Abstract:

A discussion of the benefits of planning a social media presence prior to implementation. Social media participation is more a conversation than a lecture, so libraries need to be aware of this two-way nature of social media. Building a community means nurturing all the connections involved. It is important to listen to the people who make up the potential audience and involve them in planning; and then to constantly listen to them. Some of the deceptive aspects of the monitoring of social media are discussed. The results of a survey of academic librarians in nine libraries and their social media networking experiences are detailed, reviewed and explored.

Key words

social media networking

academic libraries

student engagement

planning

social media research study

community building

listening

interaction

library survey

Planning

Beginning by developing a plan, prior to starting a social media networking campaign, is a practical necessity. Without a defined goal, it is difficult to know how to proceed with any project. As Yogi Berra once said, ‘If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else’ (Hoffman and Bauer, 2011). Social media efforts are no exception to this rule. A library embarking on the social media planning process should consider these basic questions.

Taking some time to consider the possible beneficial outcomes and the potential difficulties that could be encountered is helpful in the planning process. The reasons why a library would consider social media technologies may seem obvious, but all involved parties need to come together, discuss the possibilities, and reach a consensus. A defined goal is essential in the development and direction of a project. So think about what you are trying to achieve, define the goal, and outline how you will apply the tools available to reach the goal.

Another way to view goal-setting in social media endeavors is to consider the purpose of developing a social media presence for the library. Understanding the purpose can assist in identifying which social media channels to choose and the content needed for those chosen channels. Purpose can provide clarity of vision when creating policies or guidelines.

Some sample goals for an academic library’s social media networking campaign could include:

This list is by no means exhaustive, and is provided as a launching point for developing your own goals.

Once the goals have been defined, the selection of social media networking channels should be easier. For instance, if a goal is to highlight new resources and services or to encourage feedback, then establishing a Twitter account, to tweet short announcements or solicit opinions, may help you to reach that goal. If a goal is to reach new users through relationship- and community-building, then a multi-channel approach may be necessary in order to engage users in the varied social media technologies available. Goals convey purpose, which in turn leads to the means to move towards the goals.

Community-building

Community-building on social media involves connections. People connect to the library because of their relationship – student, faculty, staff, administrator, etc. These connections can include conversations where ideas and thoughts are exchanged. Social media bring people together around a specific cause, person, or entity, and the subsequent conversations and engagement lead to a vibrant, interactive community.

Nurturing a community where members can engage more richly with one another also requires attention and contact. Communities thrive with active engagement and participation, where members’ interest is sparked to engage deeply in dialogs and exchange ideas. Such engagement relies to a significant extent on the presence and involvement of the academic library in social media; this includes the continual production of engaging content from the library, content that provokes conversations.

A commitment to sustain social media networking conversations requires resources. These resources include, for example, staff time to develop the postings for the conversations and time to interact and cultivate the connections that can lead to a community presence. Social media conversations are different from face-to-face conversations – in a face-to-face conversation you can see who you are talking to but using social media, you may often start a conversation without knowing who is ‘listening’ or who will answer. In a social media conversation you post messages that you hope will engage many people in your online community; these are more one-to-many than one-on-one conversations. But with these conversations you have the benefit of being able to prepare ahead of time and the capability to include not just words but pictures, videos, or links to online resources.

Participating in social media conversations can be frustrating. Many times you speak (post) without getting any response. Maybe you shared a message with one or more community members but no one shared anything with you in response. Another possibility in social media conversations is that your post is shared with others – your post could be ‘liked’ or retweeted, or simply shared with friends. It is difficult to gauge the impact of your message without responses. You do not know if readers chose not to respond because there was no value to the community in your message or because they did not have anything to add to your message. Feedback becomes crucial to determining the difference.

Sometimes asking a question is a way to start a conversation. You can practice this in any social media context – blogs, Facebook, etc. When someone posts on social media, ask them for more details, or why they feel that way. You will have the opportunity to start to build a relationship as you learn more about the topic as well as about that person. This concept can then be brought into the library’s social media efforts. The library should be open to receiving comments and always responding to what is shared. Include a discussion point or two, or ask questions. Over time, as you fine-tune your message to the library’s community through experience, you will start to build relationships with people in your community, and the responses to your message will follow.

Social media networking is considered a participatory activity, where those involved connect through two-way conversations, conversations that are key to engaging the academic library community. Encouraging participation involves interaction. Simply posting events found in a calendar does not provide a means for engagement or interaction. The audience members – students, faculty, administrators, and staff – need a means of interacting with other audience members and the library, too, in order for a sense of community to be fostered.

Listen to the community’s intended members while you are planning for a social media networking campaign. Reach out to the people who come into the library and seek their opinion on what they would like to see in a library social-media community. Post a quick survey on the library’s web page. Send out an email to the academic campus. Staff can talk to people in the bookstore, at sporting events, and on campus. The bottom line is to strive for reaching a broad slice of the intended audience, note the suggestions, and then create a means to involve any people who are interested.

Listening to the audience is a repetitive feature of building a community. Not only is it important to listen in the planning stages, but it is also important to continue to...