Now and Then

During the first decade of the 21st century, libraries in general were not embracing social media in comparison to libraries now in this current decade. Jonathan Bodnar, a business & user experience analyst for the  Robert W. Woodruff Library of Emory University and Ameet Doshi, a user engagement librarian and assessment coordinator from Georgia Tech Library (2011) wrote a constructive critique discussing the use of social networking sites in academic libraries. In their article, the authors discussed how several libraries were using Facebook as a way to interact with their fellow scholars, while other libraries were denying their users access to post on the library Facebook page. One of the possible reasons that libraries denied users the right to post was that librarians feared that the library would lose control of its Facebook page (p. 106). They also noted that libraries who limited user access had less activity. 

Now libraries, whether it is public or academic, are looking past the negative of social networking sites and using social media as a positive marketing tool to reach more scholars or patrons. Librarians must continue to experiment with sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter and effectively use social media to better enhance its presence in its respective service area. Librarians should also strive to reach users in the most creative and energetic ways possible. 

Bodnar, J. & Doshi, A. (2011). Asking the right questions: A critique of Facebook, social media, and libraries. Public Services Quarterly, 7(3/4), 102-110. 

Emory University Library and Information Technology Services. (2015). Robert W. Woodruff Library home page. Retrieved from http://web.library.emory.edu/index.html

epstengroup.com. (n.d.). Robert W. Woodruff Library Front [Google Image]. Retrieved from http://epstengroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/r-w-woodriuff-libraryfront.jpg

Georgia Tech Library. (n.d.). Georgia Tech Library home page. Retrieved from http://www.library.gatech.edu/