TASK 11: Recommended tools for social media engagement in libraries

If I were to choose two social media applications that I feel would mostly benefit libraries, they would be: Blogging and Twitter. Social media allows engagement and interaction between the library and the users and both of these applications do the job. Blogging has become the driving force to advertising and marketing libraries and the services they provide. Blogs are portals that can encourage users to join up and collaborate on a range of subjects or topics of interest. The news feeds travel fast and instantly and user intervention can lead to a broader appeal in the services the library is wanting to advertise. In addition, different topics can have their own blogs. This works out to be very beneficial for the library and the customer. There can be a blog for adults regarding new books and there can a be a blog for children regarding new books and activities.

Twitter is also a very useful site. This site can be used by libraries for quick short messages to users. For example, a library can remind users of an event the library is holding or mention that they have certain collections that people might be interested in looking at. Again, this is a quick useful site that is perfect for quick short announcements.