Libraries and Social Media

Social media is almost inescapable. Most people don’t know anyone who isn’t on at least one social media platform. From Facebook pages providing library programming to Pinterest boards showing all the best YA novels to read this year, social media is everywhere. Libraries who are embracing this cultural phenomenon are engaging patrons across the internet.

Invercargill City Libraries Is a perfect example of a library being adaptable and staying current. Their social media team has created content and shared established memes that have been shared numerous times and boosted engagement on their social networks. This of course generates interest in the library and its programs and brings patrons in. The best part is, you don’t need special equipment to generate a meme specific to who you're trying to reach. They are just text over an image and can be created on the most basic preinstalled computer paint programs.

Another great platform for quick engagement is Instagram. From perfectly curated images to quirky disappearing stories. You can create the perfect vibe for your library with a few filters and gifs. The quick pace of InstaStories is a great way to engage young and old alike. You can provide information on impromptu story times, how to’s , behind the scenes and ask questions like “what book are you reading this week?”. The responses and shares on these types of posts show this type of engagement works if you work at it.

Works Cited

Fonseca, Catherine. “The Insta-Story: A New Frontier for Marking and Engagement at the Sonoma State University Library.” Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 58, no. 4, Summer 2019, pp. 219–226. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=139336737&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Woodworth, Andy. “My Body Is Ready: Best Practices for Using Memes on Library Social Media.” Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 58, no. 2, Winter 2018, pp. 87–90. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=134186680&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Libraries as Social Hubs

Libraries have a special place in the lives of caregivers, especially stay at home parents. As long as I have been one, we have utilized the library. From story times, to movie nights, special presentations and learning about specific topics. Parents need the library for socialization. One thing I didn’t anticipate when we started going regularly was the community I would gain. Parenthood can be an isolating time. Visiting the library and being greeted with a friendly smile or even a nod of recognition at what a handful kids can be can really boost a parent’s morale. Add to that being inclusive of all communities like having a drag queen story time, hours dedicated to teen parents or goat story time and we can all find our community to lean on. By providing a variety of programming, libraries ensure parents come back. This in turn helps to facilitate a lifetime love of libraries and learning in their children. Recurring programs give parents a safe place for a weekly social time with other adults, sometimes the only other adult interaction you will have that day. These integral library programs provide a place to feel connected to other adults, guaranteeing they will come back for the social interaction and all the benefits to their children’s social, emotional and intellectual growth.

Works Cited:

Malloy, Karen, and Marlin Day. “Not Your Typical Library Program: Goat Storytime.” Florida Libraries, vol. 59, no. 1, Spring 2016, pp. 29–31. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=117822497&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Prendergast, Tess, et al. “Reaching Out to Parents.” Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, vol. 17, no. 1, Spring 2019, pp. 38–39. EBSCOhost, doi:10.5860/cal.17.1.38.

Staino, Rocco. “Storytime Gets Fabulous.” School Library Journal, vol. 63, no. 7, July 2017, p. 14. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=124220840&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Hickey, Grainne, et al. “A Universal Early Parenting Education Intervention in Community-Based Primary Care Settings: Development and Installation Challenges.” Education Sciences, vol. 8, Jan. 2018. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1201078&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Libraries and Student Success

Libraries play an integral role in student success. From offering a quiet study environment to accessing databases, research and librarian assistance. “Higher education data show that student parents make up 15 percent of the student body at four-year public and private institutions of higher education and 26 percent of the student body at all higher education institutions.”¹  Whether these students are young parents or older parents who have gone back to school, they need all the help they can get to graduate.  Student-parents face obstacles traditional students do not, including finding childcare, increased debt and poverty.¹  Many student parents are unaware of the resources their schools may provide to help them succeed.  Some colleges offer onsite childcare but is not promoted and many parents miss out on this resource.

“Creating spaces that are more welcoming to families is an effective way to do this and allows student parents an opportunity to spend time with their children while still completing their coursework.”¹ Some college libraries have begun creating spaces for student parents that welcome their children. I know if Palomar Library had a space for me to comfortably bring my daughter with me, I would have been more able to participate in the meeting my blog mates held. It would have been a lovely opportunity to meet and collaborate with them. Creating these spaces provides a feeling of understanding for student parents who can sometimes feel alienated from their peers. Students who feel like their needs are being met are more likely to continue their education.

Family study room at BYU

Work Cited

Godfrey, Ian, et al. "Supporting Student Retention and Success: Including Family Areas in an Academic Library." portal: Libraries and the Academy, vol. 17 no. 2, 2017, p. 375-388. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/pla.2017.0023.

Libraries and the Homeless

While many families with children utilize their local libraries for story times, reading clubs and other engagement activities, homeless families are a growing sub-population. From offering a safe space to be during the day, free internet access, outreach programs and assistance enrolling in public services the library is a lifeline for these families. During summer families can find meals being served to their children who would otherwise go hungry without free school lunches. The Los Angeles Public Library was able to fund a summer camp for local homeless kids. This program exposed the children to the library, the resources available to them and of course, books. “The kids quickly learned that the library is filled with "treasures" and that access is free of charge.”1  Without this program, many of these children would not have had the opportunity to access the library. These kinds of programs not only help keep kids off the streets and out of bad weather. They also develop literacy skills and help kids maintain reading levels while bouncing from school to school.  Another librarian, Colbert Nembhard2 of New York has created an outreach program to bring the library to the children of a local homeless shelter. Something these children would otherwise not have access to. By bringing the library to the children he is exposing them to books, literacy a love of reading and normalcy.

Works cited:

1) Abramson, Ilene. “A Haven for Homeless Kids.” School Library Journal, vol. 49, no. 1, Jan. 2003, p. 41. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=8858901&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

2) https://highered-nbclearn-com.ezproxy.palomar.edu/portal/site/HigherEd/browse?cuecard=109581