Using Social Media to Target a Subset of Archive Users Laura M. Farley Wisconsin Historical Society

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.-C. S. Lewis

Wisconsin Historical Society Map Digitization ProjectLaura Farley and Shannon WilseyGood afternoon, thanks for joining Shannon and I for this session right after lunch, well do our best to not put you to sleep. Well be talking about our experiences using CONTENTdm to create a digital collection of maps at the Wisconsin Historical Society, the planning and execution of this project, and the challenges weve faced along the way. Like Emily mentioned my role has been Project Manager and Shannon has been a project archivist.

1Background on the Map Collection25,000 maps most pre-1900Grant funding from Milwaukee based Caxambas Foundation

Wisconsin Historical Society, Image ID: 84124

WHS has over 25,000 maps, the majority located in the archive and predating 1900 and has long been a popular with a patrons. Since 2011 WHS has been fortunate to receive funding from the Milwaukee based Caxambas Foundation allocated for map digitization of Wisconsin maps.2Background on the Map Collection Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. Image ID: 41612

Maps of communities. Image ID 105567

Maps of Wisconsin. Image ID: 90096To date we have digitized approximately 4,400 maps are available as high resolution scans, culminating in the unveiling of a new map webpage on the WHS website this past May. The map webpage features collections of maps such as Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, railway map, and maps of the entire state Wisconsin as well as Wisconsin communities. All of these maps are in CONTENTdm and also link to the WHS historical images page, referred to as WHI, where patrons can purchase copies. 3Background on CONTENTdm2002:Move away from custom buildsCONTENTdm best candidate

Memorial Library under construction, 1950. Image ID: 57843In 2002 WHS began planning a large scale digital collection called American Journeys. Up to this point IT had been building custom content management for each digital collection launched but no longer felt they could keep up with the demand. Instead WHS started looking for content management systems and CONTENTdm most closely matched their needs, soon after OCLC absorbed DiMeMa which ended up being a benefit for WHS.

4Background on CONTENTdm2002-2011: All talk, no actionPoor user experienceNo zooming capabilitySmall imagesHigh school debate team, 1944. Image ID: 38484

Between 2002 and 2011 when map digitization because there was frequent talk of launching a map digital collection, but there was reluctance because of the user experience with maps. The WHS content management system Wisconsin Historical Images, where patrons order copies of materials, produced a small image as did early versions of CONTENTdm using Jpegs. Neither of the platforms allowed user to zoom in on images, which was considered to be a key reason besides access to want to digitize the map collection.

5Background on CONTENTdmOngoing research:Sites that got user experience rightMetadata best practicesCONTENTdm Update:JPEG2000Zoom

Researching carpet samples, 1970. Image ID: 99089Other digital collections of maps existed at the time that did have features such as zooming capabilities, but those sites were custom builds. In 2008 a graduate student did a survey other online maps collections and compiled a metadata best practices recommendation. When a new version of CONTENTdm was released that allowed for the use of JPEG2000s, a more data rich file than JPEGs, and the ability to zoom in on images, WHS decided to finally undertake digitizing the maps.

6Planning: 2011 Team Members Perhaps the greatest challenge this project has faced is the lack of permanent staff to oversee the workflow. Initially the project members consisted of a the deputy directory, permanent metadata librarian, a grant funded map cataloger, two graduate students digitizing maps, and a limited term employee creating the records for the historical images site and uploading maps to CONTENTdm.

7Planning: 2013-2014 Team Members As often happens the students graduated and the LTE sought permanent employment elsewhere leaving the project in confusion. Thats where I joined the team in the winter of 2013, myself a grad student at the time. Initially I took over the responsibilities of the LTE, adjusting the scans in Photoshop and uploading to CONTENTdm. The LTE left me a good workflow outline, but unfortunately the document hadnt been updated in sometime and some of the processes were obsolete. It became obvious pretty quickly that communication had broken down somewhere in the process and maps had not been making into both CONTENTdm and the historical images site. In the summer of 2013 during a meeting with the permanent staff it was clear the project needed a project manager to untangle the map mess and oversee the workflow and I took on the project management role and have been attempting to regain control over the workflow ever since.

8Workflow: All Hands On DeckMetadata Librarian and Map Cataloger are mostly peripheral 2-5 students working 10-20 hours each2-3 workspaces Communication is key

S.S. Leviathan, 1928. Image ID: 68037

There are a lot of hands in the digitization process at any given time. For the most part, the work of the metadata librarian and map cataloger do not directly impact the day to day process of digitization. Throughout the year depending on class schedules we have between 2-5 graduate students involved in the workflow. The skill sets of the students range from students that only scan to students that can complete every step in the process and each works between 10-20 hours a week. Were limited to 2 to 3 work spaces during a given shift and the challenge is to manage the workflow so everyone has work to do during their shifts and to maintain good communication about the work being completed.

9WorkflowGetting a map from the map cabinet to the webpage is a rather labor intensive process. It all begins with our map cataloger creating a record thats added to the University of Wisconsin catalog and assigning a call number. Cataloged maps are added to a spreadsheet accessible to the map scanners, primarily graduate students. Each map then fed through an oversize scanner and a high resolution scan is captured. Shannon will be talking more in-depth about this technology. Next, each map is added to the Wisconsin Historical Images content management site where it is given and Image ID and will be available for purchase by patrons. At this point the scan is opened in Photoshop and the minor adjustments are made. The scan is saved in three formats, a high and low resolution Tiff and a Jpeg 2000. The Tiffs are used for display on the Historical Images site and also as a preservation copy. The Jpeg2000 is used for upload to CONTENTdm. Finally, the map is ready to be uploaded to CONTENTdm and is approved by our metadata librarian and the process is complete. The four students working on digitization all depend on the actions of the other to complete their job and the majority of these steps are completed by different people, and so, communication and documentation is an absolute must or else the project becomes a giant mess of loose ends. 10Workflow: Master SpreadsheetColor Coding:White: catalogedYellow: scannedOrange: WHI record createdGreen: uploaded to CONTENTdm Red: problem

Shells with color wheel, 1828. Image ID: 99701One recent change that has made the workflow less complicated and more transparent is the use of Google Docs spreadsheets. We track where in the digitization process a map is on a color-coded Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet works great, its quick and easy and a good place to leave notes. However, with so many students working on so many different parts of the process at once and all needing to edit the spreadsheet at the same time we were having complications with multiple versions of the spreadsheet being saved and the master copy not being updated. A solution came in Google Docs which we were already using to sign up for schedules and post vacation time.

11Workflow: Google DocsOnline Google application Upload, share, and edit easily with multiple workersOnly the creator must have a Google accountDoes not require access to network driveEasy to backup

Extra office assistants for birth certificate rush, 1942. Image ID: 13864For those not familiar Google Docs it is a Google application that allows you to create, share, or upload items like word documents, spreadsheets, and lots of other things. While there are some limitations to Google Docs capabilities, you can share your work with anyone, regardless if they have Google account, and multiple people can work on the same item at once. This application is perfect for a project like ours. Another great advantage is students do not need to be on a computer with access to the network drive where the master is stored, they only need internet access. This is a great backup for times when the network is down, students can continue their work. I have always made a weekly backup of the map spreadsheet and continue doing this by downloading the spreadsheet from Google docs and saving it to the network each week.

12Map Collection Outreach: Facebook2 goals:Increase visibility of the map collection among map enthusiastsDirect traffic to the rebooted map webpage

Wisconsin ethnic map, 1941. Image ID: 62099This past fall I was approached to launch a Facebook page to highlight maps in the collection. The goal of creating a map Facebook page was to increase visibility of the map collection among map enthusiasts, but also to direct traffic to the rebooted map webpage. This method of creating a subset of social media works well for something like a high volume collection, images, or a service that generates a lot of communication with patrons. An institution doesnt need to be particularly large to create a subset of social media, there just needs to be rich material to sustain a social media profile. 13Facebook OrganizationContent creators:Laura, project managerSusan, map catalogerPost Tuesday & ThursdayOrganization:Google Doc to track postsHelpful Resource:The Librarians Nitty-Gritty Social Media Guide, Laura Solomon

League of Women Voters, 1950. Image ID: 64217Besides myself, our map cataloger is also a Content Creator for the Facebook page. We decided to post maps twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday, splitting the weekly postings. My colleague and I created a Google Doc to track which maps we posted to Facebook and to make a list of future maps to post to prevent duplicates. We discussed a posting strategy and heavily borrowed advice from the book The Librarians Nitty-Gritty Social Media Guide by Laura Solomon. If you havent read this book I cant recommend it enough. It is choked full of excellent advice and strategies for all the major social media platforms.14Growth of Facebook PageLaunched November 25, 2013 to staff and friendsFacebook Insights after 50 followers

The map collection Facebook page was launched on November 25, 2013 via email to all the library and archives staff encouraging them to Like and follow the page, and to spread the word to friends and family. To date we have 212 followers. Initially we started with staff family and friends but as our staff and friends Liked and Shared the maps we began to grow beyond that core group. In particular community pages, regional historical societies and museums, and small public libraries frequently interact with our posts. After your page reaches 50 users Facebook provides analytical tools to help you assess your users and their behaviors. Im going to go through the tools that were most helpful in creating our posting strategy.

15WordingShort and to the point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Youre not a robotUnified voice

Tracto the Talking Robot, 1960.Image ID: 45756When it comes to wording short and sweet is always better. Maps can be rather academic. A challenge has been to craft posts that are informative, interesting, and short, which is not impossible but it does take practice and it can be very time consuming. If your post provides a link to a resource on your webpage let the content youre linking to provide a more detailed description, and let your Facebook post be a teaser. Avoid at all costs use of the exclamation point. This is deceivingly difficult to do. We all want to appear friendly and inviting in our social media posting but the exclamation point is not the ends to this means. I have been guilty of using the exclamation point and it has been challenging at times to find ways to allow my words to convey excitement rather than punctuation. Most importantly, write like a real person. Again this can be surprisingly challenging, but its important to not alienate your user with stiff formal language. When you have multiple people posting on behalf of your institution make sure youre all on the same page about the voice of posts. Cite Laura Solomon

16Posts Per WeekStaff resourcesMaterial resourcesWhen possible post an image or videoConsistency

Counting down to wedding day, 1949.Image ID: 58419The number of times youll want to post to social media a week depends on staff and material resources. If you have staff to dedicate to running your social media you may want to try to post as many as three times throughout the day. If your staff resources are smaller you may need to limit yourself to once or twice a week. Also consider the breadth of content you have to share over social media. Posts with images do overwhelming better on Facebook and are given priority in Newsfeeds over posts without images. If you have a variety of digitized material just waiting to be posted to social media you may be more interested in posting more frequently than if staff will need to digitize images for each post. Whatever you choose, be consistent in your posting patterns. I think its best to be a consistent presence. This is where I subset social media has an advantage, its not necessary to post many times a week to remain a presence, if you create a pattern for content users will begin to anticipate those posts. Laura SolomTalk about other places how often they post

17Interacting With OthersBe an active followerPractice good social media etiquette Be vigilant of activity on your page

A white glove event, 1956.Image ID: 11631The overarching goal of all this time spent on social media is to draw traffic to your institution whether through the door or to your webpage. On social media the best way to draw traffic is to grow followers, and the best way to do that is to interact with other pages and people. The simple way to do this is to follow complimentary institutions or communities groups and to Like and share their posts. Likewise when other institutions or communities groups Like or Share your posts it is good social media etiquette to Like them back. Here are some examples:

18Balancing Act: Give the People What They WantMass appealQuirkyRepresent the collection

Image ID: 93976

Image ID: 99595Finally weve tried to be vigilant of the types of maps users respond to best. The maps that are most frequently shared and get the biggest reaction are those that engage the greatest number of users. In the case of our map collection those are maps of the entire state of Wisconsin from any time period. The quirkier the better. Our challenge here is that we cannot always post quirky maps of the entire state of Wisconsin. Although the collection contains thousands of maps, we are limited to those that are digitized and online and so must balance the really fun maps with other maps that are good representations of our collection. This can mean knowing that Monday may be a low view day and with the intent of posting an attention grabbing map on Thursday. We also take note of who is Sharing our posts and will try to occasionally post maps that will specifically appeal to that user group. Example

19Is It Worth It?It dependsOriginal goal: increase visibility of the map collection and direct traffic to the map webpage

Daydreaming, 1929.Image ID: 8576So has targeting a subset of users through social media been beneficial for the Wisconsin Historical Society Map Collection? Well, I wouldnt be an archivist if I didnt say it depends. Looking back at the original goal of creating a map Facebook page was to increase visibility of the map collection among map enthusiasts and to direct traffic to the rebooted map page20Goal 1: Increase VisibilitySuccess247 followers27 Wisconsin communities13 states6 countries

Image ID: 74850On the first point of increasing visibility of the map collection the Facebook page was a resounding success. We have followers spread across Wisconsin but also across the world. We have followers from nine states and six countries. Without a doubt more people know about our map collection than did in December.

21Goal 2: Increase Webpage Traffic3% of webpage traffic from FacebookIncreased reference requests surrounding maps

Image ID: 55433On the second point of directing traffic to the map webpage, approximately 3% of the traffic to the webpage since December has come from Facebook. Clearly thats not a huge number and it says to me that users enjoy viewing the maps on Facebook but do not care to look closer at the map in CONTENTdm on our webpage. However, I have received emails from a handful of emails from patrons requesting further information, highlighting errors in our records, and praising our efforts to make maps more accessible to the public.22Unexpected Outcome: Staff Enjoyment

Staff celebrating WHSs 100th Anniversary, Image ID: 66591An unforeseen outcome of the Facebook page has the reaction of WHS staff to creating and interacting with the posts. My colleague and I truly enjoy and look forward to posting once a week on Facebook. For me its fun to search for the perfect map to post for a given day and craft the wording and then watch the statics roll in. For my colleague who is very knowledgeable about maps her weekly posts are a chance to really share her incredible knowledge about cartography. For other WHS staff interacting with the Facebook page the posts are an opportunity to see part of the collections that comprise our holdings. Sadly most of us dont have the opportunity to really enjoy the vast richness of materials our institutions hold, and these subset social media pages offer the opportunity to learn more about our own collections. Finally, unless you work in reference many of us dont get the opportunity to interact with the public.

23Whats Next: Change in Facebook reachTumblr advantages: RebloggingTagging

New computer, 1967. Image ID: 12067In December of 2013 Facebook changed its newsfeed algorithm any many Facebook pages relying only on organic reach have suffered. Organic reach refers to posts that are not boosted, or that the page has not paid to be promoted. Our Facebook page saw a drop from approximately 1,500 views per post down an average of 100 views for post. While we continue to gain new fans at a pretty steady pace, we are not going to boost our posts and so its debatable whether the staff time used to create posts is beneficial. An option Im looking into is Tumblr. There are two strong arguments for moving to Tumblr or using Tumblr in conjunction with our current Facebook post. One, Tumblr allows you the poster and viewer to assign tags to identify the images youre posting. Two, because of those tags at any point as user search for maps and Mississippi River could stumble upon one of our posts and reblog the map to their own page. This is a major advantage over Facebook were a post is obsolete as soon as you create new content. Tumblr allows for content to be discovered and recycled repeatedly.

24Thank you. Questions?Contact us, wed love to hear from you.

Laura Farleylaura.farley@wisconsinhistory.org

Shannon Wilseyshanwils@gmail.com