Handy Tech Tools for Library Outreach

Handy Tech Tools for Library Outreach

Sarah LudwigALA TechSource Workshop

June 19, 2013

The Plan

• Who I am

• Who you are

• What we'll be talking abouto Keys to using social media in librarieso Freshening up the standbyso New(er) toolso Choosing the right tool for your audience

• Time for questions

Quick question

What's your social media standby?

Why We Use these Tools

source

Key Goals

• Currencyo Connect patrons with ideas and services that are

important to them right now.

• Relevanceo Information connects with your library, your users,

and your community.

• Authenticityo Don't update just to update. Share when you feel like

sharing.

• Frequencyo Find the right balance.

• Cross-pollinateo Bring users into multiple platforms.

Social Media Standbys

Twitter promoting fun activities that have happened and that are to come

RTing others' mentions of the library, drawing users to other media platforms

highlighting the collection, services, and connecting users to community resources

Facebook

sharing resources and services

drawing users to other media, highlighting acquisitions

relevant to community, highlights services

informational, offers convenient services

Pinterest

highlighting materials

highlighting events

highlighting digital resources

Instagram Invites users into the library, no matter where they are.

Questions so far?

New(er) ToolsAnd not just social media, either...

Remind101

Tumblrhighly visual, light-hearted access to books and library-related media

Scoop.itcurate digital resources, show your expertise

Smore

promote your library with slick templates

Weeblymake professional, interactive websites with a drag-and-drop back end

mutiple elements, have multiple editors, multiple templates

Branch

generate online discussions

Storify

curate information from social media and digital news sources

Vine

Choosing the Right Tool for your Audience

Questions to ask about your users

• What are our users already doing online?o Ask themo Search for your library on different social media sites

• Do our users have mobile devices?

• How tech-savvy are our users?

• What do our users care about when it comes to their library and their community?

• What do our users want to learn about, either broadly or as it relates to the library?

Questions to ask about your library and staff

• What privacy issues do we need to think about?

• Who on staff is comfortable using social media?

• How much time can we devote to using tech tools?

• Are there any outreach strategies we use now that can be replaced or supplemented with technology?

• When can staff update social media?

• Does our staff have the resources to use social media?

• What library services do our users not know enough about?

• What are the most popular library services we offer?

Advice• Look at your entire staff to find the right people for the

job. Don't make any assumptions based on age, position, etc.

• Staff can share responsibilities.

• Don't overwhelm yourself or try the scattershot approach. Focus on one or two tools at a time, and integrate them.

• Choose one user group to focus on at a time. Teens may be your first instinct, but they might not be the best place to start (teens are fickle and wary of adults in their space)

Questions?

Thank you!contact me anytime:

[email protected]

@sarah_ludwig