A video looking at the pros and cons of using social media.  Although social media may seem obscure to some library users it is a large part of lives of many library users, especially young adults and teens.  Some librarians may see it as a necessary tool for marketing but social media has become a source of community and connection for many.  Along with this it has also had many negatives effects on genuine relationships. Because of this it is important for librarians and other running young adult and teen programs to use social media to build a community of patrons that goes beyond the walls of the library.  Maybe taking a robotics or coding class would lead to sharing and developing ideas through social media platforms.  This would allow patrons to take relationships that started at the library into another realm and hopefully build into a friendship that lasts.  With so many youth and young adults suffering from depression, anxiety, and self harm it is important for us to support youth not only in gaining information but connecting that information into meaningful relationships.

Social Networking and Libraries

by Jennifer Ellis

image credit Tim Robberts/Taxi/Getty Images

"The central tension between libraries and social networks is simple: a social network gains usefulness when you are identifiable (people know who you are) and you share information about yourself (people know what you like). Libraries have, for years, operated under the general guideline that both of those pieces of knowledge are no one’s business but yours."

This statement illustrates the subtle tug-of-war that exists between some libraries and various social networks. Libraries protect users' rights and identities, but what happens when the user starts posting across multiple networks and platforms about sensitive subjects? Of course, libraries offer access to these social networks, as a service to patrons with the Library Bill of Rights' article IV in mind: "Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas." When a minor's welfare and safety come into play, however, some libraries will choose to block access to social media, rather than uphold their duty to provide free access. A library should be a safe space for everyone, yet when you let in various social media platforms, methods of bullying and harassment once confined to the 'outside world' are now available. It's quite the balancing act, and one that libraries will be refining for the foreseeable future.

What about libraries that use social networking to increase their visibility? Not only with the standard "Ask a Librarian" feature on most library websites, but when libraries create Facebook pages and Twitter feeds, they increase access to people who might not be aware of the awesome power of the library. I like to see the posts from Carlsbad Library in my Facebook feed; they might be having events that I otherwise would miss. Also, if someone has preconceived notions of a stuffy, boring library, seeing a hilarious reading meme on Twitter might change someone's mind and bring them into a branch. 

References

Griffey, J. (2010). Chapter 5: Social Networking and the Library. Library Technology Reports, 46(8), 34-37.

“Library Bill of Rights.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Apr. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_Bill_of_Rights. Accessed 27 Apr. 2017.

Social Networking and Libraries

Social Networking and Libraries

By Sara Rodriguez

In an age where social media has become a big part of people's everyday, it is no question why libraries have used platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Google+, Tumblr and other platforms to provide services. This is a way for libraries to expand their resources and services outside of their library and on to the online community.

There has been an emphasis on social networking by libraries. This is seen in a survey done by the Library’s Journal, where 86% of libraries admitted to implementing social media in their environment. Most of these libraries use sites such as facebook and twitter to reach out to patrons. I feel this is a good start for libraries as these social media sites are used daily by individuals, thus making it easier for libraries to create online communities with patrons

In the article Library Technology Reports by Griffey, it claims that social networking  has led to some issues regarding privacy policy, which libraries are notoriously known for. The main issue for here is that social networking is useful when you make an identity online thus letting people know who you are. Libraries for so long though have valued their patrons privacy and believe that knowing who you are and what you like is something that should be kept to yourself. This is strictly stated in the The American Library Association’s Code of Ethics “We protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.” It's the 21st  and times have changed, now  when patrons access social media through libraries it makes it harder for libraries to protect their privacy. A recent survey showed that 72% of libraries have no social media policy in place. This obviously can  even lead to serious online threats such as bullying and peer pressure for young adults, i can see this being a bad thing because now children can face danger in a library, which for many years has a reputation of being a “safe” environment . That said social networking and libraries has not been a completely negative thing as their has many benefits from this 21st century transformation.

One benefit the use of social networking can bring is the ability to communicate with patrons about library events. This is a way for patrons to find out more about library events and get more involved with the community. The San Diego Library for instance notifies patrons of new book arrivals, volunteer opportunities, and competitions that are going on. This is a good strategy to inform patrons as well as bring in new patrons. We are living In a time where everyone is or has used some type of social media, which is why  I feel like the use of social media by libraries can bring many benefits to the community.

Resources:

American Library Association, Library Bill of Rights, adopted June 19, 1939; amended Oct. 14, 1944; June 18, 1948; Feb. 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; and Jan. 23, 1980;

Griffey, J. (2010). Chapter 5: Social Networking and the Library. Library Technology Reports, 46(8), 34-37.

5 ways libraries are using social media. (2016, February 24). Retrieved April 27, 2017, from

"Social Media: Libraries Are Posting, but Is Anyone Listening?" Library Journal. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017

Social Networking and Libraries

Darla Mulder

Only a few decades ago, if someone told me that schools and libraries would be hooked up to a thing called the internet and they could all talk to each other, I would think it miraculous! 

For much of my life, so far, I have lived in a home without a computer. 

According to Social Networking and Library scholars, the Clinton Administration in the 1990's said every school and library needed to be connected to the internet by 2000. 

 The article written by C. S. Clark in 1997, "The Future of Libraries" said that the American Library Association, advocated that since many children at that time did not have a home computer, then superhighways had to be accessed in libraries.  A survey and study in the late 1990's showed more confidence in the existence and "connected" nature of libraries was essential for a fair flowing of free information. (Clark)

The people who cannot afford the gadgets or maintenance of self-owned existing hardware are ones needing the networking while at the library.  They can attain tips and resources.

The point I want to illuminate in this blog is that social networking in libraries is working for the people who are not able to afford all the technology gadgets.  Training is also an issue in the librarian arena. (a video below outlines a well thought-out protocol or library staff)  It appears that although more than 90 percent of Americans own a cell phone (2015), and a quarter of them are smart phones, libraries are catering to the ones who don't have tablets or smartphones or e-book readers.  (Griffey)

Even though (according to the Future of Libraries article) 2/3 of the U.S. population is online nearly all visit social networking sites like Facebook, YouTube and Linkedin. 

 The Two-thirds of Americans are now online, up 12 percent from 2005, and almost all of them visit social networking sites, such as Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn — nearly triple the number just four years ago.

A video above  made in 2014 by Stacy Sieck explores the use of social networking in libraries. 

 The articles listed below discuss Smartphones and tablets which offer digital technologies such as geo-location, audio, video, photo and web technologies. They feature much vocabulary that users engage in with established social networks and photo-sharing sites: All are able to share so much more content than ever before with more people both inside and outside the walls and the geographical boundary lines. (Clark)

Social networking changes quickly and it is sometimes difficult to maintain the balance of the newest research data in their regard.    In an article called "Teens & Social Networking in School & Public Libraries: A Toolkit for Librarians & Library Workers"  there is information supporting the use of online social networks and a belief that there is an increased level of learning through the use of online social networks.  


Clark, C. S. (1997, May 23). The future of libraries. CQ Researcher, 7, 457-480. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com

Griffey, J. "Chapter 5: Social Networking and the Library." Library Technology Reports 46.8 (2010): 34-37. Academic Search Premier. 

Mantel, B. " Future of Libraries." C.Q. Researcher, July 29th, 2011. Volume 21, Issue 27.

Sieck, S Https://www.youtube.com/watch Social Media in Libraries, 2014.

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Social Networking and Libraries

Social Networking and Libraries

by Karen Nicholson

https://pixabay.com/en/web-page-parts-social-media-contact-2084779/

I follow a lot of libraries and similar groups online at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  I love how funny they can be and how they can connect books and reading to so many other activities and ideas.  I think that social media is an important tool that every library can utilize.  It is a way to connect and interact with their patrons, especially with younger patrons like teens and young adults.  I love it when libraries ask what people are currently reading.  This gives the other followers a chance to see what books patrons are interested in and maybe try out some new books to read.

According to Buono & Kordeliski, social media is a great way to provide transparency, engagement and exposure for libraries (30).  Transparency allows you to show your users how you are using funds in the library and why.  You can show off new book purchases, talk about staff members, or any big ticket items you purchased for the library.  Engagement helps you to connect with your patrons and hopefully get them to physically visit the library.  Social media is great way to engage and interact with teens at a public or school library.  You can help them feel included in what is going on in the library.  Exposure allows you to get support and bring in other people who may be interested in what the library has to offer.   “It creates a new space for libraries to have value.  Beyond their four walls. -Jeremy Graybill” (Dankowski, 41)

It is really nice that there are so many types of social media now, and they can be used in different ways, and all are useful for libraries.  Facebook is great to let your patrons know of upcoming events or contests.  It is also good for longer posts with more information.  Twitter is good for quick updates.  A place to showcase stuff that is going on at the moment that patrons may be interested in.  You can really build a conversation with younger patrons using Twitter.  Find a way to include a fun hashtag that they would want to add to.  Instagram is a great way to invite patrons to see what goes on in and around the library.  The library can showcase new books and some behind the scenes activities.  Snapchat is another way to connect with younger patrons via images and videos.  It is similar to Instagram except that the posts only stay up for a limited time.  Pinterest is a platform mainly used by women and would be a good way to increase interaction with that population.  You can create a board featuring new books, fun book covers, or even unusual titles.  

One thing to keep in mind is that it is important to change what you post on different platforms.  I often follow libraries and users on 3 different platforms and if the posts are the same on each I am really bored seeing it the third time.  Keep in mind the strengths of each social media platform before you post.  If it is an event or time sensitive post, switch it up a little for each platform to make it interesting.

Want to check out the San Marcos Middle School Library Instagram? You can find it @smmslibrary

Sources:

Buono, Michael P. and Amanda Kordeliski. "Connect, Create, Collaborate." Young Adult Library Services, vol. 11, no. 2, Winter2013, pp. 30-40. EBSCOhost, ezproxy.palomar.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=85125538&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Dankowski, Terra. "How Libraries Are Using Social Media." American Libraries, vol. 44, no. 5, May 2013, pp. 38-41. EBSCOhost, ezproxy.palomar.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=87453442&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Social Networking and Libraries 

By Lori Schafer

Online social networking through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest,  Tumblr, Blogs, and e-newsletters are just another avenue for libraries to expand their services beyond their physical space and reach many people on the online communities. According to the article How Libraries Are Using Social Media the New York Public Library has an extensive social networking campaign and “last year 150 bloggers published 810 blog posts encompassing 180 different subject areas, with visits to these blog channels increasing 56% between 2011 and 2012. The blogs are an invaluable part of NYPL’s social content marketing, with librarians acting as internal advocates and most of the traffic coming from Google searches” (Dankowski, 2013). I am always amazed with how many people at my work spend hours per day on Facebook during work hours. To an outsider who is never on any social media, it seems like there is this vast network of people on a “daily basis” interacting and reacting to one another in a steady stream all day long. Social media is definitely becoming a constant part of everyone’s lives. This vibrant online community carries a very strong voice and it would be advantageous for libraries to network through these various channels and platforms.   

http://google.com/   •   https://www.facebook.com/   •   https://www.youtube.com/   •   https://twitter.com/   •  https://www.pinterest.com/

There was research carried out globally with over 600 librarians contributing their thoughts and opinions on social media and the online survey particularly, mentioned in the article 5 Ways Libraries are Using Social Media by The Library and Information Association, had the following insightful results (Bell, 2014):

• 61% of libraries have been using social media for 3 years or more
• 30% post to social media daily
• 25% of libraries have more than 5 individuals updating their social media pages
• Facebook is the most popular social media channel
• 72% of libraries have no social media policy or plan in place

This survey was taken 3 years ago in 2014 so I would imagine that these percentages have changed dramatically. My guess is that most libraries are now using social media and that they have a plan in place. It doesn’t surprise me at all that Facebook is the most popular social media channel with 58% of librarians stating they use it daily and everyone I know has a Facebook page. I also found it interesting that 25% of libraries have more then 5 individuals updating their social media pages, which makes me think that most libraries are probably looking for this experience on resumes. Social media, now and in the future, seems to be an integral part of the library system and will be one of the primary ways to communicate and connect with patrons.

Many libraries face challenges on “how” to connect and build communities through social media. With so many budget restraints on libraries and the recent recession it would seem more cost-effective to come up with updated social media plans to connect to patrons.  Most of the literature out there gives guidance to libraries on how to use social media as a marketing tool, but in the paper Building Library Community Through Social Media, the research “reframes that conversation to explore the role of social media as it relates to building community” through Twitter (Young & Rossmann, 2015, p. 20). In this study, the university library created a social media group and a social media guide to follow and the “quantitative analysis reveal a significant shift and increase in Twitter follower population and interactions, and suggest promising opportunities for social media to strengthen the library’s ties with academic communities (2015, p. 20). This research is built on the premise that online communities are not a separate digital space but takes the approach that it’s an aspect of “holistic connectedness”. The plan was comprised of three librarians and one staff member and the purpose was to build a student community around the Twitter platform.  After doing the research there was a fundamental shift in patron’s interest in social media and their “student user community grew by 366 percent and the rate of interaction with our community grew by 275 percent. Our research demonstrates the value of social media as a community-building tool, and our model can guide social media in libraries toward this purpose” (2015, p. 32).

Social networking is the way people communicate in the 21^st century so it’s becoming increasingly important for libraries to reach out, socially connect and extend their programs to this online community. There are various purposes that a library can use to reach out to patrons online: provide library information to patrons, book reviews or information on new books, provide research tips, provide information on upcoming programs or work shops, etc. The technology is constantly changing and the social media platforms keep evolving as well and it would benefit libraries to keep themselves familiar with the technological changes so they can continue to remain connected digitally to the community.

References:

Bell, J. (2014, December 16). 5 ways libraries are using social media. Retrieved April 14, 2017, from
https://wwhttps://www.cilip.org.uk/blog/5-ways-libraries-are-using-social-  mediaw.bing.com/cr?IG=973D1FFAC1AF4848B5BD3F2253CE76E4&CID=08400A992CD5665B2FC300FF2D456702&rd=1&h=UP0tRS9fGkE3F2R1U41__KBKjXyVTDK9ZJ3jQ1Wu_NI&v=1&r=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cilip.org.uk%2fblog%2f5-ways-libraries-are-using-social-media&p=DevEx,5061.1

 Dankowski, T. (2013, July 16). How Libraries are using social media. Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.bing.com/cr?IG=C50F07DEBC0D49CCB882F316913536F7&CID=3B2F7BA4DDCE6792369C71C2DC5E667D&rd=1&h=HkCGn64sUIQWFuuBmv5FdXL8FZs_Jf8M4dnZelHRnVo&v=1&r=https%3a%2f%2famericanlibrariesmagazine.org%2f2013%2f07%2f16%2fhow-libraries-are-using-social-media%2f&p=DevEx,5063.1

 Young, S. H., & Rossmann, D. (2015). Building Library Community Through Social Media. Information  Technology & Libraries, 34(1), 20-37.

Social Networking and Libraries

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Image 1: [Twitter post] NY Public Library

Social Networking and Libraries
By Jessica Sparks

When it comes to social networking, libraries can benefit from putting effort into their social media campaigns. Libraries can use social media sites likes Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, to engage with their community (and those outside the community). Whether it is sharing information about a library event, getting opinions from followers, or sharing information on their collection, social media sites are a powerful tool for public engagement. The NY Public Library has an incredibly active profile on Twitter and the image to left is one example:

Conversations can be linked through hashtags. Hashtags were created to make communities on networking sites (Twitter!). With hashtags, libraries can join in on trending topics or create their own. Many libraries don't understand how to use hashtags and many of their posts go unseen by the general public. Taking advantage of trending topics is the key to staying relevant. Using hashtags can get chats going about a particular topic with patrons or other libraries. Here are some great hashtag chats on twitter compiled by Ginny Mies in "Dive into the World of Library Hashtags" posted on TechSoup for Libraries:

• #inaljchat is a weekly chat (Mondays at 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time) from I Need a Library Job that crowdsources tips and articles related to library job hunting 

• #alscchat is moderated by the Association for Library Service to Children on all things children librarianship! It happens the second Thursday of every month at 9 p.m. Eastern time 

• #edchat is a great way to connect with the larger world of education — from librarians to teachers to parent volunteers

One site that you wouldn't think about be useful to libraries is the site Reddit! Reddit is the center of the internet when it comes to trends. AskReddit, in particular, is full of individuals itching to be in a conversation. When Libraries need to remember is people are on networking sites because they want to connect with others. Having engaging posts that aren't just an information drop but encourage interaction is essential.

Image from Pinterest

Using hashtags is a way to get patrons excited for library events, but can also be used for reader's advisory. The #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement in Illinois is an example of how hashtags can be used for libraries. The movement started a few years ago with people from all over the country sharing on social media reasons why we need more diverse books. We Need Diverse Books has evolved to become a full-fledged non-profit, devoted to encouraging diversity not only in books, but in the publishing world in general (Rapp, 2016). In "From Hashtag's to better Reader's Advisory" Hannah Rapp says it best: "Going from the hashtag #WeNeedDiverseBooks to real action is just one of the ways we can positively impact books, publishing, and most importantly, the people in our communities that we serve" (Rapp, 2017, p. 26).

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References 

Mies, G. (2015, April 28). Dive into the world of library hashtags [Web log post]. Retrieved April 26, 2017, from http://www.techsoupforlibraries.org/blog/dive-into-the-world-of-library-hashtags

Rapp, H. (2017). From hashtags to better readers' advisory. ILA Reporter, 35(1), 25-26.

Rapp, H. (2016, May 6). #WeNeedDiverseBooks. Retrieved April 27, 2017, from http://gepl.org/2016/05/weneeddiversebooks/