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...