I think back to around 2010, when my old library made all staff take this course called “Web 2.0,” run by our digital services department. And yes, it was every bit as cringey as it sounds. Each week, we had to do tasks like setting up a Twitter account and posting a few tweets, creating a Pinterest page and linking it to our email, or making a LinkedIn profile. At the time, it all felt awkward and forced, with a lot of grumbling, especially from older staff members, but that was just where we were at the time. Facebook existed, but it wasn’t the behemoth it is now. Discussion boards were scattered across different sites, Instagram hadn't even launched yet, and Reddit was not yet mainstream. All of our promotional efforts were through the newsletter and our website. Everything was changing fast, and social media was starting to shift the way we connected. For funsies, here is an article written by the Harvard Business Review predicting the trends coming up in 2010. Six Social Media Trends for 2010
Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein captured this moment perfectly in their article “Users of the World, Unite! The Challenges and Opportunities of Social Media” (2010). They argued that organizations no longer control the conversation; they simply join it. Fifteen years later, that’s still true. For libraries, social media has opened incredible opportunities to connect with patrons in more authentic, immediate ways. A picture, a silly behind-the-scenes video, or a viral TikTok can make a bigger impact than any flyer or newsletter ever could. Patrons love seeing the human side of librarians, and social media helps reach people who might never step through the library doors. Younger patrons especially live online, and these platforms are often the first place they hear about library services they didn’t even know existed. And, of course, it’s free, which is always a plus in a library budget.
Looking back at that “Web 2.0” course, the awkwardness and hesitance make perfect sense. Libraries were venturing into entirely new territory. That moment marked a fundamental shift: from “controlling the conversation” to “joining in.” Before social media, communication was mainly one-way; this was us speaking to patrons through flyers and newsletters. The library was the authority, and information flowed downward. Social media flipped that dynamic, creating a two-way street where libraries could get the words out that we offer more than just books. Through this, we could engage with the community, show personality, and let patrons be part of the conversation and have a role in the relationship. The American Library Association has best practice guidelines for how libraries can use social media, which can be found at this link: Social Media Guidelines
What frustrates me about your experience is that it sound like you were never given any training about social media and were just expected to start Tweeting. The ALA's social media guidelines are great, however, without all departments on board and coordinating efforts it can fall on deaf ears. I strongly feel that to have a successful social media presence a lot of thought and time need to be dedicated. Does your library offer time to plan and collaborate? Do you have a marketing department or leader to guide you?
ReplyDeleteHi Maude,
DeleteThis was at an old library and I believe there were some instructions to it, but I agree with you! My current library is wonderful and offers plenty of training and there are a few of us who handle the social media side of things. So far, so good!
Hi Rachel, thanks for a powerful share - I too, am sorry at the way you were introduced to social media as a librarian; I know of many similar experiences that speak to a larger issue of many information professionals not knowing what it is to even begin the work of learning this new language (that has very much proven that it is here to stay). I think you bring up an equally significant point in that social media, for us librarians, created not only the ability for us to share content to our communities and stakeholders, but that it created an entirely parallel communication and feedback system, whereby creating space and freedom for our patrons to connect to "us" in new and exciting ways. I will definitely have to think more on this point as I continue with my blog posts, thank you for that enlightening perspective.
ReplyDeleteHi Tova,
DeleteThank you for the kind words! Luckily my current library is very supportive and I very much doubt something like that would happen here. It's wild how much technology has changed and keeps changing, and I am hopeful that because we have been around it for so long, we know the right way to teach others about it.