Public Libraries, Social Media and News Media

Voices for the Library:Public Libraries, Social Media and News Media

Voices for the Librarys Aims:1. Share positive stories from public libraries and librarians acrossthe country.2. Provide factual information about library usage in the UK.3. Provide spokespeople for the media from a variety of differentpublic libraries.4. Be a voice for communities and individuals to speak out aboutwhy they value their public libraries.5. Support local campaigns to save libraries where it is apparentthat the local council has not properly considered the impact of cutsto library services.

Taking back the narrative

Communication with: Library users Library staff Campaigners (including library users, non-users, staff) Journalists Policy-makers Related organisations (CILIP, National Literacy Trust, Reading Agency, Bookstart, Democratic Society etc.)

Being a voice for the public means we need to domore than just broadcast information

Benefit from external input: Statements of support Stories Anecdotes Photos Opinions Answers Ideas Fundraising Useful links Evidence for legal cases

Helps create content:

“What three words wouldyou use to describe what libraries mean to you?”

Useful Resources

Facebook page

Facebook group “A place for library campaigners to share information and ideas from their work in local efforts to fight library closures. Only those that can verify that they are running or involved in a local campaign will be admitted to the group. Information that is shared must remain within the confines of the group unless permission is given to share more widely."

flickr.com/groups/voicesforthelibrary

Failures? “If I find 10,000 ways something wont work, I havent failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.” - Thomas A. Edison

Success?

Media use of Web 2.0 Live coverage of Save Our Libraries Day http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/culture-cuts-blog/ 2011/feb/05/save-our-libraries-day-live-coverage Calls for information Asking for local contacts Spreading library news beyond echo chamber Advertising radio interviews and news articles

Mainstream Media

Surprises!

Must we reallyperpetuate thisstereotype? Original image by Jeph Jacques www.questionablecontent.net

“Librarians are very fortunate indeed tohave the mass of public support for librarieswhich has arisen in the past few months.Frankly, they dont deserve it.”- Tim Coates, Good Library Blog.February 12, 2011

“The library profession insist on everyone feeling sorry for them...Ihave no pity for the whingeing, particularly of the most seniormembers of the profession, but also for the younger ones who seemto walk brainlessy in their footsteps”- Tim Coates, Good Library Blog. March 6, 2011

“I have always sensed an overburdeningideology in the library profession. Itsurprises me how many boast of theircommunism. Not that I object to peoplehaving political views, but if those are goingto influence professional advice in thepublic sector, I think councillors ought toknow about it.”- Tim Coates, Good Library Blog.March 13, 2011

“If, for every librarian Ive heard say We do much more than booksand journalists dont understand us I could have had an Easter Egg,Id be a fatty. All that has been so stupid and it still goes on (everyday!)”Tim Coates, Good Library Blog. April 26, 2011

Recommended Reading CILIP (2011). Policy and Advocacy. http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/pages/ overviewofadvocacy.aspx Dempsey, L. (2011). Advocacy: public library as amenity and necessity. Lorcan Dempseys weblog. http://orweblog.oclc.org/archives/002169.html Gertz, S. (2011). Libraries are so “quaint” - and never more crucial. Booktryst. http://www.booktryst.com/2011/05/libraries-are-so-quaint- and-never-more.html OCLC (2011). Geek the library. A community awareness campaign. http://www.oclc.org/us/en/reports/geekthelibrary.htm

Contact Me: www.laurensmith.wordpress.com laurensmith2102@gmail.com @walkyouhome Voices for the Library: www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk media@voicesforthelibrary.org.uk @Ukpling

http://laurensmith.wordpress.com	136
http://flavors.me	9
url_unknown	6
http://twitter.com	1
https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net	1
http://paper.li	1

Public Libraries, Social Media and News Media

by Lauren Smith on May 02, 2011

Accessibility

Categories

Tags

Upload Details

Usage Rights

6 Embeds 154

Statistics

Public Libraries, Social Media and News Media — Presentation Transcript