A quick guide for managing Facebook for librarians. Designed by Mandy Boyle and distributed to the Northeast Library District

1. Your Library’s
Facebook Page
Checklist
Photo of the library as Facebook in 15 Minutes
your user picture
A Librarian’s Guide to Facebook
Photos of staff
Photos of books, library
spaces, events
4 Reminders for Friends
Address
Phone Number Friend patrons/members. Friend peo- Friend others who are interested in
ple living in your service area, or who your stuff. Have a local history collec-
Hours of Operation are likely to use your services. Your goal tion that focuses on a certain individual
is to share your stuff, your events, and or era? Friend others who are interested
Website's URL
yourselves with other people and organi- in the same things. This should hold
Short description zations who can actually use and benefit true especially on social networks that
your content in a social network. focus on multimedia, like Flickr and You-
Events listing Tube.
Link to Twitter (optional)
If someone friends you, check them out.
Look at their posts, look at their bio, and Finally, be friend-neutral. Don’t agree
Custom URL (after 25) where they’re from. If they live close by, with what the person says, or don’t like
friend them. Then start sharing. their content? Remind yourself that this
isn’t your personal social network you’re
Friend other local organizations. developing, but your organization’s net-
To Create a
Again, the goal is to share your stuff work. And most likely, you take all
Facebook Page:
with other organizations that can poten- shapes and sizes of friend connections.
http:// tially partner with you, or otherwise send
www.facebook.com/ people your way.
pages/create.php SOURCE: David Lee King, Digital Branch & Services
Manager—Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
davidleeking.com
The Rules of Using Social Media
Be active: brand yourself / Learn how to monitor your Stay relevant and be helpful.
your library brand.
Give the community room to
Be open: permit comments/ Learn from your brand commu- grow.
feedback / tagging nity.
Know you're not alone.
Be social: show, interact, re- Have a game plan.
Go where your users are.
spond
Promote, promote, promote.
Be the change.
Be polite and aware: privacy
Allow open, yet governed ac-
has changed
cess for employees
Questions? Comments? Contact me: MandyBoyle.com, boyle.mandy@gmail.com

2. Manage Your Facebook Page in What Do I Post About?
Events & programs happening in your library
15 Minutes Per Day
Events & programs happening in the library
Log in and moderate any comments left on your page.
system
Check your direct messages and respond.
Events in the community
Check in on birthdays on the home page.
Holiday greetings
Respond to any comments on your wall.
New collection additions
Post a status message daily, something engaging or
Fundraisers
interesting. Post no more than 3-5 times daily.
Donation opportunities
Comment on a few status messages or updates.
Volunteer opportunities
Share at least 1 interesting update that you find.
Library resources for a group, such as stu-
Comment on something another page posted.
dents, teachers, parents, job seekers, etc.
Scan the fees and follow what others are saying.
Author of the week, Local authors
Quotations
ADDITIONAL TACTICS
REMEMBER:
Create an event
Post a discussion A successful library page includes regular status
updates, interacting with visitors, pointing to
Create a new photo album things going on in the library, Facebook events,
Hold a contest and regularly adding media.
Library Related Facebook Applications
1. CiteMe
2. Books iRead
3. BookShare
4. Catalog searches: COPAC, Worldcat
5. Electronic resources: JSTOR
6. LibGuides
Don’t be alarmed if interaction isn’t strong at first!
Most participants in social media are classified as
“lurkers”, or people who observe mostly. Few
contribute regularly, but either way, don’t fret!
Keeping your page active (with fresh updates,
content, etc.) in the sphere makes you more ap-
pealing to friend and follow.
Questions? Comments? Contact me: MandyBoyle.com, boyle.mandy@gmail.com