Social
Media and the Library? A Good Match?
Growing up before the introduction of social media had
its pros and cons. Without it, I feel like we, people in general, were able to
be in the moment in a much more genuine way. Life wasn’t about posting pictures
of your breakfast or the new pair of shoes you just bought. However, my thoughts
recently have changed. I see the positive aspects of it now. Social media creates
connections personally, professionally, and academically.
The social media platforms I am speaking of include Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram. I am the most familiar with Facebook. I probably utilize
that platform at least once a day. I think it’s safe to say that most students and
families utilize Facebook also. That makes it a powerful tool in education. More
specifically, it is a very useful resource for school libraries.
As I toured some of the pages created by school
libraries, I noticed several things. First, utilizing Facebook pages can be a vital
way of providing information to the community. The ability to send out a message
or share a post with the masses with just one click is a time saver for librarians!
Promoting the school library collection, its upcoming activities, book recommendations,
and its needs is so much easier using social media platforms like Facebook. While
perusing library pages, I saw book recommendations, book trailers, author
information, upcoming social meetings in the library space, book reviews, and new
technology available. That is advantageous because families are not always on
campus physically. So, signs, announcements, and/or fliers that are shared at
school will not be available to them.
I do see some disadvantages with using Facebook as a
social media platform though. Facebook’s popularity has been dwindling as new
platforms such as Twitter and Instagram have come on the scene. Students and
parents have subscribed to those platforms because of their capabilities.
Therefore, a school library may reach more members of the community by utilizing
more than one social media platform. That improves the chances of information
reaching the most people as possible.
Since I just recently created a Twitter account, I
wanted to see what those who are knowledgeable about library technology were
saying. The first educational technology leader I checked out was Kathy Schrock
(@kathyschrock). I was excited to see that she posted several of her ed tech
websites for easy access! I was particularly drawn to her blog and the
technology tool, Lucidspark, discussed at https://blog.kathyschrock.net/. Utilizing
a whiteboard, teachers and students can collaborate on ideas. There are
resources for the planning and organization of projects. Teachers from various
grade levels could participate in collaborative planning. While students could
work together on research projects.
I also looked at Gwyneth Jones’, AKA The Daring
Librarian, Twitter posts (@GwynethJones). She is not only a librarian, but also
a blogger, an archivist, and a notable keynote speaker! Some of her ideas for
the library include printables, book recommendations, and raising awareness for
banned books. I like that Ms. Jones thinks outside of the box!
Jim Lerman also had some great content on his Twitter account (@jimlerman)! Even though I do not own a Kindle, I do think his post regarding tips and tricks will be helpful to those who utilize that device. I think the best post I saw was the video clip of John Dewey. What a cool clip to share!
Linda Braun (@lbraun2000) shared a few posts that discussed academic studies completed on how to service families in crisis through the library and the effects of Covid 19. It was interesting to hear that data. Finally, she shared an article that discusses how the brain functions while creating art. All while keeping the efforts of promoting Future Ready Libraries at the forefront!
I did checkout the Twitter account for the ALA (@ALALibrary). They post a wide variety of information and add content quite frequently. Everything from White House data regarding Covid 19 to book banning to articles available through the American Libraries Magazine website. l appreciate having access to information that I normally would not have if I was not following them!
Overall, I think Twitter as a platform is incredibly useful for school libraries. It’s a popular free platform that offers many options for searching, posting, and sharing. It’s also user-friendly, so families will be able to navigate it. I think it’s great for posting quick messages, but also good for retweeting articles and information the community would be interested in.
Instagram is the last social media platform I joined.
I feel this option is not as user-friendly. However, it is free and readily
available on any mobile device or computer. Accessibility is paramount for library
users! I was able to locate several users that have an account related to
library science. Some of them discuss books while others share library displays and potential curriculum. This platform would be a great tool for sharing student work with
their families. I also think it would be a good source of information related
to the classroom. Teachers can share photos and activities completed during the
school day!
Please take a look at my Instagram account! I have a few posts available to view! https://www.instagram.com/lookingatwordswithmrszellers/
I really enjoyed reading your blog! It got right to the point. I too grew up without social media and I find it fascinating, but it is difficult for me to learn at times. It almost seems I stumbled across things I learned. I did really well with Twitter and was able to navigate Facebook, but Instagram was very difficult for me. I actually have had an account for years and see it daily, but I don't think I have tried engaging through it. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your take on Twitter and Instagram because I feel like I am the opposite. I am so lost on Twitter and feel overwhelmed by everything on the screen and Instagram seems more calm to me. I felt like I could navigate more easily in Instagram and had fun making little videos. I need to focus in on and practice more on understanding Twitter for sure because you made valid points of how it could be useful in the library setting.
ReplyDeleteI agree that without social media long ago, we were able to be more in the moment of life's happenings. I always hear the comment "How did we survive without technology back then?" Or when parents play the guilt trip of "Back in my day, we didn't have computers and cell phones." I am guilty of using Facebook more than twice a day and Instagram maybe once a week. I am like you and enjoy the pictures. For library purposes, I think it's important to consider which platform would reach the parents and school community the most. I live in a small town and everyone knows everyone's business through Facebook. I agree that accessibility is paramount for library users. I enjoyed learning how to use Twitter as it was brand new to me and it's now set up for only library purposes now.
ReplyDeleteI like that you mentioned life before social media, because it has become so ingrained in our daily lives and has changed the way we interact with people. I appreciate your assessment of the three social media platforms, and I think it's important to use all three. I inherited a Facebook account for my school library from the previous librarian, and I will probably use that one the most, but I think Instagram will probably reach more students. You also make a good point about sharing flyers for school events as well--parents don't see what is posted in the hallways, and students often throw flyers away that they are given to take home. Sharing on social media is a great way to reach parents as well.
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