social media in public libraries: the good, the bad an the ugly!

Social Media in public l ibraries

The good, the bad and the ugly!

The Good...

How do you grow an audience?

Beg, borrow and blackmail!

Beg...

• Ask customers to like the page

• Local promotion eg leaflet attached to Summer Reading Challenge Flyer

• Like local facebook pages and borrow their audience

• Share what their posts, encourage them to do the same with yours

• Comment on their posts

Borrow...

Blackmail.. .

– Friends, family, colleagues etc

Incentivise

– We’ll put pictures of your child on there– We’ll state if an activity has to be cancelled at short notice on

our facebook page– Consultation – eg have your say about what time rhymetime is– First look at new products in the library shop, new books etc

Remember these two fundamental factors...

•Trial and error

•Fluke

Link into hot “national” topics

• World book day• Summer Reading Challenge• National Love Libraries Day

• Posted at 7pm on Friday• 9.00am on Saturday had over 600 views• 3.30pm had over 754 views• Total views is 1013 views • Was posted on youtube and before it was removed had

over 30,000 views

• Had 445 views and still increasing.

• Normally have 600-750 visitors on a Saturday

• On the “Day of the Doctor” they had 2556 visitors

The bad....

• 3 rd March• Only a few days left for Finedon Infants to get entries in for the Julia

Donaldson drawing comp for #worldbookday with #Finedon library.• Laura from #Rushden library is visiting Denfield school today to talk about the

Faraway Tree for #worldbookday• 2.00pm• Year 2 from @LumbertubsPri are visiting #WestonFavell library today for

#worldbookday. Hope you have fun!• 4 th March• 10.00am• #Oundle library are holding their “Twinkle Twinkle” Rhymetime for

‘worldbookday now. • 5 th March• Children from Earls Barton Infants are visiting #EarlsBarton library today to

make bookmarks & receive @BooktimeTweets bags. #worldbookday

The ugly...

Remember the two golden rules...

• Never use social media when drunk

• Never use social media when angry

Jo Hoyer – Children and Families Programme Co-ordinator• Email – jhoyer@northamptonshire.gov.uk• Twitter - @HoyerJo

#Goodluck