Sue Lawson, Service Development Coordinator, from Manchester Libraries  came along to the first session of the SCL Digital Leaders Pilot to enthuse us about social media and she did just that.

Facebook and Twitter

What? Social media that entertains as well as informs, give it a human feeling – have conversations and draw in information from other sources. 

Purpose? To make libraries accessible, open and visible. To raise the profile of library services, projects and events, and increase take up. To speak to customers in a more informal way. To encourage new members to join and  lapsed users to return.  To promote libraries online offer. To find communities of interest and share stories that will be of relevance to them. 

Target audience? Current users, potential users, local community, partners etc

How might it be used? Open up conversations and make quick connections (e.g. a local band “can we come and play at the library”), showcase hidden/buried content, reach new audiences. “The whole point is to post content people want to share“. 

How to find out more? Case study (Culture Hive)

Feedly

What? ‘A single place to read your favourite newspapers, magazines and blogs.’

Purpose? Sue uses Feedly to find new content for use on social media. 

Target audience? Anyone 

How might it be used? To keep up-to-date, to find content to enrich social media channels (create different folders with subject headings)

How to find out more? Feedly

Social Media Surgeries

What? Informal sessions to help charity, community or voluntary group to use social media effectively. Volunteer ‘surgeons/helpers’ share their knowledge and skills. Social Media Surgeries have been run in libraries across the country. 

Purpose? To support the third sector to make effective use of social media. 

Target audience? Charities, community and voluntary groups

How might it be used? To bring in new users

How to find out more? Social Media Surgeries, Recipe for staring a Social Media Surgery

Also check out:

• Flipboard (Magazines) – Your personal magazine, Find, follow and flip stories that change your world. View LibraryCamp Flipboard Magazine.
• WordPress Workshops
• Google+ Hangouts – Bring your conversations to life with photos, emoji, and even group video calls and online chat for free.
• See also Treehouse

Sharing the knowledge gained from the SCL Digital Leaders Pilot (facilitated by Ben Lee and Ethan Ohs from Shared Intelligence) with colleagues  – ideas, examples and inspiration.