Maude Muto Blog Post #11 - DEI & Library Social Media

 

Does your library’s mission include diversity, equity, and inclusion? East Hampton Library’s (EHL) mission statement reads: 

The East Hampton Library, a free community resource center, provides a welcoming space to all who enter its doors, in which to read, learn, communicate, create, play and participate. Through its collections, services, innovative programs, historic preservation, virtual access and technology, the library advances literacy, knowledge, cultural engagement and entertainment for all ages, elevating our understanding of the world.

I highlighted “welcoming space to all,” but let’s take a closer look. In East Hampton, New York, Latinos comprise nearly 27% of the population. But are we drawing them into the library? Are we meeting their needs? Are we telling their stories? By examining EHL’s Facebook and Instagram posts, it appears that the library lacks a DEI initiative. EHL needs to increase the representation of diverse people on its social media. Inviting people into the conversation should be a primary goal of marketing. 

TikTok has a diversity and inclusion team that collaborates to ensure the representation of diversity and equity within their company. They state that their vision “is to create a truly equitable and inclusive culture where our people, creators and partners are empowered to share diverse ideas and views; and feel a strong sense of belonging. (Waterworth, 2021). Wow. That sounds like the perfect vision, which EHL should consider implementing regarding its social media marketing!

Angela Hursh’s Super Library Marketing website is an excellent resource for various library support needs. In an article titled “Expert Advice on How to Work Diversity Into Your Library Marketing,” it is mentioned that, since most public libraries receive public funding, they should invite community members from diverse backgrounds to their social media posts (2018). In addition, they suggest that content should be communicated in the languages used in the town where the library is located, for EHL that means Spanish and English. But all of EHL’s posts are in English only. We can assume that Spanish-speaking patrons have their phones set to Spanish text. However, mere translation is not enough. We need to consider the content and the voice expressed in each post. 

It is no longer enough to include images of diverse people in marketing; we must do better. Some ideas to support inclusion include sharing and recommending diverse books on subjects of religion, cultural background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or people with disabilities. Patrons’ stories should also be included on EHL’s social media – ask them to share their story about how the library has helped them or why they use the library. 

Rachel Latsko from Carnegie Mellon University (2022) suggests a few simple ways to foster inclusivity. Using Alt-Text for photos can help the visually impaired understand imagery. Captions added to Instagram posts have been shown to increase reader engagement, and designing with color and contrast is important. Patrons can be some of the best advocates for the library, so it is essential that we include them all!

References

Expert Advice on How to Work Diversity Into Your Library Marketing. Super Library Marketing. (2018, November 14). https://superlibrarymarketing.com/2018/11/12/librarymarketingdiversity/

Latsko, R. (2022, September 20). Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) & Social Media. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhMWuLwkoZw

Waterworth, R. (2021, November 11). Our Ongoing Commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. Newsroom. https://newsroom.tiktok.com/our-ongoing-commitment-to-diversity-equality-and-inclusion?lang=en-GB