Week 5: Social Media Metrics, Shelfari, Goodreads

Question of the week:  What kinds of social media apps do you think you might use in your library?  If you use some already, what ideas did you get for making better use of them?



Our library currently uses Facebook, Pinterest, and GoodReads.  We do not have accounts with Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or LibraryThing.



We use Facebook to post flyers and information about upcoming events, post pictures of past events, and post book covers of new arrivals.  We also try to promote other events/closures that are going on around town by sharing posts from the Chamber and other local groups.  I do not currently post questions on Facebook to promote interaction.  I have thought about doing that, but have noticed that often no one responds to questions posted on the Facebook pages of other libraries.  I think it would be a lot of fun if you could get responses, but if you can't, it just seems lame.



We primarily use Pinterest to get craft ideas for Story-time and ideas for the Summer Reading Program.  When I find cute craft ideas, I save them on our Story-time Crafts Board.  Then, even if I don't use them right away, I can go back and easily find them later.  I also post pictures of book covers that link to book reviews or summaries on a board called "Book
Reviews/Summaries."  We have a Silhouette Cameo machine (kind of like a Cri-Cut) that we use to cut out designs for decorating bulletin boards or to cut out shapes to help with Story-time crafts.  So, I have a Board for Silhouette ideas and follow some "pinners" who post tips and designs for the Silhouette.  After taking the class, I was exposed to various boards/pins about libraries.  I started a board called "Library Stuff" and have started following some other library-themed boards.  I'm hoping to get a lot of good ideas from the boards I am now following.  Pinterest is definitely a social media venue that I am glad I participate in.  It is one that actually saves me time in the long run because I can get so many good ideas from one site, rather than visiting lots of web pages.



I have a Goodreads account under my own name, but I don't have one for the library.  I use my account to look at book reviews to determine which books I should purchase, and I use it to help recommend books to patrons.  Another of my primary uses for Goodreads is to get the book cover art to post new arrivals on our Facebook page.  I have no plans to start using LibraryThing.  I have set up a personal Shelfari account, but have not started using it.  I think Shelfari has a cooler look than Goodreads, but I just don't know if it's worth the time of starting all over and adding all of the books I've read and want to read.  It would just seem redundant.  I am going to look into it a little more and see if I can figure out the widget to help post new arrivals to our website.



We do not have a YouTube account and do not plan to have one.  However, we do use instructional YouTube videos to help us learn how to do things.  We do not have an Instagram account or a Twitter account and have no plans to pursue those.  Twitter and Instagram seem to be geared toward users that need to post comments/pictures often and instantly.  We are a library in a small town.  Things are not happening fast enough here that a Facebook account does not suffice for our purposes.  I don't actually think many folks in our town use Twitter.  I have never heard any of our patrons mention using it, and the two teenagers at my house don't use it.  The young folks here do use Instagram.  However, I think they use it less often now.  They mostly SnapChat with each other. 



When you have limited time to devote to social media, you have to choose where you get the most bang for the buck.  Pinterest and Goodreads are definitely useful library tools and a worthwhile use of my time.  Facebook may not actually reach a lot of folks for the amount of time put into it.  However, it is an easier avenue to update than our webpage is and it does allow users the opportunity to post comments and questions.  I plan to continue to use Facebook to promote our library and I hope to do more non-library posts such as sharing links from other community pages. 



Thanks for the class.  I look forward to our next opportunity to learn together. 

Happy New Year!

Week 5: Social Media Metrics; Shelfari, Goodreads, and LibraryThing

Question of the week:  What kinds of social media apps do you think you might use in your library?  If you use some already, what ideas did you get for making better use of them?


Right after our last class, I worked on a nice, thoughtful answer to this question.  It was just pointed out to me today that I haven't completed the Week 5 homework, so apparently my post did not upload properly.  So, here goes with a less thoughtful answer.


We currently use Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads at our library.  I use Facebook to promote library events and community events, post pictures taken during our programs, and post covers for new arrivals.  We use Pinterest primarily to get ideas for crafts for story-time, but I have recently started posting pins of book reviews on a Book Reviews board.  .  Rarely have I posted original pictures, just when we did a cool story-time craft that I didn't find on Pinterest.  My GoodReads account is a personal account, but I use it to look at reviews of books I am considering for the library and to borrow cover art for posting new arrivals on Facebook. 


I understand that Facebook accounts can be more effective if you invite interaction/responses by posting questions.  I have done that a few times, but haven't had much luck with anyone posting replies.  I have seen other libraries posting questions and they don't get many replies either.  I'm not sure if Facebook is a very effective marketing strategy for our library, but it doesn't take a ton of time and I have heard from a few folks who learned about a program from Facebook.


Some of the apps I am not considering using include Twitter and Instagram.  Those apps seem to be useful for places and folks who have a lot going on and have time to post tweets/photos often.  If one is not going to post tweets/photos often, then I don't see the point of adding a Twitter or Instagram account.  Things are just not happening so fast at our library that we need Twitter or Instagram.  I really don't know if libraries that use Instagram are getting a lot out of it.  When I looked at large libraries using Instagram, it didn't seem that they had many likes or responses to pictures they posted.  So, I'm not sure how many they are reaching with this tool.


I use YouTube to find videos of how to do things, but I doubt that I will post any videos there.  I'm glad it's there, and I'm glad other libraries have the time to post videos so that I benefit from them.


Shelfari is an app I would consider using.  It looks cooler than GoodReads and has some kind of widget that can be used to post new arrivals to a website.  I just don't know if I want to enter all of the books "read," "to read," etc... into another account.  For the purpose of looking at book ratings/reviews, I probably will stick with GoodReads since it has more users. 


Well, hopefully I will be able to publish my answer this time.  Thanks for letting me know I didn't have an answer up yet.  I enjoyed the class and look forward to seeing everyone again.

Week 4: Social Media Policies and Instagram

 I could see the necessity of having a social media policy if you worked in an environment where multiple staff posted on behalf of the library on social media accounts.  I also think it would be a good idea for schools to have a social media policy discussing what type of posts employees should refrain from making on their personal accounts.  I have heard of teachers losing their positions because of inappropriate posts on their personal Facebook pages.  Right now, I am the only person who posts to social media sites on behalf of the library.  At some point, if we have multiple staff posting, we would probably need to develop a social media policy.

Now, on to the homework -- posting the URLs of two libraries who using Instagram for marketing and giving examples of how they specifically use it.

Since I am an alumni of the University of Tennessee, here's the URL of their Instagram account for the Hodges Library.  http://instagram.com/utklibraries.  Some of the photos promoted artwork of students displayed within the library.  Recent photos contained photos of students de-stressing by petting therapy dogs during finals time.  So, this library is using Instagram to promote its exhibits and programs.  However, I can't help but wonder how many people are actually reached with Instagram.  Is it really effective at marketing?  Most of the photos I looked at on their account had less than 5 folks liking it.  Five folks at a school with over 27,000 students does not seem like a lot to me. 

I decided to look at the Instagram account of the public library of our largest U. S. city, New York.  Here's the URL:  http://instagram.com/nypl.  One of the things they are currently using their account to market is the opening of their new branch, Mariners Harbor.  Many of their photos have over 300 likes, though I didn't see any with 400.  But, when you think about it -- even 400 likes in a city of 8.3 million is a very low percentage (less than .005%).  So, once again, I'm not sure it's all that effective as a marketing strategy. 

Week 3 -- YouTube

Here's a video that teaches one how to use Learning Express Library:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MnGAp6Wuw4

So, I've checked out a few videos posted by others.  Some cute and informative; others just informative.  It would be nice to have a video that showed our patrons exactly how to set up accounts on Destiny and use Destiny Quest at our library.  But, I don't understand how to make one of these videos.  Does anyone know how you make a video that shows you guiding someone through the pages on the computer screen?  It's not like they are just holding a camera.  There must be some way to ask your computer to record the processes you are going through.

Week 2 Assignment

Week 2 Assignment:  Find 2 library pinterest boards and tell us why you would use them at your library? Start a new post on your blog to complete this assignment.
1. Post URL's of the 2 boards.
2. Read and comment on one of your classmate's posts on this question

One of the library Pinterest boards that I liked can be found at the following URL: 
http://www.pinterest.com/momason54/library-ideas/.  This particular board will come in handy for me because it has many pins that show picture books that fit various themes, such as "19 Books about Bugs" or "19 Monster Books for Kids."  Sometimes, I just have trouble coming up with a theme for story-time, so I can use this Board to give me some ideas and book recommendations.  I already follow several boards that help me to come up with craft ideas once I have a theme in mind. 

I recently began looking on the internet for book reviews of some of our new arrivals and pinning them to a "Book Review" board on Pinterest.  I thought I would look to see what other book review boards were out there and save myself a little time by just pinning the pins of others.  Surprisingly,  none of the book review boards I have found contained a lot of the books/authors popular at our library.  Some were too heavy to romance, others to paranormal.  I'd like to find one that covers the authors popular here like David Baldacci, James Patterson, Harlan Coben, John Sandford, Craig Johnson, C. J. Box, etc...  I guess I'll just have to snag a review here or there from the different boards.  I didn't like any of the book review boards enough to post as my second URL.  So, I searched some more.

I like the board found at the following URL:  http://www.pinterest.com/tiffums4/the-library/.  It has pins like "32 Popular Book Club Novels," "What Should I Read Next," and "Books Every Geek Should Read to Their Kids."  So, I think I will follow this board.  It could come in handy for helping with readers' advisory requests and planning book discussions. 

I'd like to take more time to research, but I'll let my classmates do it for me and wait to see what sites they found to be interesting. 

Week 1 -- Facebook Assignment 1

What are four kinds of things libraries are doing with Facebook?

1. Posting upcoming events.  Anne does a great job of posting about upcoming programs for the kids on the Facebook Page for Lead Library -- Phoebe Apperson Hearst Library.

2.  Posting new arrivals to your library's collection.  I do this on the Custer County Library Facebook page, but all I do is post book covers.  Bert Upton at the Hermosa Library posts not only the covers of her new books, but sometimes gives a little summary or personal thoughts to increase interest in some of her new books.  It's kind of used as a reader's advisory tool.

3.  Inviting public participation.  For example, the Yankton Community Library has a picture book contest going on right now which invites folks to vote on their favorite between two picture books.  The winners face off later, until a final winner is crowned.

4.  Posting photos and info. about events/programs you have hosted.  Posting pictures of folks having fun at Story-time or Book Discussions might entice other folks to come to your next event.  I think Platte Public Library's Facebook page makes good use of this venue.

5.  Posting book reviews by video or book trailers.  The only book trailer I have ever posted is the one I made for Cinder, but I would like to have more posted.  I would like to incorporate it into a teen program for Summer Reading next year.  I would teach the interested teens how to make book trailers.  Each time they make a book trailer, they could send it to me to post on the library's Facebook page, thus increasing interest in the book.  Each time they create a trailer, their name will be entered in a drawing for a Kindle Fire XD (or something).  A few teens may not enjoy it, but I think others will like the opportunity to create book trailers for their friends to enjoy.  And I will like the fact that they are helping increase interest in the library's Facebook page and in the books they have read.

I'll do assignment 2 of the homework later when I check back in and see what my classmates have posted.  UPDATE:  Assignment 2 complete.  I visited the blogs of several of my classmates to see what they had learned about the uses of Facebook, then commented on a few of the blog posts.  By reading their posts, I learned of some uses of Facebook that had never crossed my mind such as posting local job openings, having patrons request new materials via Facebook, etc...

"Meet Me" Post for Institute -- Doris Ann Mertz

I guess I have almost forgotten how to blog since I haven't done this since the Electronic Resources Challenge ended.  Hopefully, this shows up, and I can say "mission accomplished."

Here goes with the "a little about myself" part (o.k., maybe it turned out to be a lot).  I am the Library Director at Custer County Library.  I am a 43-year-old mother of two and wife of one.  My kids are Sam, 16, and Liz, 14.  Today is my anniversary, and I have been married to Dave for 19 years.  We met on a Hotshot Crew in my pre-motherhood career with the Forest Service.

I have a Forestry degree from the University of Tennessee and worked for the Forest Service for 9 years.  (Before Institute, I had no formal training in library sciences.)  After my second child was born, I became a stay-at-home mom. We lived in Tennessee for a while, then Mt. Sterling, KY and Williams, AZ before landing in Custer, SD.

While living in Williams, AZ , I somehow lucked into the Library Manager/Accelerated Reader Coordinator at the school my kids attended.  I ended up loving my work in the library.  When my husband got a job in Custer, the library director position here happened to be open.  So, I applied and was blessed to be offered the job.

I love my job, and I love living in Custer.  I can't think of any other job I'd rather have.  I still have that pull to the outdoors that got me into forestry back in the day.  So, I satisfy that desire by hiking in the Black Hills with my family and serving on the Custer County Search and Rescue crew.  Which brings me to my newest hobby.  Several of us on the crew are trying to train search dogs.  My future search dog is a 9-month-old border collie named Roscoe.  The training is pretty fun and gets Roscoe and me out in the woods a lot. 

My other hobbies include making quilts, weaving baskets, knotting rugs, and, of course, reading.  I must say that all of my homemaker hobbies have been put on the back burner for a while.  Between a more than full-time job, going to the high school events my kids participate in, spending time with my husband, and training my dog, I have a little time for reading, but not much else.  I plan on pulling those skills back out when I have an empty nest in a few years.  Right now, I'm just enjoying the last few years that my kids will be around. 

I'm looking forward to learning more about my fellow students -- if I can remember how to go read other folks' blogs.  I'm also looking forward to learning more about the various forms of social media.  Just please don't make us take "selfies" or any of that nonsense.