Influenced by the Comment Section

By
Libraries can utilize social media to keep the community in the loop about library events, such as programs for children and book clubs. If I am entering a new space– library or otherwise –I will scour their social media accounts to get a lay of the land. Social media can bridge the gap between new patrons and the library. Social media posts that show librarians and users can create a space that is more inviting before a person has even visited. Social media can be a brutal place, but it is also notable for its instant feedback. The comment section is where library admins can build a community in different ways. They are able to view and react to comments or criticisms. A response doesn’t mean an argument. For example, I can’t imagine a library going back and forth with the public on the platform formally known as Twitter. Hopefully. Social media can be a place for libraries to see how the community is responding to recently implemented programs. Social media can be used to find what is troubling the community and respond accordingly. A library usually can’t just rustle up funding for new computers. They can choose to make statements about policies. Some have declared their libraries to be sanctuaries in a time of censorship. Monetarily, this may not cost anything, but the gesture is far from subtle and takes a firm stance.

Comments

  1. Ellen DooleyNovember 21, 2023 at 8:53 PM

    The banned book sanctuary is a new level in what I've seen as very impressive pushback from all sizes of libraries throughout the U.S. The Book Censorship News is fascinating, partly because some of the battles are so specific -centered on one book (like Lucky, which I looked up because there are more than a few with that title. Turns out it was Alice Sebold's, which is odd because she based it on her own unfortunate situation. What the community should be more concerned about is the more recent backstory: Sebold was pushed by local police to i.d. the wrong man, who was recently exonerated after spending a long time in prison. Lots of publicity about that!) .
    While there is a lot of wasted time in the banned book arena, in the spirit of "there's no such thing as bad publicity", at least libraries got to use their social media platforms and other publicity channels to advertise some classics.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Social Medial Platform for Libraries Only?

By
  The number of libraries, large and small, that have jumped into the social web is impressive and Choi’s literary review and marketing analysis indicates that libraries are more comfortable about the concept of integrating social media. A couple of small Maine libraries I am familiar with each handle things very differently, which makes me think about the staffing issues and user needs that our blogging group read about this week, but also information needs that are the core of our information science program. As if trying to strike a timing and outreach balance isn’t enough, libraries need to decide which platform(s) to use. Considering the wide age range of users they may be working with, it must be quite a challenge. Some people may have settled into their favorite platform, some simply don’t want to engage in social media through the library, and other members of the library community may be jolted by political issues such as those of X and TikTok. Pew Research  recently ...
Read more

Your book club is where?

By
When considering public libraries' involvement in social media, the biggest reasons for use tend to be marketing and communication with the community. Social media platforms are great avenues to connect with existing or potential library users, and I wonder about employing them more for virtual programming. I remember after the Covid-19 pandemic hit the US in March 2020, libraries like mine scrambled to still offer services to the community with virtual programming largely not being practiced. As a society, we often talk of how busy life is today and know nearly everyone has a device constantly at their fingertips, which begs the question... why are more libraries not using that knowledge to their advantage for virtual programming?  A popular library program that could be moved to or have additional groups in a virtual setting are book clubs. With an increasing number of social media platforms out there that promote book discussion or discussions in general, now seems easier than e...
Read more

We'll keep you posted!

By Anna V.
  After reading this week’s articles about social media and libraries, how to get (and keep!) the attention of one’s audience has been on my mind.  It seems to be an ongoing challenge.   I have very little extra time lately, so I am very selective about how I spend that time on social media.   I looked into this a little more and found several sources. Some addressed social media in libraries, others were libraries themselves that had been recognized for their social media.   These suggestions are from the New Jersey State Library.   I enjoy seeing   what other libraries are doing! Taylor and Francis provide some helpful information  here.   This library ’s TikTok and Instagram became extremely popular, and I want to follow them myself now!
Read more