Libraries and Social Media

There’s no doubt that social media is a big part of the world today. Almost everyone uses some form of social media, it only makes sense that libraries (public and academic) will jump on the trend as well. Social media is an easy way to reach out to patrons, especially teenagers and young adults. Libraries using social media is a simple way to inform the public about programs, events, and activities, as well as a gateway to see what patrons are engaged and interested in.  An example of this is a study performed by Purdue University to determine what social media sites students use and what they wanted to see from the library on social media. The study resulted in the formation of a social media committee and a clearer social media presence from the library. Social media also gives libraries a creative outlet to state their mission as well as attract non-library users. Some libraries have utilized the use of memes on social media to attract patrons. Andy Woodworth explains: “memes are a viable addition to any library’s social media strategy due to their flexibility in use and connotations, innate ability to be shared, and high placement in online popular culture.” Memes are easy to create and a fun and engaging way to get a message out to people. Instagram and Twitter are the perfect outlets for libraries to showcase creative posts such as memes, as these sites hold lots of creative content to begin with. Social media use is going to continue to grow in the years to come, so it’s important that libraries assess what social media sites will work best for their community and what content will be the most effective in reaching out to getting patrons attention. 

https://youtu.be/BcTLkT_mrf0  

References : 

Howard, Heather, et al. “Academic Libraries on Social Media: Finding the Students and the Information They Want.” Information Technology & Libraries, vol. 37, no. 1, Mar. 2018, pp. 8–18. EBSCOhost, doi:10.6017/ital.v37i1.10160.

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=lxh&AN=134186680&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Libraries as Social Hubs

Lauree Padgett states in their article The Social Library : “considering that libraries used to (and sometimes still do) have a reputation for being places for quiet contemplation, solitary study, and hushed voices, the word “social” seems like an odd adjective to use when describing them, yet more and more are becoming social hubs.” This statement couldn’t be more than true and Padgett hit the nail on the head. Not only is the library a place where you can borrow and use resources, but it’s also becoming a place where a community can gather, socialize, and share common interests. Many libraries have weekly activities, programs, classes, book clubs, etc. This gives libraries a great opportunity to engage with a community and pinpoint specific interests and needs based on the local demographic, as well as gets more people into the library. “When library staff embed themselves in the community, everyone benefits” (Hinze).

Here is a video of Shamichael Hallman discussing the steps Memphis Library is taking to becoming a social hub to reconnect with the community. He makes some great points about the importance of connecting with a community.

                                            https://youtu.be/JI2CLgq3LLk

 I live in a heavily Hispanic community and my local library has had events in the past that highlights Hispanic culture in art and food. My local library also has weekly story time and craft day for children. This program has been around for as long as I can remember. I remember attending as a young child and now my family takes my niece and nephew to the same program. I’ve also seen libraries taking steps to engage with teenagers and young adults. We have a coloring club for teenagers at my library and I’ve seen young adult book clubs forming. It’s very important to reach out to the youth. They are the next generation of library users. This generation of youth is powerful and they are going to do tremendous things for the future of libraries.

“Libraries are not only a vital barometer of community prosperity, but the conversations they can spark through programming and social media will redefine participatory culture.” – Brendan Howley

References

PADGETT, LAUREE. “The Social Library.” Information Today, vol. 34, no. 10, Dec. 2017, p. 23. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=126810320&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Hinze, Shana. “Librarians as Community Ambassadors.” Young Adult Library Services, vol. 15, no. 1, Fall 2016, pp. 27–30. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=118843606&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

HOWLEY, BRENDAN. “Libraries as Values-Driven Participatory Culture Hubs.” Information Today, vol. 35, no. 5, June 2018, pp. 15–16. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=130182780&site=ehost-live&scope=site. 

Libraries as Social Hubs

Since their inception, libraries have been ever-evolving social hubs. They serve as gathering places, elevating life in the communities they serve by fostering involvement and interconnectedness. Libraries act as social hubs not only due to the programs they offer, but simply because of their existence as a welcoming space. Public libraries are producers of trust and social capital because "they offer universal access to information services, treat all patrons equally, and provide a meeting place available to everyone" (Varheim, 259).

Locally, through the San Diego Public Library system, the "Do Your Homework at the Library" program is one way San Diego libraries serve as a social hub for connecting the community. Through this program, volunteers can help students, K-8, with their homework. Students can gather and work together with tutors to learn and get access to digital resources and other school materials they may need. These sorts of programs absolutely help to reinforce libraries as social hubs for learning and community engagement.

New Vision for San Diego Public Libraries -- The City of San Diego

Works Cited: 

Vårheim, Andreas. “Trust in Libraries and Trust in Most People: Social Capital Creation in the Public Library.” The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, vol. 84, no. 3, 2014, pp. 258–277. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/676487. Accessed 29 Apr. 2020.

"Social Role of the Library." Social Role of the Library: Libraries Matter, http://www.ala.org/tools/research/librariesmatter/category/social-role-library. Accessed 29 Apr. 2020.

Libraries and the Homeless

Libraries are considered to be a safe space for many people, especially the homeless population. Homeless people and families seek refuge in the library for many reasons. The library is a comforting and safe place where they can take shelter during the day, especially when weather conditions are bad. At the library, homeless people have access to the internet and many other resources. However, libraries serving the homeless population has been somewhat of a controversy in the past. Whether this is because libraries deal with an overwhelming amount of homeless people or the stigma that surrounds homeless people, specifically mental illness and drug abuse among the homeless population, it is still the libraries job to serve homeless people. Patrick Grace states: “Homeless people are not stereotypes; they are members of our society. They are men, women, and children. They come from all national and ethnic backgrounds. They are native-born and immigrant. They are families, single men and women, and children on their own. And they have a right to visit and use our nation's public libraries.” Many libraries have started offering programs and services specifically for homeless people in hopes to help and better serve this group of patrons. A great example of a library working to help the homeless population is the Dallas Public Library. They have many programs for the homeless community in Dallas including music and art classes, a podcast, and a H.E.L.P desk where homeless people can go for guidance on looking for jobs, sheltering, etc. Here is a about the services the Dallas Public Library has for homeless people : 

                                                       https://youtu.be/oBQrihuxit8

It's important to remember that homeless people are human too. They want to seek the resources at the library just like we do and have every right to. Homeless people are some of the most loyal library users and I think the initiative libraries have been taking to support and advocate for this group is great and is a step in the right direction that our society needs.

References :

Grace, Patrick. “No Place to Go (Except the Public Library). (Cover Story).” American Libraries, vol. 31, no. 5, May 2000, p. 53. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=3072708&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

 “Homeless Engagement Initiative - Dallas Public Library.” YouTube, 7 May 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBQrihuxit8.

‌

‌

Libraries and the Homeless

Here in San Diego, like in many other cities, libraries and the homeless community often intersect. A library can be one of the few places the homeless can go and feel welcome. But sometimes the needs of the homeless can overwhelm library staff, especially when they don't feel able to provide the services and resources individuals may need. In addition, it can also be a challenge to ensure they are creating a welcoming space for all while still keeping the safety and comfort of their staff and other patrons at the forefront. At the Central Library in downtown San Diego, more or less the epicenter of the homeless and mental health crisis in San Diego, the library has teamed up with San Diego County Health and Human Services to open a department on the third floor where those who need help can access information to resources and referrals. The services offered by this program include emergency housing referrals, referrals to doctors, and food distribution referrals. Creating partnerships with local programs that help the homeless can be very beneficial to a library and help take some of the burden off the shoulders of staff. For example, in 2008, the San Francisco Public Library became the first in the nation to hire its own full time psychiatric social worker (Ruhlmann, 43). The intersection of homelessness and libraries can be a complex issue, but creating awareness, proper training of staff, and providing access to much-needed resources are a few small ways to help those in need.

                      San Diego's Downtown Library Keeps Homeless Warm and Dry -- KPBS


Works Cited:
Ruhlmann, Ellyn. “A HOME to the HOMELESS.” American Libraries, vol. 45, no. 11/12, 2014, pp. 40–44., www.jstor.org/stable/24603545. Accessed 28 Apr. 2020.

Libraries and the Homeless

Libraries are a public space for all in which access to information is paramount. Understandably, many unsheltered people take refuge in public libraries because they are safe, comfortable, welcoming, and climate-controlled, in addition to having valuable services, programs, and endless sources of information. But there are opportunities for libraries to not just include the homeless as patrons, but enable better access and services for this underserved population.

The homeless population of several cities has greatly increased over the last few years, and many public library systems have stepped up to the challenges of keeping their libraries accessible to all patrons, or becoming so if they weren't already. In Library Journal, Editor-in-Chief Rebecca T. Miller discusses barriers of access to information that the homeless face, and ways that those barriers can be eliminated or reduced. Two of the services mentioned are facilitating better access to showers and restrooms and enabling parents and caregivers to use computers for job seeking while their children play nearby. Making the library more usable for all helps remove the barriers to access to information. Miller suggests that it is not enough just to search for gaps in access, but that library staff need to go beyond and think of limitations of access as not just a challenge for patrons, but for public institutions to address and attempt to overcome (8).

The PBS report “Quiet Comfort” introduces us to the United States’ first full-time library social worker. This is another way that the San Francisco Public Library has assessed the needs of its patrons and adapted its staffing and services to help the community have maximum access to information.




How has your public library changed its services and programs to better meet the needs of your community's unsheltered population? What services do you think would be beneficial at your location? Tell us in the comments!

Works Cited

Miller, Rebecca T. “Real-World Barriers.” Library Journal, vol. 140, no. 16, Oct. 2015, p. 8. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=109996174&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

“Quiet Comfort: Library Social Worker Helps Homeless Seeking Quiet Refuge.” YouTube, PBS, 28 Jan. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOeBLhs5Jko.

Libraries and Student Success

School libraries have long been safe spaces for students to find a good book and do research for assignments. But the library’s function in student success goes far beyond readers’ advisory and reference books. School library staff teach information literacy and technology, encourage critical thinking, and collaborate with teachers and school resource specialists to help students become not just better readers, but better students and researchers for life.

In the article “Equal Access + Equal Opportunity = Success For All Learners”, Schenell Agee explores ways that school libraries can better support students with disabilities. “Successful school libraries curate print and digital resources and resources that all learners can access” (Agee 26). Several tips and resources are provided for how to provide equal access to students with various disabilities, such as vision impairments, hearing impairments, and physical and cognitive disabilities. Without equal access, there cannot be equal opportunity, and the chances for student success are diminished. Incorporating accommodations and resources for students with disabilities makes it possible for library staff to help all patrons become better learners.

The video “Accommodations and Modifications for Students with Disabilities” discusses tips for such accommodations and modifications in the classroom. While school library staff are not typically involved in that aspect of the student’s day, it is beneficial for us to know what best practices are for the student with disabilities in school, and support and contribute to those accommodations in the library for student success for all.



What resources have made an impact on success for all students in your school library? Tell us in the comments!


Works Cited
“Accommodations and Modifications for Students with Disabilities.” YouTube, ECACorg, 25 Jan. 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0xdaCEqrU0.

Agee, Schenell. “Equal Access + Equal Opportunity = Success for All Learners.” Knowledge Quest, vol. 48, no. 2, Jan. 2019, pp. 24–29. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1233107&site=ehost-live&scope=site.