public library websites toidentify types of social responsibility, intended audience, area of presentation, digitalgenre and data type. It is hoped that the public libraries under investigation in this studycan become the role model in promoting social responsibility and engagement.