Saturday, March 5, 2016

Social Media - Uses for Libraries

Bonaventure-Larson, Nichole

Wetta, M. (2016). Instagram Now. School Library Journal, 62(2), 30-32.

Summary: This short article outlines how libraries can use the social media application Instagram for the promotion of their programs, inclusion of their teenage patrons in goings on at the library, and the significance of the image-based site over other resources like Twitter.

Evaluation: I though this is was a really interesting short piece. I think Wetta makes some pretty good points about the simplicity of including an Instagram account in your promotional planning. She also makes several good points about the inclusion of day to day library life - such as posting photos of new books as they come into the collection - and how these kinds of posts are on par with how teenagers and young adults are expressing themselves through the internet. We don't see, as often, the long stream of consciousness blogging from the days of MySpace and LiveJournal. Accessing patrons who are active on social media is simpler now than it has ever been.  All it takes is a photo, a quick caption, and the proper use of hashtags. I think it's a brilliant way to connect and I would definitely follow my library if it had an account on Instagram. What do you all think? Is it as worthwhile as it seems?


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