What questions do you expect library staff to consider before jumping in to social media?
Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? was an album by The Cranberries. Their debut album, if I remember correctly. The title of it sticks in my head and has popped up a lot over the years. Most especially lately when I hear libraries talk about social media and whether or not they should be there, too. What I often hear is "Everyone's on Facebook" or "Our customer's are on Twitter" or "Pinterest is THE place to be." Those reasons on their own, either individually or collectively are good reasons, they're just not reason enough. Someone wrote in and asked "What questions do you expect library staff to consider before jumping in to social media?" I think possibly the best way to answer this query is to share the process we have for our staff/branches who want to do the same. That'll cover off what I expect OUR staff to ask themselves. So that's the topic of today's post. When you get a little further into the post it's going to seem like I'm a mean horrible person - and you'd be right - but I think it's important to do this. I also think that these questions are ones any library could - note: COULD not SHOULD - ask themselves before jumping in. Once again I've been a slacker about updating this blog. I'd apologise and promise to be a little more regular, but those of you who follow me on Twitter/Facebook and Tumblr know that I am far too distracted by life and things and stuff. That is not about to change any time soon. So I'll settle for saying that I'll update and answer your questions as I can. I'm a nerd who hangs out on the intramanets to re-blog all the Tumblr fandom pheels she can. Sometimes, I just happen to have thoughts and opinions about libraries and social media.
Do you ever stalk your customers?
I've shifted any 'From the Floor' posts from my other blog to here. I figure the separation is better this way. I was going through emails and notes earlier this week and realised that I had enough questions from the floor to keep me busy for a few months or so. That made me think I should probably make more of an effort to address them as quickly as possible. I will try to update weekly. Once I've been through all of your questions, though, this blog will disappear. It would be crazy to keep it after it's served its purpose. I'm not an expert. I don't ever consider myself to be. I'd be afraid of anybody who said they were. I think, though, that I'm in a little bit of an unusual position with my role in that it allows me the freedom to play, develop and explore social media on behalf of our organisation in a way that perhaps others can't. Really, though, I'm just a dorky girl, standing in front of the interwebs, asking it to give me MOAR fandom feels. (Yes, I did just use and abuse a well known line from Notting Hill).