Using Social Media in Libraries - (Best Practices in Library Services) by Charles Harmon & Michael Messina (Paperback)

About the Book

The eight best practices presented here will help your library both actually do social media in a way that matters and do it well. The successful strategies presented here range from the Vancouver Public Library's innovative use of Twitter to the United Nations Library's adopt...

Book Synopsis

Since there's no point in Twittering if no one acts on your tweets and there's no point in having a Facebook page with a million "likes" if library use doesn't increase, you'll welcome the eight best practices presented here because they will help your library both actually do social media in a way that matters and do it well.

The successful strategies presented here range from the Vancouver Public Library's innovative use of Twitter to the United Nations Library's adoption of a social media policy to the Farmington, Connecticut Public Library's fantastic work using social media to reach teens who weren't using the library. Other libraries highlight their ventures into media including blogs, Pinterest, and social catalogs.

Review Quotes

"Eight librarian contributors share their experiences blogging, pinning, and tweeting from public, academic, and special libraries. Case studies range from relatively simple (new-book displays on Pinterest) to labor-intensive (overlaying social-browsing features on a library catalog). Authors emphasize not jumping on the newest, shiniest services without considering staff time and commitment, and they discuss how each tool fits with the library's mission and community. Project-specific WordPress scripts and Drupal settings benefit readers. Overall, the studies provide practical, tested advice from a range of library types." --Booklist

"This book explores successful strategies in using all types of social media. The eight best practices presented will help your library actually do social media in a way that matters and do it well. The strategies presented include the innovative use of Twitter, blogs, Facebook, Pinterest, and social catalogs. Social media provides creative ways to reach teens and others who were not using the library, so librarians at all levels would find this valuable. Information on the adoption of a social media policy is included." --American Reference Books Annual

Eight librarian contributors share their experiences blogging, pinning, and tweeting from public, academic, and special libraries. Case studies range from relatively simple (new-book displays on Pinterest) to labor-intensive (overlaying social-browsing features on a library catalog). Authors emphasize not jumping on the newest, shiniest services without considering staff time and commitment, and they discuss how each tool fits with the library's mission and community. Project-specific WordPress scripts and Drupal settings benefit readers. Overall, the studies provide practical, tested advice from a range of library types.


This book explores successful strategies in using all types of social media. The eight best practices presented will help your library actually do social media in a way that matters and do it well. The strategies presented include the innovative use of Twitter, blogs, Facebook, Pinterest, and social catalogs. Social media provides creative ways to reach teens and others who were not using the library, so librarians at all levels would find this valuable. Information on the adoption of a social media policy is included.

About the Author

Charles Harmon is an Executive Editor for the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. His background includes work in special, public, and school libraries.

Michael Messina is a reference librarian at the State University of New York's Maritime College. He has also worked as a researcher at The Brooklyn Academy of Music Archives. The former publisher of Applause Theatre & Cinema Books/Limelight Editions, he is a coeditor of Acts of War: Iraq and Afghanistan in Seven Plays (Northwestern University Press).