Social Medial Platform for Libraries Only?
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 reported that “about six-in-ten Americans (59%) see TikTok as a major or minor threat to national security in the United States”.
Prior to taking a Social Media Course, I kept current on the most popular or up-and-coming social media platforms by hearing what my daughters, ages 19 and 23, use or my nieces, who are slightly older. Further studies like the ones done by Jones (2019) would need to help libraries further analyze which ages, if any want to can can interact with the library. According to a New York Times' The Future of Social Media Is a Lot Less Social , the library world may be more successful by starting their own social media platform!
Choi, N., & Harper, L. M. (2020). Public libraries and the social web: a review and analysis of the existing literature. Journal of Documentation, 76(1), 197-211
Choi, N., & Joo, S. (2021). Understanding public libraries’ challenges, motivators, and perceptions toward the use of social media for marketing. Library Hi Tech, 39(2), 352-367
Jones, M. J., & Harvey, M. (2019). Library 2.0: The effectiveness of social media as a marketing tool for libraries in educational institutions. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 51(1), 3-19
What I find interesting about the usage of social media for libraries in my area is reposting the exact same content across multiple platforms. Like you mention, "libraries need to decide which platform(s) to use." Each social media platform has its own purposes with users gravitating towards different ones for what they uniquely offer, so posting the same information in the same way on multiple platforms neglects the specific ways that libraries could be targeting patrons through social media.
ReplyDeleteGood point about posting in too many places getting away from specializaiton, but it also must be tricky for libraries to choose a lane -keep up with people who are only on one or two (like me). Maybe the library could take a stand and publicize which one they'll be on.
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