Public libraries often struggle to obtain sufficient funding for many of their endeavors. As a result, it can be difficult for them to hire additional staff members beyond what is strictly necessary. So, tasks like book display or bulletin board design and social media posting are assigned to the most adept staff member, often adding to their already busy to-do list.
As an example, at my library the head of Technical Services also handles a number of other duties. In addition to running a department, handling book purchases, facilitating item repairs, and overseeing our records, she also posts to our social media accounts. She also happens to be a reference librarian as needed, and reviews part-time employee applications on behalf of the director. She is one of our busiest staff members, and has been doing these "other duties as assigned" for at least a decade. While other staff members could take over these projects, especially being that the library has grown so much in the time since these tasks were originally assigned, it's become part of her routine.
So, if we had the funding, would it be worth it to hire a social media manager, whose sole job would be handling our social media accounts? For my library, it may not be. We are small-scale, serving a small rural community, so we don't necessarily need that major social media presence that larger libraries often have. But a larger library may need the extra support, especially if they use a number of social media platforms and are doing major marketing via their social media.
So should you hire a social media manager at your library? Is it worth it? That depends.
First and foremost, the funding must be available to hire someone. This is the most likely barrier to hiring a dedicated social media manager. Another consideration would be the goals of your organization. Are your goals to market your library or reach a wider user base? If so, then improving your social media presence may be a good idea. A social media manager would also be worth it to a large library with various social media platforms that would need daily posts, engagement monitoring throughout the day, and research into new material to post.
Social media managers often come with a certain level of expertise as well. They can go beyond typical posting using specific tools and techniques, because they have the time and knowledge to do so. Although some of their preferences and ideas may come at an added cost, it is often worth it. For example, they may want to use a social media management software like Hootsuite, or get a device dedicated to the library's social media rather than using their own device. However, their skills and time also allows for your social media to become more consistent and will avoid duplicate or contradictory postings.
If a new hire who handles all of your library's social media is something that is in your budget, it is likely well worth it for the sake of quality and consistent engagement with the public. By putting the task of social media on another staff member with other priorities, the job will get done, but will it get done well?
Hi Olivia! Thanks for an awesome post - Having a dedicated social media manager is increasingly important for school libraries as digital communication becomes essential to student engagement and community outreach. A skilled manager can tailor content to different audiences, promote library programs, and foster a strong online presence that reflects the library’s values and resources. However, many school libraries, as you've stated, operate with limited budgets and staffing, making it difficult to justify or afford a specialized role. As a result, social media responsibilities often fall to teacher librarians or staff already stretched thin, leading to inconsistent or underutilized platforms. Despite these challenges, investing time in social media-even without a full-time manager-remains crucial for connecting with students, especially teens, in the digital spaces they frequent most.
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