What
kinds of social media apps do you think you might use in your library?
I see myself using Instagram to create photos for our Facebook page, as well as Goodreads for creating a social group for our library. I've discovered that some random patron who no longer lives in our area has already created an inactive book club on Goodreads for our library, so I'm going to have to work on getting that deleted somehow or making an official group.
If you use some already, what ideas did you get for making better use
of them?
As mentioned above, I already use Facebook but plan to use Instagram to make it more fabulous. Also we have a community book club, but I'm going to work on Goodreads to create an online book club as an experiment.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Week 4: Instagramming It
While I wasn't previously a big Instagram user, I was aware of the program and I'd dabbled in it on my phone. Well, thanks to the class, our library is now a bonafide Instagram machine.
Check us out! So far, I've posted some of our holiday book displays along with Prairie Reader and audiobook displays.
http://instagram.com/plattepubliclibrary
As for finding Instagram users who are affiliated with libraries, I had a little trouble. Some of the users with library names were definitely not appropriate. Then, as I looked for individual libraries, such as NYC or those in SD, I drew a blank. I did come up with a couple of interesting users when searching for libraries, which will follow. However, my advice to those searching for user accounts related to libraries should look for books, authors, publishers, or story time groups: anything related to libraries in a sense.
For example, one of the user accounts I discovered is libraryloves: http://instagram.com/libraryloves
This user interests me because it is focused on literature. Collections of old classics and cartoons highlighting a love of books are on their feed.
Another user, libraryofebooks is a book related Instagram page featuring the covers of new titles. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to get one of their covers on my feed to copy their URL. I can see this would be a fun Instagram feed in which to find new books and images of covers to share on my website.
Check us out! So far, I've posted some of our holiday book displays along with Prairie Reader and audiobook displays.
http://instagram.com/plattepubliclibrary
As for finding Instagram users who are affiliated with libraries, I had a little trouble. Some of the users with library names were definitely not appropriate. Then, as I looked for individual libraries, such as NYC or those in SD, I drew a blank. I did come up with a couple of interesting users when searching for libraries, which will follow. However, my advice to those searching for user accounts related to libraries should look for books, authors, publishers, or story time groups: anything related to libraries in a sense.
For example, one of the user accounts I discovered is libraryloves: http://instagram.com/libraryloves
This user interests me because it is focused on literature. Collections of old classics and cartoons highlighting a love of books are on their feed.
Another user, libraryofebooks is a book related Instagram page featuring the covers of new titles. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to get one of their covers on my feed to copy their URL. I can see this would be a fun Instagram feed in which to find new books and images of covers to share on my website.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
What is Social Capital?
I discovered a cool way to advertise your library; post a video about how to have fun at a library!
In addition to being interesting, it also promotes several different aspects of the library that go into the realm of community organization. Who wouldn't love to hang out at these libraries!? Now just to translate this into a small town, public library...
In addition to being interesting, it also promotes several different aspects of the library that go into the realm of community organization. Who wouldn't love to hang out at these libraries!? Now just to translate this into a small town, public library...
Monday, November 25, 2013
Using Pinterest in the Library
I enjoy using Pinterest :). I peruse it regularly to steal ideas for our story time program. I look for theme ideas in general, as well as related games, rhymes, songs, crafts and books. It is a lifesaver. For the past two months, everything our library has done, read, played or sung has been influenced by Pinterest if not borrowed from directly.
So, for this assignment I wanted to step outside of the box. I found a couple of boards that could be very useful in the future:
In our community, approximately 370 are enrolled in public school, while approximately 150 are enrolled in homeschool. For our story time program, the enrollment is 50 to 75 percent homeschooled families. I could use this list to create book displays targeting homeschoolers. I could also use the lists to create a book of thematic book lists of titles we have at the library for homeschool parents interested in supplementing their curriculum.
OK so public libraries, especially ours, might be on a limited budget, but that doesn't mean a librarian can't dream, does it? This board is a librarian's dream, filled with images of libraries around the world that are absolutely gorgeous. Then, just by some miracle, if I'm ever at a position in which a major donor drops of a few million bucks for a new library, at least I will have stock piled some inspiration for the design. The image below is of a library in Switzerland, and it's one of the world's oldest and most important monastery libraries.
So, for this assignment I wanted to step outside of the box. I found a couple of boards that could be very useful in the future:
Homeschool. Book lists
http://www.pinterest.com/linzyallen/homeschool-book-lists/In our community, approximately 370 are enrolled in public school, while approximately 150 are enrolled in homeschool. For our story time program, the enrollment is 50 to 75 percent homeschooled families. I could use this list to create book displays targeting homeschoolers. I could also use the lists to create a book of thematic book lists of titles we have at the library for homeschool parents interested in supplementing their curriculum.
Gorgeous Public Libraries
http://www.pinterest.com/reading4pleasur/gorgeous-public-libraries/OK so public libraries, especially ours, might be on a limited budget, but that doesn't mean a librarian can't dream, does it? This board is a librarian's dream, filled with images of libraries around the world that are absolutely gorgeous. Then, just by some miracle, if I'm ever at a position in which a major donor drops of a few million bucks for a new library, at least I will have stock piled some inspiration for the design. The image below is of a library in Switzerland, and it's one of the world's oldest and most important monastery libraries.
Monday, November 18, 2013
What are four kinds of things libraries are doing with Facebook?
1. Yankton Community Library is hosting a
contest, the November Picture Book Showdown. Each round asks people
to comment on their choice for their favorite children's picture book
of the showdown. What a great way to share what books are at the library and
to get people to comment on the post!
2. Lake Preston regularly posts their
latest magazine offerings, which always makes me wish we offered
magazines. One day. One day.
3. Lead Library is having a pie sale. Need
I say more?
4. I also adore all of the photos Lead Library posts of their
youngest patrons. These are so energetic and I find that with our library Facebook page, these kinds of posts always, Always, gain the most attention. By tagging parents it greatly increases our reach, and everyone loves to share photos of their youngest family members. It's a proud moment for everyone involved!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
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