By: Erin Orona
Say your local library has a new program they’re dying to start up. They take the time, care, and resources to set everything up, promoting it through word of mouth and flyers around the city. But, when the day of the program arrives, no one comes to the library. What went wrong? With the use of technology increasing every day, more and more people are glued to their phones instead of going out and seeing what their community is up to. While this may sound bleak to some, a silver lining is found in every stormy cloud; you may be able to use this to your advantage.
Social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (or, rather X) are the perfect conduit in which to promote what your library has to offer. As mentioned in LibGuides, social media allows not only for libraries to connect with their patrons not only to show when and where they’re open, but can showcase all of the programs and services your library does. While this may sound like a daunting task, trying to stand out in a mess of social media feeds, EBSCO offers ten helpful tips on conquering multiple platforms. Here are a few of my personal favorites:
Get Organized: First and foremost, it’s important to set specific times in the week to draft and post on social media in order to manage everything in a timely and neat manner.
Write Once, Share Twice; Why use one platform to showcase your library’s newsletter? You worked hard on it, and people deserve to read it. Cross-platforming your posts will ensure that more people will see it and in turn, create a larger audience for your library.
Engage Your Audience; As a library, you want people to be excited about your collection and programs. Have an arts and crafts program you want the spotlight on? Post photos of the group’s work on Instagram to drum up interest! Got a handful of new books in need of circulation? Create a GoodReads list and highlight them for the masses! It’s important to catch a potential patron’s eye with interesting and unique content.
Now, these are just a few strategies, but feel free to look through the entirety of EBSCO’s list to truly master utilizing social media for your library!
“10 Tips to Master Social Media at Your Library.” LibraryAware. EBSCOhost, https://www.ebsco.com/sites/g/files/nabnos191/files/acquiadam-assets/10-Social-Media-Tips-for-Public-Libraries-Infographic.pdf
“Libraries and Social Media.” LibGuides, Jan. 2025. Institute of Museum and Library Services, https://library-nd.libguides.com/publib/socialmedia#:~:text=Social%20media%20is%20the%20perfect,services%20through%20social%20media%20platforms.
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