By: Erin Orona
Step inside your local library, and take a look around – what is the first thing you notice? Is it rows and rows of bookshelves? Is it a list of their programs or services? Or rather, is it the people milling about? While the stereotype of a library being a cold mausoleum to house aging books is prevalent, the opposite actually rings true in this day and age. No library would exist without its community, and it is our job as librarians to truly understand and relate to our users to be able to provide an engaging space that suits our community needs.
But, the question of “how?” is on the table. How do we learn about our community to foster this kind of social hub?
Shana Hinze’s article, Librarians as Community Ambassadors, provides plenty of helpful ways to learn about the community your library serves, most of which revolving around inserting yourself into the community in physical ways; attending PTA meetings, providing information at social service offices, and so on. But in modern times, trying to connect to a community in this way can prove difficult. With the rise of technology, the easiest way to connect to others is through the internet. My solution to better understand the community at large? Social media! Browse through local groups on Facebook, scroll through Instagram to see what others are wanting in their community. Take what you learn from social media, and apply it to your local library’s programs and services. Is your community invested in arts and humanities? Create an art club. What if you notice a heavy presence of green thumbs on your feed? Establish a community garden!
By incorporating what you learn about your community on social media is a surefire way to make your local library the place to be in town.
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