1. A Social Media Primer for Libraries
Arcadia Falcone
Email: arcadiafalcone@gmail.com
Twitter: @stringcourse

2. Overview
 Advantages of social
media for libraries
 Getting started...
 ...and what to do next
 Common pitfalls to
avoid
 Tips for enhancing
and managing your
accounts

3. Why bother?
 Go where people already are

Facebook: 500 million users1

Twitter: 200 million users2
 Take part in daily stream of information
 Promote user interest and investment
 Spread the word about interesting things you're
already doing
1. http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics (accessed 11/27/2010)
2. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2371826,00.asp (accessed 11/27/2010)

4. Facebook vs. Twitter
 Profile + news feed
 420-character limit on
posts
 Media-rich
 Points inward
 One site to rule them
all
 News feed
 140-character limit on
tweets
 Link-rich
 Points outward
 32 flavors and then
some

5. Diving in
 Create a plan

Goals

Access

Statistics
 Create content

Profile

Updates
 Create interest
Image: Library of Congress

6. Getting the word out
 Add a button to your
library website
 Signage in the library
building (especially
near computers)
 Newsletter
 Seed groups (staff,
volunteers, program
attendees)
 Facebook ads
Image: Aleksandr Rodchenko

7. Care and feeding
 Update or disappear

Post news,
notifications, events

Publicize services

Draw attention to new
materials

Give glimpses behind
the scenes

Encourage
participation
Image: Shirley Binn. Creative Commons license.

8. Style points
 Cultivate an individual
voice
 Be entertaining as
well as informative
 Give your followers
an insider advantage
 Foster two-way
conversation
 Follow good etiquette
Image: Library of Congress

9. Caution: common pitfalls
 Information overload

Frequency

Length

Clarity
 Too much irrelevancy
 Ghost site
 Run by robots
Image: Hoshana. Creative Commons license.

10. Taking it to the next level
 Facebook

Extended Info

Flickr Badge

Social RSS

FBML
 Twitter

TweetDeck

TwitPic

Bit.ly
Image: Peter Shanks. Creative Commons license.

11. Juggling multiple accounts
 In-site

Facebook: Twitter app

Twitter: TweetDeck
 Social media
dashboards

Ping.fm

HootSuite.com Image: Online Archive of California.

12. General principles
 Tailor your involvement to the strengths,
capabilities, and culture of the site
 Stay actively involved
 Be responsive
 Keep track of use patterns
 See through users' eyes

13. Resources
 Mashable

mashable.com/social-media/
 Social Media Examiner

socialmediaexaminer.com
 Doing Social Media So It Matters: A Librarian's
Guide by Laura Solomon

http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=2903
 ''Bancroft 2.0: Utilizing Web Technologies to
Improve Access to Archival Materials'' by Mary
Elings and Arcadia Falcone

lib.byu.edu/sites/interactivearchivist/case-studies/bancroft-2-0/

14. Go forth and network!
May you be well-liked and much retweeted!
Access this slideshow online at:
Arcadia Falcone
Email: arcadiafalcone@gmail.com
Twitter: @stringcourse