This document discusses how library staff can get involved in increasing the virality of the library's Facebook posts. It defines virality as the percentage of people who share a post out of all those who see it. It provides examples of past successful viral library posts that achieved virality rates of 16-22%. Staff are encouraged to generate humorous "meme" style posts on the library page to appeal to more fans and mix up expected content about events. Memes are defined as cultural items spread through repetition online. Staff are invited to submit their own library-related meme ideas with stock photos and text for potential posting on the Facebook page.

1. How you can get involved

2. What is virality?
 In terms of Facebook, virality is defined as:
“The percentage of people who have created a story from
your page post out of the total number of unique people
who have seen it.”
No, not this type of
virus. ;)

3. Our virality successes
 July 18, 2012 – The library posted a reminder to
patrons about the adult summer reading program
coming to a close at the end of July with a picture of
the lemonade stand. Virality = 21.95%
 October 1, 2012 – The library posted a funny
picture/Internet meme about being at the end of a
book and not being ready to say goodbye to the
characters. Virality = 16.86%
 August 30, 2012 – The library posted an
announcement/picture about Food for Fines starting
up again. Virality = 16.46%

4. How can you get involved?
 Generate Facebook posts on the library’s page that
appeal to a wide variety of our “fans” or “likes”.
 We always will have content about library events,
holidays, and national library related weeks and
activities.
 However, outside of the expected content, we also
need the occasional humor to mix things up in our
library’s Facebook posts. This is where memes come
into play.

5. Memes
 Dictionary.com defines a meme as:
“A cultural item that is transmitted by repetition in a manner analogous to
the biological transmission of genes.”
 PC Magazine defines an Internet meme as:
“An image, video, story or joke that is voluntarily passed from one Internet
user to another via e-mail, blogs and social networking sites. Considered a
form of art, Internet memes are created to promote individuals, groups,
movies, art, music and products, as well as to perpetrate a hoax or just be
funny. They can disappear in days or last for years.”
 Internet memes, in particular, are extremely popular in the social
media/online community. These can help the library improve its reach
and virality on Facebook.

6. Internet meme examples
 We want these to be library-related, such as these
examples, but not offensive:
Both of these are from http://www.someecards.com. Meme Generator
http://memegenerator.net/ is another good website to get some meme ideas.

7. Submit your own Internet memes
 Due to copyright restrictions, we cannot use the
pictures from the prior websites mentioned. Choose
pictures from the free stock photo websites that
Margaret has shared with all of us.
 Submit a Facebook contribution form on Lint that
includes the picture you selected and the text that you
would like to place on it.
 You may see your Internet meme appear on the
library’s Facebook page, and help us increase our
virality in the process! 

8. Questions?