TikTok is my favorite resource for professional development. That might seem unlikely, if you associate the platform with teens dancing in silly ways to trending songs. But TikTok can be a fantastic resource for storytime songs, reading recommendations, and learning more about childhood development – provided you use it thoughtfully. Here are some of my favorite things I’ve learned from TikTok since I started curating an account around all things library.
Tag: social media
TikTok and Libraries: A Powerful Partnership…was a Powerful Presentation!
Monday was my last day at #ALAAC2022, and I started it with a really informative presentation about using TikTok in your library. When the pandemic first started, I created a TikTok account but never used it. (I am not sure I even remember my login information.) Delving into a new social media platform can sometimes be daunting, so, I was really excited to attend TikTok and Libraries: A Powerful Partnership and to learn how to use TikTok to promote books and my library. Presentations about TikTok seem to be just as popular as the social media platform itself—it was a packed house in the Convention Center!
Promoting library programs, Social media is only part of the answer
I’ve been around long enough to remember when my library system decided to centralize their social media accounts. Some of our branches didn’t care, they weren’t on social media anyway. Some of our branches almost held protests. They had branch social media teams which had slowly built up their followers through years of effort. I was on one of those teams. We had a posting schedule, we had gone to trainings, we followed tips about always including a photo and using variety in our types of posts. Having to give up control was really hard. Sorry for the long intro, I’ll get the point. Last year, during the months that our library branches were completely closed—after we had started offering online programs, but before we were able to start curbside delivery—our librarians (no, it wasn’t just me) wanted our social media guidelines to change to meet our new program promotion…
Storytime Goddesses at #alamw18
After my first ALA Annual, my friend, (shoutout Debby) said we had to join Twitter to connect with all the librarians and book people there! I signed up- and started all these wonderful library connections! Including hearing about really cool unofficial events– like a “Storytime Deep Dive” in the Networking Uncommons hosted by the amazing Mel (of Mel’s Desk!!!) She magnanimously hosted an informal storytime chat where children’s librarians and youth services team members got together to talk about storytime gripes and philosophies. It was really great to talk to children’s library staff from around the US- in the hour or two I sat there, we had a children’s librarian from Hawaii and one from Alaska! While I love fangirling to children’s authors and illustrators, it means so much more to sit down with people who write the blogs that I consult for storytime, programming, and general library ideas!…
#SnapSeptember and Snapchat in the Library
I will try to keep this post short, although it might take a little more than 10 seconds to read through!
Networking for Children’s Librarians
I’ve been working on incorporating more singable stories to sing into my storytimes. So where did I go first for recommendations of books to use? The ALSC and PUBYAC listservs, of course! (I got over 50 responses to that particular query and have yet to have time to collate and post the list!) When I see a great article that I think will be relevant to others working with children and technology, I’ll often tweet it (which will then post to my professional facebook page). If I have a question or comment of a slightly wordier/more personal nature, I’ll post it on my personal wall and tag anyone who might have something to say. If I need recommendations for good book apps, I’ll look at some of my colleagues’ Pinterest pages, and I post my own work regularly on my own WordPress blog. Slideshare offers peeks at other’s presentations, and Spotify…
I’m LinkedIn, Are You?
As this entry posts, I will be starting my last day as a Youth Services Librarian. For the past five years, I have worked with Toddlers all the way up to Teens. It has been a very rewarding experience. While I will not miss cleaning up the “accidents” on the carpet, I will miss the programs and seeing the light in a child’s face when they make that connection where a love of reading clicks because they finally found the perfect book. But this entry is not about that. For the past year, LinkedIn has been my go to website. I highly recommend it as a tech tool to put in your arsenal even if you are not looking for a job. The reason is of course networking. Over the summer, I received an email from a MLIS candidate who was interested in networking with others in the Youth Services…
The Social Media Word of Mouth
*chirp* *chirp* Silence in the library…it is rare but it does happen. The worst is when you put weeks into planning a great program, but no one comes. The reason…they didn’t know about it. We are great when it comes to spreading the word to people in our library, but how do you reach those who don’t already use your services? Social Media is the new “word of mouth”! These sites are not just for the Teen or Reference Librarian, but are a valuable resource for the Children’s Librarian as well. The website eMarketer.compredicts that more than 17 million women with children under the age of 18 will read blogs or other Internet sources monthly. Five year olds are even learning how to use mommy or daddy’s iPod to access videos on the Internet. People are talking and you want to join the conversation. So where are people hanging out…