Q:

'Meet Friends' and 'See friends'

Is there any subtle difference or do they mean exactly the same?

I am going to meet friends.
I am going to see friends.

A:

When used in "I am going to ____ friends", 'see' generally has the same meaning as 'visit'. It conveys a sense of traveling to a place where your friends reside:

A: "Where are you going on your vacation?"
B: "I'm going to see some friends in Paris."

'Meet', on the other hand, has a connotation of going out to a venue or event, and getting together with friends there:

A: "What are you doing after work today?"
B: "I'm going to meet some friends at the theater."

There is also a difference when used in "A library is a place where I ____ friends." 'See', here means just what it says - you see your friends. Given the generally quiet nature of libraries, you might not interact with them much, but you see them. 'Meet' could mean either that you tend to meet new friends (that is, meet people you will become friends with) at the library, or it could mean that when you make plans with your friends to get together, you often meet at the library.

