Engaging your library patrons with Facebook Posts

EngagingYour library patrons with Facebook posts

Asking QuestionsTalk with your patrons, not at them.

In this presentation, we’ll discuss how to use Facebook to open a dialog with your community and make them feel important and included with the library.

We want to hear what patrons have to say.

Earn their trust and build relationships by asking for their opinion on Facebook.

The next slides will give you ideas on how to make patron engaging posts on the library’s Facebook page.

IMPORTANT TIP:Try to ALWAYS post photos along with your

information.

Images grab attention a lot easier than plain text.

Guess the Book CoverPost a small square of a book jacket and let patrons guess which book this belongs to.

Book Spine PoetryArrange books so that their spines make a poem or story. Post a photo on Facebook. Make this a program for patrons to make photos for the Facebook page.

“Pick up the closest book…”Have you seen these before?Posts that ask people to pick up the closest book to them, turn to a specific page, and type a sentence from that book.For example, “Pick up the closest book to you, turn to page 84, and tell us the second sentence.”

Book ChallengesChallenge patrons to check out a cookbook and post a photo of the dish they’ve made.This can be applied to anything DIY.

Books into moviesMake sure you know what movies are coming out this year that are based on books. Find this by googling ‘movies based on books 2015’. A month before the movie comes out, let Facebook know. “Do you like to read a book before you see the movie, or after? The 3rd Hunger Games movie is coming out June 21st. Don’t forget to reserve your copy at the library.”(Maybe include a link to the book on our online card catalog)

Patron Suggestions

Ask your patrons about their favorite books, great books they’ve read recently, or terrible books. Let them suggest books to other patrons this way!

Staff Picks / Title SpotlightsLet your staff make a list of their favorite books. Or highlight special titles that you think deserve recognition. Post on Facebook regularly with these suggestions.

Highlight your collection

Non-fiction isn’t used that often. During football season, highlight your nonfiction collection that includes football teams. Or post Arkansas travel books right before summer vacation. Make displays, take a photo, and post it on Facebook.

New TitlesFeature new titles on the Facebook page

Putting holds onlineTeach patrons how to request holds and access their account online via Facebook.

“Like” goalsIf your page is close to 1,000 likes TELL YOUR PATRONS! Make it a team effort to get 1,000 likes. Ask them to tell their friends about the library’s Facebook page.

Make them a part of the team.

ArticlesPost links to fun library-related articles like this one:

32 books guaranteed to make you laugh out loud http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinchack/books-guaranteed-to-make-you-laugh-out-loud#1733167

RESEARCHFind more ideas. Search Library Facebook on Pinterest, or just visit other library Facebook pages.

See what they’re doing, what they’re posting, and how it works for them.