Libraries Benefit from Social Media Participation

A library would derive many benefits from participating in social media including effectively marketing the library, informing and attracting local patrons to library programs and fulfilling their information needs. Social media helps libraries bond with locals in the area and keep up with them. For instance, by "following" locals, libraries will be more aware of their needs. They will be better able to fulfill those needs by adding new collections, programs, workshops, and more. Two services which allow libraries to do this include Twitter and Skype.


www.twitter.com

Twitter allows people and organizations (like the library) to send and receive one hundred and forty character long posts (tweets). These 140 characters can be links as well as messages. For libraries, these may consist of links to the library catalog and messages about library programs and upcoming events. Tweets can easily be accessed and posted through SMS messages on cell phones and Twitter applications on smart phones, thus making Twitter an effective social media tool to attract more patrons to a library. On Twitter, a library can also seek out locals to “follow” and attract them by posting relevant library topics relevant to their interests. “Following” locals on Twitter can also benefit libraries in understanding the information needs of the patrons in its area. A beneficial way for libraries to use Twitter is to “follow” users and make quality posts to attract them.

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/welcomeback/

Skype is a free social media service that allows its users to communicate through visual, aural and textual forms. It can easily be accessed on the Internet, through a computer, cell phone and even a television. Additional features of Skype include instant messaging, file transferring and video conferencing. In the library field, video conferencing can be used for conducting and presenting at meetings or conferences. This way, the audience can see and hear the contents of the meeting live. Skype may also be used in a library's Reference Services. Having a visual, aural or textual contact can humanize the librarian in the eyes of the patron. Such contact may attract patrons as well.