Libraries can support higher education communicators and media relations in several ways:
1. Librarians can provide social media content support through curating archives, events calendars, and research stories.
2. Libraries offer inspiring campus spaces for photos and tours that can be shared on social media.
3. Librarians are experts in finding and highlighting important research stories and can provide media alerts on new findings.
4. Special collections and archives staff are knowledgeable about historical materials and can assist media with interviews and stories.
2. 2
Jesse Carliner - @jessecarliner
Communications & User Services Librarian
University of Toronto Libraries
Raquel Russell - @raqlionchaser
Communications Assistant
University of Toronto Scarborough Library
25. Tips for working with library staff
Find the right person
Look for staff with
communications, outreach, or
engagement in their title. Or go
to the director or manager who
can refer you.
No food or beverages
No beverages or pens around
the rare books, archival material,
or other special collections.
Don’t even think about it.
Gravitas
Rare book librarians and
conservators take the books
very seriously. For example,
don’t ever call very small books
“tiny books”. They are miniature
books.
Be patient yet persistent
Library staff in general move at a
slower pace than
communications folks.
Be prepared to coach
No one gets into library work to
be in the media spotlight.
Provide media training if
possible.
Translate and edit
Librarians will err on the side of
giving you too much information
and are prone to jargon.
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