Social media has been around for
almost twenty years. In 2003, social networking became a phenomenon over the
World Wide Web. In that same year, MySpace (Digital Trends, 2014, para. 15) was
a hit among the “young adult demographic with music, music videos, and a funky,
feature-filled environment.” Almost everyone is participating in social media.
According to The Web at 25 in the U.S
(Fox & Rainie, 2014), 87 percent of American adults use the web and 68
percent connect to the web with mobile devices. Mobile technology is connecting
more users to various social networking sites like: Facebook, Twitter,
Pinterest, and Instagram. 57 percent of
American adults use Facebook (Smith, 2014). So if more than half of the adult
population is using Facebook, so why aren’t libraries using social media to
connect with their service area?
Here are five good reasons for libraries to participate in
social media (King, 2015, p.7).
- Listening. Social media provides libraries a way to listen to what is going on in the community. It helps librarians know the hot topics that are swirling around and what the latest interests with the service area. It is also good to see what your customer base is thinking about the library, so that the library can meet the needs of the service area and make any changes needed to help patrons.
- Connections. Social media connects the library’s patrons, as well as future patrons, with the latest happenings in the library. Best of all, it’s free!
- Responses. Social media is a wonderful place to ask for input from your patrons by asking for ideas or even opinions about a matter. The hardest part is actually using their responses to make needed improvements.
- Mobile. As stated earlier, more than half of the adult population is connected to the web with a mobile device. So, libraries should post important messages on the web, because customers are always browsing the social networks or the web anytime of the day.
- Reach. This is another great way to reach out to the customer base and let them know about the latest events, a new service, or a new book. The library may even possibly draw in new patrons from the service area.
Digital Trends staff. (2014). The history of social networking. Retrieved from http://www.digitaltrends.com/features/the-history-of-social-networking/
Fox, S., & Rainie, L. (2014). The Web at 25 in the U.S.: Summary of Findings. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/02/27/the-web-at-25-in-the-u-s/
King, D. L. (2015). Why use social media? Library Technology Reports, 51(1), 6-9.
Smith, A. (2014). 6 new facts about Facebook. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/03/6-new-facts-about-facebook/
Socialmediaexaminer.com. Social media icon: Google icons. [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/dh-social-media-buttons-istock-image-25015338.jpg
