by Shinichi Evans
The challenges of using social media for the library is that social media is constantly changing and the user engagement can vary from platform to platform. Even the platforms themselves can change how engagement occurs, such as the limiting or pushing of posts (due to algorithm changes) while users connecting with some types of posts more than others. Also, each of these applications reach some demographics more than others (especially in age) like Instagram and Tik Tok and some even have different purposes, like how LinkedIn appeals to job searchers and those making professional connections. In any case, these applications require understanding the audiences who use them and appealing to them as the account author who is authentic.
Here, authenticity is important because social media makes more emotional appeals than direct reason, even in informative posts. This gives room for those running the accounts to make posts fun, to show their passion, and to give stories to the community that resonate with those following the accounts. With authenticity, one can see it with those who post videos on the democratized platforms of Tik Tok and YouTube. Whether it’s an extremely short video that gets your attention or a longer-form one that gives you more information, it is the personality of the video creator that is appealing. When someone is themselves or comes across as trustworthy, social media users are more likely to resonate with their posts and videos. David Lee King, who has written extensively about librarianship and social media over the years, writes this about authenticity: “That’s why we follow our friends and people we know. That’s also why we appreciate businesses and organizations that show behind-the-scenes images and information. We’re interested in seeing the real person behind the screen, so to speak. Being authentic in your posts helps keep followers interested and engaged” (2023). An example of someone projecting this authenticity would be Tik Tok user Mychal, whose channel is about being a librarian and library joy. While this is an individual’s account, Mychal presents himself as a passionate library professional who cares about libraries and the patrons who come through their doors. He’s fun, has big hair and wears bright colors, and has unbridled enthusiasm that comes through in the videos he makes like this:
@mychal3ts “Libraries are amazing, libraries are the best!” Happy National Library Week! Such a joyful conversation with literacy advocate, E Train Talks! 📚✨ (E Train Talks Podcast) #BookTok #LibraryTikTok #Storytime ♬ original sound - mychal
Mychal's going against the grain of stuffy librarian sterotypes while showing enthusiasm for libraries demonstrates what Courtney Oliphant, who runs the University of Oklahoma Libraries' Tik Tok accounts, says, "TikTok is very invested in being earnest. A library will need to develop voices … that aren’t just academic in tone." (qtd by West, 2021). Mychal's informality and his empathy with library patrons are what resonate with viewers on Tik Tok and YouTube. He is someone they can imagine talking to, asking questions, and even seeing as a friend in the parasocial sense.
While Mychal has shown his institutional affiliation (Solano County Library) in various posts, his videos have broader appeal even as he posts about specific books, informative library topics, and getting non-readers aboard. So how can an institution engage in being authentic and being part of the community? Here, the patrons who visit the library's Facebook, Instagram, or Tik Tok account are there to be informed and updated. However, they come with the idea someone or a team is behind the social media account, not bots putting out content. Here. there's room for playful and funny posts with memes or Instagram stories, like how Catherine Fonseca state, "Instagram Story viewers don’t want perfection—they want personality. Oftentimes, the best stories are those that elicit laughter and brighten someone’s day, so incorporate humor and quirkiness into your promotional content" (2019). This might involve some punnery like what George Takei is famous for on his socials with the example Fonseca give of Sonoma State University promoting its Pan y Café bakery puns on Mexican pastries: "'sweeter than dulce de leche' or 'self-conchas?'" (2019). A poll in the story or the post can also engage users as the results can be shared in another post.
Even as platforms change and some come and go, it is important for libraries using social media to stay authentic. With how sites like MySpace was "here today, gone tomorrow" and that this could easily be the fate of current social media like X/Twitter or Tik Tok in the near future, David Lee King's advice applies: "Instead, watch for new platforms, experiment withthem, learn what they do, and see how that can work for your library. You’ll stay ahead of the curve and be prepared with engaging content when people in your community start using those platforms. " (2023). This will also hold true as there is more use of things like AI or bots - people will connect more with the people behind it vs something that is too perfect or calculated.
References
Fonseca, C. (2019). The Insta-Story: A New Frontier for Marking and Engagement at the Sonoma State University Library. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 58(4), 219–226.
King, D. L. (2023). Social Media Review and Strategy Update for 2024 social media. Computers in Libraries, 43(10), 6–9.
LA Public Library. (2023, October 4). Story Hackers - Give Me Back My Book. YouTube. https://youtu.be/JJHayGdpt5M?si=Rqn1oMpNPYDq9Lh6
Mychal. (2023). Stitch with Arthur [Video Stitch with Arthur]. In Tik Tok. https://www.tiktok.com/@mychal3ts/video/7355516891450084654?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7334827014472336926
West, Jessamyn. (2021). Learn TikTok With Me. Computers in Libraries, 41(5), 12–14.
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