Sustainable Use of Social Media in Libraries

Abstract

Integrating social media into library programs, both academic and public, has taken a central focus in recent years, resulting in the development of new career tracks for specialists in emerging technologies and social media librarians. Early efforts in outreach and promotion morphed into branding and marketing strategies, and social media was quickly adopted as cost effective and a great tool to target millennials. The charge was led to be on the cutting edge with an organizational presence in social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter. The rapid experimentation and implementation of social media in libraries at times has displaced the formative discussions for carefully considered institutional policy. Educational institutions are wise to consider a balance with respect to issues of free expression and common sense use of university resources. How does online behavior and speech affect the future employment of millennials, if consequences are considered after serious mistakes have already been made? What is the role of libraries to outline and model appropriate online conduct as it assists communities of users in developing employment skills for the job market? Can policy balance with free speech concerns? Many questions associated with sustainable social media implementations in library organizations have not been adequately addressed. The purpose of this research is to provide analysis of issues within the environment of learning and social media, the sustainability of such programs, and to examine policy for marketing libraries through social media.