If libraries are the next big thing, is social media behind it?
By now, many of us in the library world are familiar with Linda Holmes’ NPR article about libraries as the next big pop culture wave, after cupcakes. And I’m all for it. I love libraries even more than I like cupcakes. And you should know that I really, really enjoy cupcakes.
But what I want to speculate about today is: If libraries are “in,” is social media really at the heart of this? I think it might be.
I was first made aware of Holmes’ piece through one of my many daily RSS feeds. Before I knew it, the article was zooming around the internet (or at least my library-centric corner of it), being sent out on listservs, tweeted and re-posted on facebook, and blogged by librarian bloggers around the world. Oh wait, kind of like I’m doing right now.
And then there was the starting point for Holmes’discussion: the YouTube videos. First there was Librarians doing Gaga. Then the Old Spice man had something to say about libraries, and Brigham Young University wanted us to study like a scholar, scholar. Things so popular, they were shared by people with no connection to libraries whatsoever (at least according to the extremely scientific evidence of my Facebook News Feed).
So it would seem that social media is certainly helping us to make libraries popular though online sharing. But how does this fit in with Holmes’ 6 pieces of evidence as to why the libraries (and librarians!) are bound for stardom?
- Libraries get in fights.Yes they do. And their fights have share toolbars and twitter archives, so that everyone can join in.
- Librarians know stuff. And now they will use social media, as well as traditional means, to tell you about it and let you ask questions.
- Libraries are green and local. And they blog about being green and local.
- Libraries will give you things for free. Libraries WANT to give you things for free, and they can promote those free services using every available means.
- “Open to the public” means “some days, you really have to wonder about people.” For better or worse, many librarians share anecdotes about serving the public in online spaces.Scott Douglas made a career out of it.
- There seems to be a preposterous level of goodwill. Most librarians like to share. Now they’re collaborating using wikis to make sure everyone has the best information out there.
Admittedly my tone, like Holmes’ article, is lighthearted. But I do believe that social media is allowing libraries to promote themselves in new ways, and that this is hopefully leading to greater recognition in popular culture. So bring on the “happy-fuzzy pop-culture stories.” And pass the cupcakes.
Image: “Montreal Twestival 2009 Cupcakes.” Flickr. Web. 22 July 2010. http://www.flickr.com/photos/clevercupcakes/3920802507/
You are a natural, gifted blogger Amy.
Keep up the good work. My only comment to you is that your intuition about social media and its impact for libraries is probably right. But most administrators would ask you to show some evidence.
Dean
Amy,
I think you are right. Librarians seem to be especially social media savvy. After all, we are information loving people and social media allows for a faster, more efficient way to spread and retrieve information.
One thing I’d want to add is that with this flurry of social media activity and attention, we need to remember that many of our patrons and potential patrons are NOT as social media savvy as we are. I know you and I both feel passionately about equal access to information and serving underserved and socially excluded populations, so I know we would both agree that part of our success through social media needs to be met with a eye toward closing the digital divide for our patrons who are not as familiar with social media tools and therefore do not benefit as much from them. (Sorry for the ridiculously long sentence there.)
Yes, we need to get the attention from young professionals and youth who actively use social media and who may not be actively using libraries as much as we’d like them to. But we also need to figure out ways that libraries can help those outside of this demographic use social media to their advantage.
Like Spiderman’s Uncle says, “With great power comes great responsibility!”
I remember walking through the west side of NYC almost three years ago now only to be flabbergasted that people were lining up for cupcakes at the Magnolia bakery at 11 PM. So if that’s where the cupcake cult started, what’s going on in NYC right now?
But really, I think that libraries are getting their due attention right now because they’re a safe harbour in troubled economic times. I suppose that Lady Gaga spoof from UW didn’t hurt, although I prefer the Brigham Young Old Spice spoof which I finally just saw. Maybe it’s just a confluence of a lot of factors, social media included.
Hey, weren’t you supposed to be filming a library video with a Beyonce tune?
Thanks for your input Dean, Heidi, and Jon.
Heidi, I completely agree that it’s incredibly important to recognize and serve users who aren’t online. Jon brings this up as well in pointing out the important role of libraries in relation to the current economic situation. I had intended this post to reflect social media’s role in the current popularity of libraries specifically within popular culture, but as you both rightly point out, the actual popularity of libraries moves way beyond this.
And Jon, the lyrics are written (two sets, actually). But choreography and camera skills fell to others to organize. I’m still waiting for my 15 minutes.