Denver Public Library Marketing Critique

The Denver Public Library (DPL) is by far the most social media involved library I've ever seen. Their commitment to their patrons is amazing and they can boast that “79 percent of all Denver residents hold Library cards and borrow close to 10 million items annually.” The Library states that they “constantly seek new ways to serve its customers” and that's what they are doing by putting their brand out into the World Wide Web. At a time when other libraries are hurting for funding, and laying off staff, DPL is thriving. While they have had reductions in their operating hours their budget was increased in 2010 by $910,800.

So what are they doing over there at DPL that is giving them so much success? Besides providing amazing programming, a very well done website, and a wonderful collection; DPL has created a huge social networking presence. When you arrive at the main DPL website you are greeted with a navigation menu at the top of the page. One of the headers is “Social Media” which a user can click on finding all the ways DPL information can be found online. Instead of hunting around the page looking for Twitter or Facebook icons, DPL puts all their links in one easy to find location.

On the main Social Media page a user is greeted with many options. There are several main categories including: Facebook, MySpace, Video, Flickr, Twitter, Newsletters, Podcasts, and RSS. The side bar provides even more options including: Blogs, and Video/Audio/Online Exhibits. Under each of these main headers is a multitude of sites. The Denver Public Library doesn't just feature a main Facebook page, instead they have one for the main library, another for Fresh City Life, Western History & Genealogy, the Denver Public Library Friends Foundation, and Evil Companions. There is a teen MySpace page, Flickr account, and Twitter feed. DPL provides 16 different Newsletters ranging from Mystery Books to Special Events. They even have podcasts of children's books and poetry being read aloud (along with several others).

So let's take a look at some of these social networking applications, how well they're being utilized and what improvements can be made. First, we'll look at the main DPL social networking involvement. The DPL has a Facebook page that is dedicated to general library news and announcements. The page is updated frequently and all patrons who write on the wall are answered within a day or two. One patron posted: “what happends [sic] if I loose my card”. The next day a response was given and a thank you received. Posts tend to cover a broad range of things which is to be expected from the main Facebook page. There are photos from new branches, event announcements, book recommendations and more. DPL is reaching a large audience with their Facebook page as well with 4,189 'liking' their page.

For however active the DPL Facebook page is, the Twitter feed has got it beat. The Twitter feed has about half of the followers that the Facebook page has which is great considering that Twitter has a smaller overall audience. The feed seems more personal on Twitter than Facebook with the moderator posting many times a day. The posts tend to cover a broader range of subject matter, not just reporting on library events. Whoever is posting also makes sure to reply to Tweets from followers when they mention a favorite book or comment about volunteering. This small personal touch allows patrons to feel more connected to their library seeing that they care about more than just disseminating information to the masses.

The DPL also has a Viemo page and a YouTube channel. However, neither of these is of much use. The Viemo page hasn't been updated in over a year and only included 9 videos (none of which are that interesting). The YouTube channel has around 40 videos, but again hasn't been updated in seven months. On YouTube DPL has added their commercials from PBS, some patrons explaining how the library changed their lives, tutorials, and some staff picks videos. While some of the videos are interesting, there was nothing too captivating or any reason to return again.

Another popular area within the DPL social networking world is Fresh City Life. Advertised on their Facebook page:

Fresh City Life hosts programs each month that entertain, educate and invigorate Denver Public Library customers. From DIY classes to fashion shows to writer's workshops, Fresh City Life is always free and always fun!

Essentially Fresh City Life (FCL) is a community engagement program which hosts most of the DPL workshops. If any area in the library needs a strong online presence it's the workshop department! In order to make sure patrons attend events libraries need to reach out into the community building a name and image for themselves. This is just what FCL and the DPL have done.

On the main DPL website there is a page for FCL. This page has links to the Twitter feed, Facebook page, Blog, a Newsletter, Event details and even Recipes. Pretty much any of the information that you could gather from the social networking sites can be found on this main page. A patron could even subscribe to the newsletter and have all the event information sent to their email. The blog can also be subscribed to via RSS allowing patrons to receive event details through an aggregator. People like to get their information delivered to them in different ways and the FCL program really speaks to that. They don't limit how their patrons receive information, instead giving them multiple options and allowing them to pick which one works best for them.

Besides the main web page, FCL has a Twitter feed and Facebook page, with around 1,000 followers each. Both of these get updated regularly with Tweets sometimes appearing four or five times a day. Both outlets seem to mainly get used for event announcements, but since that's the purpose of FCL doesn't seem like there needs to be more.

The other thing FCL has is a YouTube channel. Yet much like the DPL YouTube channel, FCL's is pretty lacking. The channel has 15 videos, but is not updated much at all. It seems like they do post a once a year overview of their workshops and a few other workshop related videos.

Last, let's take a look at what DPL offers their teen patrons. There are a few different ways that teens can access information. First, is the main teen web page through the DPL. The site is fairly basic, but does provide some great resources. On the home page there is a “Follow Us” area with links to the teen Twitter Feed, MySpace page, Flickr, and the main DPL YouTube channel.

With over 1,000 friends it would seem like the MySpace page was very active with teen patrons. Instead it seems that the Twitter account feeds the MySpace page providing the same status updates in both locations. If you look in the comments section you'll find the last post was made 97 days ago. Seems like in many ways the MySpace page is kind of dead in the water.

When taking a closer look at the Twitter feed, also with a little over 1,000 followers I found the tweets to be interesting; announcing events and things like Ron Weasley's birthday. Tweets are made every couple of days, usually only one a day. Taking a look at the followers I was kind of disappointed. There were almost no teens following. Followers included librarians, companies and a teen here and there. The Flickr does have a lot of photos of events and artwork. Yet it seems to be geared towards younger teens and tweens.

So with all this amazing social networking going on what can Denver Public Library to do improve their service? My first suggestion would be to abandon sites that are not updated regularly. If the library is not going to take the time to put videos up on YouTube or Vimeo on a regular basis, then they should focus their attention elsewhere. The Web is an ever changing environment where it's important to keep up. The first thing I think when going to a site and seeing there haven't been updates in a year is to never visit there again. Why would patrons want to waste time checking back in to see if there have been more videos loaded?

For instance, Fresh City Life could do great things with their YouTube channel. Consider creating tutorials of workshops. These can be posted after a workshop has been given allowing patrons to revisit a skill. If they took a knitting workshop it could be a big help to have another video lesson when they get home. Perhaps doing a more advanced lesson online while teaching the basics in a class. Adding a Flickr account may also be useful for FCL as they can post photos of patron projects and workshops.

I also think there could be quite a few improvements done to the teen social networking involvement. DPL seems to be going in the right direction with their main page and FCL, but for some reason that is not translating over to the teen area. Why no Facebook for teens? Why no dedicated YouTube channel? Teens are going to be the most wired demographic and yet DPL isn't reaching out to them nearly as much. Their Twitter feed isn't updated very often, the MySpace is fairly dead (and redundant considering it's updated via Twitter), and while they do have a newsletter many teens view email as a thing of the past. The teen feeds and pages should be getting updated regularly and there should be more involvement between librarian and patron. It would be great to see tweets replying to teens, or a Facebook page where teen questions could be answered quickly. DPL should also consider ways to reach out to older teens, perhaps leaving the MySpace page for its younger audience and adding a Facebook page to reach out to the older teens.

Overall, Denver Public Library is doing an amazing job with their social networking. They have created a brand for themselves that works. The library is showing that they care about their patrons and want to make sure they provide any and all possible means for them to access their services. They may want to refine a few things, focusing their efforts on the most effective tools, but no one can say they're not trying! I think most libraries would be ecstatic to have over 4,000 followers on Facebook. My best guess is that over time DPL will only get better with their social networking involvement.

Librarians Reaching Out Through Facebook

Behler et al. suggest that “while it might be tempting to seek out some of your students and add them as your friends on Facebook, it is our experience that this is not the best approach. It is great to be where our users are, but let them decide when and where they need you.” While I feel this may be true of a professor – student relationship (in some situations), I don't feel this same quote should apply to libraries. If all businesses just let their users come to them when they needed their product there would be no need for advertisements. Think about how much money most corporations spend trying to reach their audiences anywhere and everywhere! Libraries need to start looking at themselves in a more business like manner. Patrons have many other information outlets to chose from now. Sometimes they need the library to seek them out and tell them why they're the best resource.

Let's pretend that your local public library has decided to join Facebook. They've chosen to have two separate profiles, one for teens and another for the general public. The library has decided to use the Facebook “Page” feature, allowing users to “Like” the page and become “Fans”. The pages give the library many of the same features that regular user profiles have, plus they can mass email all their fans. The emails come through to fans under their “Updates” inside the Facebook email client. This feature is particularly useful for sending event reminders or letting all fans know important information at the same time.

So, your library has these two amazing pages on the Book. Yet, both pages have no fans. No one seems to know about the pages and as such all that hard work has gone to waste! How can your libray successfully 'recruit' fans to their Facebook pages without feeling like they are violating patron privacy? The first thing to do would be to encourage all your library staff to have professional profiles and to become fans of the library pages. This will allow patrons to see a more personal side of the library, finding out more about the staff behind the scenes. Plus, this is an easy boost to your number of fans.

The next step is to reach out into the community. For the teen page find the moderator for the local high school Facebook page and send them a message encouraging them to join your fans. Contact high school teachers via phone, email, or Facebook and let them know about the new page. Highlight why it would be of value to their students. Talk to your teen volunteers and advisory boards about the new page. Most everything on the Web spreads by word of mouth and once you get a few teens on board, their friends will join, and then their friends etc. until you have a solid fan base.

For both pages, create flyers, handouts, and posters to display at local branches. Ensure that all handouts given now include the new Facebook address. With the general page look for your city's Facebook page and speak to their moderator about promoting your library's page. Look for local book group pages, genealogy clubs, or other organizations that might be interested in being connected virtually to the library. If your library has the email addresses for patrons send out a mass email with directions on how to follow the library on Facebook. Include information about the page, how to sign up, and promote your newest Facebook how-to class in the monthly newsletter.

Most importantly, don't be shy about promoting your Facebook page. Much has changed since Behler et al. wrote their paper on Facebook in 2007. No longer is Facebook just a place for undergrads to socialize. Instead it has evolved into a platform that has many uses. I have almost all my high school teachers and some of my favorite college professors on my Facebook. Some sent me requests, others I requested. The lines between institution and patron or teacher and student have become a bit more blurred in this day and age. Information exchange goes both ways now and I don't believe students would feel violated if a library Facebook page sent them an invite to follow or if they were encouraged to do so by other means.

Can You Keep Up With The Stream?

Through the use of their cybernetic implants, the Borg interacted by sharing one another's thoughts in a hive mind. Upon assimilation, these trillions of "voices" would overwhelm the drone, stifling individual thought and resistance to the Collective's will. (TNG: "Family") To some drones these voices could eventually become a source of comfort, and their absence a source of pain. (TNG: "I Borg"; VOY: "The Gift") – Memory Alpha

“Erin of One, Tertiary Adjunct of Library Unimatrix Zero-One. You will be Assimilated into The Stream Collective. Resistance is Futile.”

This week I'm bringing the discussion back to Star Trek, and The Borg. The name origins of this blog are rooted in Star Trek and its connection to the world today. When thinking about social networking and the amount we are all connected to one another the first thing that popped into my head was The Borg. Perhaps that's because I've been watching all the shows again, but as I see it humans are heading towards a very Borg like existence. The Borg are of one mind and millions at the same time. When one ship is attacked, all the rest know about it instantly. There are no language barriers to overcome for once a humanoid is assimilated their language becomes part of the collective. While The Borg are able to have the information instantly downloaded into their minds, how different is this from our interaction with information today? With microblogging, site check-ins, social networking, and smart phones anything happening around the world is online as it happens. This new web is being called “The Stream”.

Blogger Erick Schonfeld defines The Stream

A stream. A real time, flowing, dynamic stream of information — that we as users and participants can dip in and out of and whether we participate in them or simply observe we are a part of this flow.

While Nova Spivack explains that:

Streams are rapidly changing sequences of information around a topic. They may be microblogs, hashtages, feeds, multimedia services, or even data streams via APIs.

Whichever definition you prefer The Stream is dynamic and ever changing; not static like the old Web. Until recently if you wanted to find out the latest headlines or see what new books the library has in its collection you would visit the company website and navigate until you found what you were looking for. Now the information is instantly delivered to you in a variety of formats.

Not too long ago blogs and bloggers changed the face of the Web and crushed the field of journalism. Instead of getting our news from network reporters, people started reading news from every day people. And these every day people were reporting about everything! They were discussing issues of national security, their favorite breakfast cereals, or even their sexual escapades. As more people got connected and started engaging the wealth of knowledge on the Web grew and is still growing. Yet, people were still asking for more. They wanted to be even more connected.

Enter the smart phone and apps. Now people had the capability to be truly connected. This increased level of connectivity really paved the way for sites such as Twitter to exist and prosper. For me Twitter starts to push my stress level up a bit, but I think this is because I don't have a smart phone yet and can't stay connected all the time. By the time I'm done with reading my RSS feeds, Facebook posts, school discussion boards etc I have no more time left in my day! If I was connected via phone then I could look at the information as it came in more easily instead of experiencing information overload.

So I wonder, what is the next step in The Stream? How much more connected can we get and can we handle it all? What are libraries going to do with all this change? It seems to me as if humans are keeping up pretty well and getting close to that collective consciousness. We're breaking down barriers and in many ways becoming a more unified world. I'm not sure what's in store for libraries if they don't keep up with The Stream, though it seems like for larger branches they would have to hire someone full time to keep up. Not only is it important to utilize current technologies, but librarians should be looking towards the future ones as well and try their best to keep up with new trends.

Many of these new technologies can actually be used to keep up with future trends. Subscribe to technology blogs, follow trendsetters on Twitter, but most of all when in doubt try it out! Since the start of this class I've begun trying out new ways to access all my “information”. One new tool that I'm trying is called TweetDeck. Through here I can see all my Twitter feeds, Facebook posts, FourSquare check-ins (not that I have any yet w/o a smart phone) and even email. I just started playing around with it in Google Chrome and it seems to function much like an RSS reader, pulling all the content into one portal for easy access. Seems to make sense that if we check our blogs through an aggregator we would do the same with our social networking information. This is a relatively new idea though, but I think we'll soon see great products on the market for keeping track of all that data coming in... that is until we receive our cortical implants of course ;)

Brining RSS to Your Library

I think there are a plethora of ways that libraries can begin using RSS Feeds to enhance their service. Recently I spoke with a staff member at my local library about incorporating a feed into the main website for news and events. By having a feed set up like this it would be simple to notify large amounts of patrons about goings on at the library, but also notify them when an event is modified in some way. The other day while I was volunteering I noticed staff printing out flyers with a programming location change. They were placed around the library, but what about patrons who were planning on attending the event but not coming into the library beforehand? A feed to their inbox or aggregator could instantly notify every subscriber. The nice thing about setting up a feed to publish on the main website is that is simple to do and requires next to no programming experience. If the library has a blog set up they need only to visit a site such as Feed2JS and copy and paste into the source code. I did this in my Javascript class and it was very simple.

The real question becomes, how do you get your patrons to start subscribing? In much the same vain as a library blog, no one will read it if they don't know it's there. One idea would be to make an announcement on the library homepage with a link to more information about what kinds of feeds you can subscribe too through the library. Though for patrons who have no idea what a blog or RSS is you might see confusion or patrons will just ignore the information presented on the website.

I think the first thing that should be done is a staff training session or finding some way to familiarize all staff with the new technology. Once the staff is comfortable then it can be easier to move onto patron involvement. The library will need to think about what kinds of feed they want to offer. Do they want patrons to be able to see all the new books as they are posted? What about events? Should there be a separate teen feed? Once this is all decided they can begin bringing the technology to their patrons.

I've often believed that when someone gets their library card they should be either given an instructional packet or directed to a section of the main website where they can learn about all the library has to offer them. Here the librarians can make short videos about services, links to more information, and even screencast tutorials showing how to use the services provided. A library may even want to set up a LibGuide covering their own library system. I don't know that there has ever been a time when I signed up for a library card where the librarian even showed me where things were located at in the building. Think about most other types of memberships you have. When you signed up at the gym did they give you a calender and show you all their facilities? I've always been so curious as to why this doesn't happen at the library. I think you'd see a lot more use of services and higher attendance at events if patrons were notified on how to find the information from the beginning. If your library does add new information or being to offer RSS Feeds, email current patrons the new information. Let them know you've updated the website and direct them to the new services. Add a comment or suggestion box to the site and encourage patrons to let you know what they think. Often times your patrons can let you know about things that may have slipped your mind and can offer great suggestions.

There are lots of ways to bring new technologies into the library and RSS is an easy one that can provide a great service to many patrons. Your site may experience less traffic, but you may see attendance rise at events now that patrons can be notified via feed rather than checking the site.  

A Blogging Community

One great example of a community forming in the “blogosphere” is in the Offbeat Bride community. The Offbeat Bride blog was started by Ariel Meadow Stallings in 2007 as an addition to her (at the time) recently published book, Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternative for Independent Brides. As stated on the Offbeat Bride blog's “About” section, the “blog [is] updated daily with tons of “wedding porn” (photos from real people's really offbeat weddings), advice, and inspiration for couples who are working their asses off to create authentic weddings full of intention and personality.” Stallings can now boast having over 200,000 readers every month!

What began as just Stallings writing wedding related posts grew into much more. As people began to follow her blog the comment sections grew generating great conversations, but more than the blog itself could handle; though the comment sections are still ripe with good conversation. Women (primarily) wanted to share their ideas with one another, post photos, give out recommendations, sell dresses or other wedding items, or even just bitch about their own wedding drama. From the blog the Offbeat Bride Tribe was born.

Utilizing the social networking software, Ning, Stallings created a hugely popular site where her readers could become even more involved with one another. Anjewierden, Efimova, and Hendrick tell their readers in the paper “Finding 'the life between buildings': An approach for defining a weblog community” that “weblog communities emerge from connections between weblogs and their authors, and not around a single shared space.” The Offbeat Bride community broke these barriers becoming an online presence, rather than just a single blog, connecting not just other bloggers but the readers as well. The Tribe is a “single shared space” where people can meet and discuss all their offbeat wedding ideas.

The blog itself also expanded with Stallings bringing in guest bloggers to vary the tone and type of posts written. Readers gain ideas from the blog and implement them in their own weddings, showcasing their progress on the Tribe site; and the blog writers pay close attention to the Tribe site and often times feature reader ideas and projects on the blog. The two communities help one another and at this point the two limbs would not function as well independently.

Stallings has further expanded her blog community as well. Couples who had followed the Offbeat Bride blog were yearning for more and hated leaving the community after their weddings. Seeing the need, the Offbeat Mama blog was started giving couples who had started having children a chance to rejoin the community again. Yet many wanted more. As it goes in catering to an offbeat community, many readers had chosen to remain childless or wait years until venturing into parenthood. So currently in the works is the newest blog in the Offbeat chain, Offbeat Home.

I think the Offbeat community that Stallings and her staff have created is a testament to the ability of blogs to create a real online community. No longer do they have to be limited to the comment section, but instead can expand to create much more. Much of the success of the Offbeat Bride blog came from adding the Tribe site and both the blog and Tribe community pulling resources from each other. When authoring a blog that is highly interactive in nature look for other ways to expand the community. Can a blog also have a Facebook page? What about chat rooms or message boards where your readers can interact with one another? Can a blog be a community and not just a blog?

Efimova, L. et al. (2005). "Finding 'the life between buildings': An approach for defining a weblog community." AOIR Internet Research 6.0: Internet Generations, Chicago, 2005.

Exercise 2

In the Library with the Lead Pipe

Formatted in a scholarly manner this blog is unlike the other four I subscribed to. While the posts often stem from personal issues the authors (posts are written by multiple authors and the website has submission guidelines) have performed a great deal of research for each post. The entries are long with lots of links to other resources and further readings. Each of the posts shows multiple points of view regarding the subject at hand. For example when discussing part-time employment, the author looked at it from both the employer's standpoint and the employee's. When taking a look at Facebook the author included both the pros and cons as well as general information about the service. All the topics address important issues which would be relevant to a librarian today.

The Librarian's Commute

This blog is personal in nature dealing directly with what is happening in the author's library and world. Posts are short and not at all scholarly in nature. Instead the author provides real world examples of problem solving through example. While there are sometimes links to other resources, there is no bibliography like there is for In the Library with the Lead Pipe.

The Distant Librarian

Fairly short posts covering a wide range of topics including: general technology, book reviews, and videos. The author writes from a personal perspective and only provides a few links to other resources. The posts are not directly linked to library services, but instead offer items that might be of interest to librarians.

Librarian By Day

This is a resource oriented blog dealing with issues effecting libraries. The posts look at products, software, websites, and other technology that could be beneficial to librarians. There are lots of additional resources and links to further reading. The lengths of the posts tends to vary, but is generally on the shorter side.

David Lee King

A web and technology based blog with fairly short posts. King advertises his blog as being about “Social Web, Emerging Trends, and Libraries” and that's exactly what it is about. Posts are generally based on personal experience and are giving helpful advise to others. King has tried out everything he posts and is therefore able to give tips to readers. The actual website for the blog has more information and features than just the RSS feed, including lists of presentations, books, and even a videoblog. King even used his blog to effectively apologize for misinformation given and a post that was not received well by his readers. He used his experience as a learning tool for others.

YALSA

The official blog for the Young Adult Library Services Association. Posts from many different authors addressing relevant issues in YA Library Service and libraries in general. Also includes information about conferences, elections, and voting. Posts often contain great resources for librarians to utilize at their libraries or at home.

The Hub

This is a sister to the main YALSA blog. The Hub focuses on teen materials and posts book and manga reviews, interviews with authors, Tweets of the Week, and top book lists. Posts are written by multiple authors and are usually quick and easy to read.

Stephen's Lighthouse

A technology and information blog, Stephen includes infographics, lists, presentations, and generally lots and lots of data. Subject matter is all relevant in some way to libraries. The blog gives lots of information regarding e-books, social networking, and any other technology resource viewed as relevant. Posts vary in length but often get straight to the point. Lots of links and other resources for further reading are almost always available. Blog also includes “Friday Fun” posts which gives readers videos, photos, or other infographics that usually still deal with technology but in a more humorous manner.

I personally enjoy reading posts that include a bit of humor and the author's personality, while still ensuring the important information is given. Photos, videos, and links to more information is always a positive for me as well. It's important when reading a blog that you trust the author is giving you information that is accurate. I love to see an author apologizing and correcting mistakes in the public format. While it might be embarrassing it lets me know that they are concerned about disseminating the correct information regardless of their own personal discomfort.

For me a successful blog will not just give me two or three sentences about a new technology and then a link to their website. I want to know why they find it of value, what they've learned from trying it, and any information about how it's being used by the general public. Another aspect that I find important is the personal nature of blogs. In the Library with the Lead Pipe is a great example of combining both scholarly information with a personal writing style. While the posts on this blog may be a bit long for me to read in the morning with the rest of my RSS feeds, it contains a great deal of valuable information that doesn't read like a boring research paper.

I also think it's important to note that library blogs don't have to only be about what's going on in the library. Instead most of the library blogs I've subscribed to talk about technology, resources, and general topics that would be of interest to any information professional. The blogs that are the most popular for me not only give information about these new resources but then also discuss how they might be valuable in the library.

Library Social Networking Policies

Having a social media policy is important for any business, including libraries. Ellysa Kroski explains in her 2009 article that “a social media policy can help establish clear guidelines for staff members who are posting on behalf of the organization as well as employees with personal social media accounts.” It's important that employee's are aware of what they post not only on company affiliated sites, but on their own personal pages as well. Think about Clint McCance the Arkansas school board member who recently let loose a slew of homophobic comments on his Facebook page. Within hours of his post the news media and public were in an uproar calling for his resignation. If a school board member from a rural town in Arkansas can cause a huge national debacle, imagine what would happen to a CEO of a major corporation. The whole business could fail costing many people their jobs and livelihoods... all because of an ill thought out comment on a social networking site.

So what should libraries be doing to prevent social networking disasters? What kind of policies should they be creating for their own and employee's sites? The first thing to realize is that you're not going to be able to (nor should you) totally control what your employees put on the Web. Instead encourage all your employees to post a disclaimer on their blogs or social networking pages explaining that their views are their own and do not represent the company in any way. You may also suggest that things like Facebook, Live Journal, and MySpace be kept set to private settings.

Library staff should also be reminded not to disclose any patron information without express consent. This also goes for photographs and is especially true for photos or information about patrons under 18. If your library is having an event for teens, get parental permission before putting photos up on the library blog.

Kathryn Greenhill and Jean Hing Fay from Fremantle Western Australia have created a great basic outline for a library's social media policy. They have licensed it through Creative Commons for librarians all over the world to share and benefit from. Many of the ideas listed below could be of great help in creating your own policies.

One important aspect that they included is policies on moderation. While you may be able to have some control over what your employees are posting, patrons and the general Internet population might not always write what you want to see. Set your blog comments to not post automatically, instead allowing someone to read the posts first. This is not an excuse to only publish comments that show your library or company in a good light. Patrons will catch on fast if they only see highly filtered comments. Instead only filter out comments that includes unnecessary profanity, abuse, plagiarism or one of the other items listed below.

Social networking policies are always going to differ from business to business and from library to library. Though at the heart of every set of policies is the bottom line of be respectful. Be respectful to yourself, your organization, and others in the community. If you're being respectful then you'll be posting accurate and interesting information, you'll respond to negative feedback in a constructive manner, you won't share patron data, and overall you'll have a successful social networking policy that all your employees can understand and use.

Social Media Do’s

1. Be Professional – Talk the way you would talk to real people in professional situations.
2. Be Courteous – Be sure to listen & ask questions.
3. Be Accurate – Check your facts before you post and provide supporting sources if necessary.
4. Be Useful – Add content because you have something interesting to say, not for the sake of regular posting.
5. Be Intelligent – Provide some value. Don’t talk down. Offer insight.
6. Be Conversational –  Avoid overly pedantic or “composed” language. Don’t be afraid to bring in your own personality.
7. Be Non-confrontational – If you disagree, do so respectfully
8. Be Prompt – If you need to moderate or respond to a comment do so as quickly as possible
9. Be Identifiable – Use your real name and do not post anonymously.
10. Be Transparent – Disclose that you work for the library if this is relevant and be honest & truthful.

Social Media Don'ts

1. Don’t Share Secrets –If you aren’t sure you can disclose something, just don’t do it. Think about privacy, confidentiality and permission to use other people’s content.
2. Don’t Bad Mouth – Keep the language clean & avoid slamming people or companies.
3. Don’t Complain – If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
4. Don’t do Stupid Things – If it doesn’t help the Library or our community, don’t do it.
5. Don’t Defame – Show everyone respect.
6. Don’t Forget your day job –Social Media can consume you so don’t forget your other duties. Moderate, balanced use is essential.

Responsible moderation

Moderation is the act of reviewing and approving content from others. Our aim is to promote community conversation, so we will only remove content that:

• is abusive
• is off-topic
• contains personal and/or cultural attacks or insults
• promotes hate of any kind
• is offensive in nature or contains offensive language
• is spam
• is potentially libelous
• contains plagiarized material
• contains commercial content
• is detrimental in any way

Greenhill, K. (2010, September 10). A social media policy for a one branch public library [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2010/09/10/a-social-media- policy-for- a-one-branch-public-library/

Kroski, E. (2009). Should your library have a social media policy?. School Library Journal, Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6699104.html