You may have heard that Twitter, Facebook, and other sites like LinkedIn, Tumblr or Pinterest are great tools for getting the library’s message out to your patrons and stakeholders. This is true, but these tools are even more useful and powerful when you think of them as ways to build relationships with members of your community. Learn what each of these tools has to offer and how you can use them to build relationships through social media outreach, reference, networking, reader’s advisory and more!

1. Social Media for
Libraries:
What, Why &
How?
Sophie Brookover
Program Coordinator &
Social Media Manager
LibraryLinkNJ

2. Who Am I?
• Self-taught, always
learning social media
fangirl
• On Twitter & FB since
2007
• Focus on:
librarianship, literature,
parenting, youth
advocacy, pop culture

3. Where You Can Find Me
Curating LibraryLinkNJ's Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/LibraryLinkNJ
Tweeting on behalf of LibraryLinkNJ:
@librarylinknj

4. Objectives
This afternoon, you'll learn:
• What tools like Twitter, Facebook and
Pinterest offer libraries.
• How to use these tools to build relationships
with colleagues and your community through
social media outreach, reference,
networking, reader’s advisory and more!

5. Social Media: What?

6. Social Media: Why?
Networks -- of information
and people -- are diffuse.
Social media brings them
closer together.

7. Social Media: Why?
• Connects people with people
(customers, colleagues, vendors,
friends) far away;
• Lets your people connect with
others' people;
• Provides an opportunity to talk, but
more important to listen.

8. Facebook: How?
Examples of great library FBs:
• LibraryLinkNJ :-)
• Avalon Free Public Library
• Atlantic County Library System
• Hillsdale Public Library
• Vineland Public Library

9. Facebook: How?
Examples of great NON-library FBs:
• Pop Culture Happy Hour
• Celebrity Gossip, Academic-Style
• Gretchen Rubin

10. How To Run A Great FB Page
(An Incomplete List)
• A Page is not an Account
• Distribute Page Administrator
responsibilities (but not too widely!)
• Choose great profile & cover photos
• Develop a clear, warm voice

11. How to Run a Great FB Page
(An Incomplete List)
• Post often
• Sign your posts
• Like, Comment & Share
• Listen to your fans (and
critics)!

12. Twitter: Who?
Great Library & Librarian Twitter
Accounts:
• Pratt Library -- @prattlibrary
• Newark Public Library -- @newarklibrary
• Library As Art Incubator -- @iartlibraries
• Sue Polanka -- @spolanka
• Buffy Hamilton -- @buffyjhamilton
• ALA Learning Roundtable -- @ALALearning

13. Twitter = Useful & Timely

14. Twitter = Real People, Real
Conversations

15. Twitter = Really Smart Cocktail
Party

16. Twitter: Who?
Great Non-Library Twitter Accounts:
• Fresh Air -- @nprfreshair
• Maria Popova -- @brainpicker
• America's Test Kitchen -- @testkitchen
• Adam Sternbergh -- @sternbergh
• Anne Helen Peterson -- @annehelen
• Buzz Bissinger -- @buzzbissinger
(controversial, but what a VOICE!)

17. Consider: Voice & Purpose

18. How To Be A Good Tweep
• Follow widely
• Share often
• It's a cocktail party, not a bullhorn

19. How To Be a Good Tweep
•Be gracious
• Be warm, clear & real
• Use & participate in
relevant hashtag
conversations

20. Pinterest: A Virtual Pinboard
"Pinterest lets you organize and share
all the beautiful things you find on the
web."
-- http://pinterest.com/about/

21. Pinterest: Why?
•We like to organize the shiny, pretty
things!
• Showcase photos of programs,
crafts, storytimes, events, new
materials
• Collaborate with colleagues &
community members

22. Pinterest: Who (and How)
• Kiera Parrott's Storytime Resources & Ideas
• Random House Publishing's Adventures at
SXSW
• Creekside Learning's Collaborative Hands-
On History Board

23. Doing Pinterest Well
•
•
•
Follow widely
Pin & repin often (under
Copyright & Fair Use)
• Post your pins to Twitter

24. Doing Pinterest Well
•
•
•
Use relevant hashtags
Comment often &
intelligently
• Don't get sucked into the
Rabbit Hole! Budget your
time!

25. The Big Point
Done well, a social media presence on ANY
platform can help you:
• Tell your library's story
• Tell your community's stories
• Connect with your community in a new way
• Put a warm, human face on your library
• Form an integral part of your library's
advocacy strategy

26. Find this Presentation!
http://www.slideshare.net/sophiebiblio
OR
http://dft.ba/-2FDU

27. Need me? Reach me!
Sophie Brookover
Program Coordinator & Social Media Manager
LibraryLinkNJ
sbrookover@librarylinknj.org
Twitter: @librarylinknj
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/LibraryLinkNJ