Social Media and the Library

Social media has grown exponentially over the past decade-plus, with new platforms being added seemingly each week. What began as a tool for people to share ideas, photos, and keep in touch with others has evolved into something much larger. Now, schools and libraries alike are tapping into the potential that social media has to offer - both to showcase the amazing things they are doing each day and to reach a new, younger audience at their fingertips. 

Facebook

While browsing through different library Facebook pages, I found that what has been posted (at least over the past few months) were links to resources, book reviews, and read-alouds from some fantastic librarians. Throughout the pandemic, libraries were forced to close their doors to the public, but that did not stop many libraries from getting creative with how they brought content to their communities. Several libraries I follow in my community shared story-time read alouds for their younger readers, while also providing opportunities for older library patrons to connect through virtual book clubs. I have to say that the libraries I looked through on Facebook really stepped up to the challenge of how to continue to provide services to their communities without being able to open their doors. 

My biggest concern with Facebook is that its audience is getting older and older. For young readers who rely on their parents to sit with them and read, Facebook is perfect. There are countless read-alouds, creative videos of librarians hosting bedtime stories, and even puppet shows to keep those children entertained. But very few school-aged children have and use a Facebook on a consistent basis, with numbers dropping drastically over the past five years. As a middle school teacher, most of my students laugh about Facebook and view it as an archaic mode of social media. In their defense, my own personal Facebook page is older than many of them. They prefer image and video heavy sites like Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok. So where Facebook certainly appeals to older and much younger users, it lacks the excitement and simplicity of other, newer social media sites. For this reason, it would be largely a waste for, say a middle school librarian to share resources through Facebook for the population that they serve. 

Twitter

While Twitter has gained popularity among all users over the past several years, its interest among younger students is still significantly lower than other social media services. Many students I have spoken to say that they do have Twitter accounts, but they rarely, if ever, use them. Older users, including students in high school and college, have begun to utilize Twitter over Facebook in recent years. It is a powerful networking tool, and many in that age bracket prefer it to other, more formal social media sites like LinkedIn as a way to stay connected with industry professionals and other powerful voices around the globe. Its ease of access and small character counts, as well as the ability to easily share photos, videos, and articles, Twitter seems like a natural middle point in the social media landscape, a good way to reach the highest number of users. 

Through my searching of the edtech leaders recommended to follow on Twitter, as well as the ones that I was already following, I found dozens of fantastic articles, blog posts, and lectures surrounding new tech, ways to utilize certain apps effectively in the classroom, and most prominently, tips for how to handle remote and distance learning. This article, posted by @jimlerman, was a really insightful read for anyone looking for some tips for different tools to implement throughout distance learning:

The Best Online Tools For Remote Teaching – Share Your Own :: Larry Ferlazzo https://t.co/EpBPm78MTq pic.twitter.com/YOVF7xREiZ

— Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) June 9, 2020

In addition to Lerman's insightful reads and digital tools, Kathy Schrock offers up some tips and ideas for new tools to utilize as well: 

 

Try Chartle, an online graph creator that is completely client side so there are no server uploads or privacy issues with the data. Students can save their work locally in a .chart file they can open again later. Great for infographic creations! https://t.co/syi1p5fuj3 pic.twitter.com/I3dqYxEo2a

— Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) May 11, 2020

Several of the edtech leaders use their platform to help educators become more comfortable with the technology available at their fingertips.  Many of them are also posting about relevant topics and current events happening around the country, including COVID news and information about Black Lives Matter, which I found really powerful. I was excited to see these leaders using their platform and their thousands of followers to spread awareness and information they found beneficial. 

Instagram

In terms of the social media platforms covered in this post, Instagram is by far the most-utilized by students and the least-utilized among teachers and older users, at least in terms of personal accounts. Students enjoy the image and short video features the site offers, as well as the different ways to customize what has been posted. Older users prefer Facebook and Twitter for sharing pictures and short videos, and enjoy the flexibility it offers for those wanting to post status updates and sharing long-form articles with others. As Instagram continues to grow in popularity, teachers and librarians have begun to see the benefits of using this platform in order to share what is happening in their corner of the world, as well as a way to showcase student work. 

Teachers on my campus have experimented with the idea of students using Instagram as a portfolio to keep track of everything they have accomplished over the course of the year. Online and digital portfolios have been a growing trend in education in recent years, but finding a one-size-fit-all platform has been difficult. Students are able to take pictures and upload evidence of learning to a class or school-centered Instagram page. Other teachers have created assignments centered around Instagram, having students imagine what a literary character or historical figure's Instagram feed may look like. Having students think outside the box, especially with a platform they are familiar with, is a great way to create new and exciting learning opportunities for them. 

Librarians I searched through Instagram share poems, inspirational quotes, library decorations, and book displays as a way to showcase and share their ideas with others. Instagram does not appear to be going away or declining in popularity, and it is imperative that edtech leaders continue to use tools that students are comfortable with in order to really see their ideas grow. Utilizing Facebook, while it may be easier to share ideas to an older audience, may not be the best way to reach younger students outside of school. Other social media platforms, such as Snapchat, Tik Tok, and Tumblr also offer ways to reach those younger audience as well.