Social Networking and Libraries by Melissa

Social Networking and Libraries

Social networking is a big part of our lives.  According to a Pew Research study in 2014, 71% of adults use Facebook, 28% use Linkedin or Pinterest, 26% use Instagram, and 23% use Twitter with social media use growing every year.  Social networking is used for personal purposes like connecting with friends and for professional purposes like finding a new job.  It is also a powerful advertising tool and can be used by libraries to promote library services and programs.

I have noticed that many public libraries advertise their social media pages both in the library and on their websites.  I work in an elementary school library and it has been suggested that school libraries promote themselves through social media.  I recently read an article which advocates Twitter as the top choice for a social media platform.  Fichter and Wisniewski argue that Twitter not only provides a platform for your library to connect with the community, it also allows you to get ahead of any potential misunderstandings or bad press by immediately responding to misconceptions and starting a dialogue with the community (74).  One clear advantage of Twitter over other social media platforms is that people can browse content without being a member or logging in, which platforms like Facebook and Linkedin require.  Twitter is linked with Google so that tweets can show up in search results immediately after being tweeted ( Fichter 75).  With Twitter, you can follow the groups and organizations that are relevant to your library and community and spread the word about services and programs.  You do not need to compete for attention in a news feed like you do on Facebook or Linkedin (Fichter 76).  I did a quick search of school libraries in my community and some nearby communities and found that there are no local school libraries with Twitter, though some schools are on Twitter and I would assume that the library could post to school feeds.  I think Twitter could be a great way to build community support for and involvement in school libraries.  It’s free to try, so why not!

Works Cited:

Duggan, Maeve, Nicole B. Ellison, Cliff Lampe, Amanda Lenhart, and Mary Madden. "Social Media Update 2014." Pew Research Center Internet Science Tech RSS. N.p., 09 Jan. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.

Fichter, Darlene, and Jeff Wisniewski. "The Twitter Tipping Point." Online Searcher 39.5 (2015): 74-76. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.