Tkacik: #Tumblarian

#TumblarianProblems

Creating and Curating Your Tumblr For Libraries & Librarians

Kate TkacikBMO Business Research Group

ALA TechSource

#tumblariantalk

Kate Tkacik for ALA TechSource

tumblr?!

2/6/14 #tumblariantalk

http://reactiongifs.com/?p=18056


tumblr?!

• Founded 2007 by David Karp– acquired by Yahoo in 2013

• 170 million blogs*

• “the best baby Twitter and Wordpress didn’t know they had”

• Creative, visually-engaging, diverse

*http://www.tumblr.com/about


http://reactiongifs.com/?p=18056


tumblr types



tumblr types



tumblr types

• Government agencies/national orgs• Major media outlets• Publishing houses• Booksellers • Authors• Educators• Students!



tumblr types

• Majority of users are between 18-34*

• Equally divided between men & women*

• Average user spends 14 minutes on tumblr per visit (more than Facebook)*

• More teens on tumblr than Facebook or Instagram*

*Why 2013 is the Year You Need to Get Serious About Tumblr, Forbes, Jan 2013*5 Facts about Tumblr, Pew Research, May 2013*http://mashable.com/2013/04/17/users-stay-longer-on-tumblr-than-facebook/*http://www.themillions.com/2013/04/tumblr-index-your-guide-to-artistic-and-literary-tumblrs-part-iii.html



tumblr types

• Personal blogs• Organization blogs• Art/production blogs• Meme-based/single-focus blog– Maddieonthings.tumblr.com– Realgrumpycat.tumblr.com



tumblr types

• Tumblr is a collection of communities of bloggers– Local– Fandoms– Professions – Movements/advocacy

• Communities organize around #tags and memes



tumblr types

• Content balance is different for every tumblr– Created content vs curated content



getting started



customize



customize

• Remember you can always make changes to your blog—pick something you like and get posting

• You can link twitter, RSS, other social media widgets & Google analytics



FOLLOW

• The first rule of tumblr is FOLLOW



FOLLOW



follow

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• tumblr.com/explore • tumblr.com/spotlight

#tumblariantalk


follow & engage

• “likes” act as a bookmark as well as engagement tool

• “reblogs” will repost content to your blog• “replies” have to be allowed—enable replies

in your settings



post!

• Posting is so easy. I promise.



post!• Post using bookmarklet or mobile apps (tumblr.com/apps)



post!

• Each post style includes a variety of ways to note source content—best practice with reblogs is to keep original blogger’s metadata & comments



tags

• Tags are the metadata you apply to your post which will organize your content both within your individual blog and within the tumblr tag results (first 7 tags applied within tumblr)

• Tags based around popular content like #lit #education #science #lol etc may be curated by a set of editors (tumblr users who select and feature the “best” posts tagged in each content category)



tags

When you add tags to your post here:



tagsYour post will also show up here (in addition to your blog page & your followers’ dashboard):



tags

• Featured or curated tags look like this

• Under the ‘top contributors’ is a link which will show you all posts tagged #history.

• If your post is featured, the tag on your post will turn blue!



tags

• Like following, track ALL the tags, including your name/blog name

• You can track any tag, not just featured tags• Tracked tags will automatically appear when

you put your cursor into the search bar



tags

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http://unwrapping.tumblr.com/post/64992950643/using-old-tag-search

#tumblariantalk


assess

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• Tumblr includes built in analytics• You can also link Google analytics by adding the Google-generated ID

and code from your customization page

#tumblariantalk


ready to tumblr!



…but wait!

Am I …a tumblarian!?



tumblarians

• Tumblarians, generally, are a self-identified group of library professionals, library students, and/or librarian hopefuls who use tumblr to connect, discuss, share resources, get geeky, and play nice.

• Tumblarians may or may not post library related content



tumblarians

• Survey conducted May 2013 by Molly McArdle for Library Journal, 350 respondents*– 64 percent of respondents reported being under

the age of 30– 52 percent are in a public library– 31 percent in an academic library– 9 percent in a school library– 8 percent in special librarieshttp://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2013/06/in-the-bookroom/post/the-library-is-open-a-look-at-librarians-and-tumblr/



tumblarians

• Tumblarians create blogs for themselves and/or their libraries

• Primary and secondary blogs are easy to create, though you may want to manage personal-professional blogs independently through separate email addresses



library tumblrs

• Public Libraries– Young adult and/or children’s libraries

• Academic Libraries– ARCHIVES, special collections, digital collections

• Special Libraries• Single-focus/meme based tumblrs• Library databases/vendors (JSTOR & Oxford

Academic)



tumblarian lists/tags

• thelifeguardlibrarian.tumblr.com/tumblarians• Rebecca Hopman maintains a lists of archives

& archivists at ex-tabulis.tumblr.com/archivists• Primary community tags– #tumblarians– #libraries– #librarians



public libraries

New York Public Library (nypl.tumblr.com)



public libraries

Darien Public Library (darienlibrary.tumblr.com)



public libraries• Brookline Teen Librarian (brkteenlib.tumblr.com)

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“…it became clear that my teens were no longer on Facebook.”http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/09/social-media/power-tumblng-a-teen-librarian-explains-why-tumblr-is-a-great-way-to-reach-patrons/

#tumblariantalk


public libraries pro-tips

• Please, please include your location• Remember reader’s advisory!• Post what’s happening (programming, book

displays) in YOUR library—don’t get in the habit of only reblogging others

• Include the link to your tumblr on your library webpage & promote the link elsewhere



academic libraries/archivesSpecial Collections & Archives, University of Iowa

(http://uispeccoll.tumblr.com/)

http://uispeccoll.tumblr.com/post/74950966384/crucial-perimeter-is-our-stunning-new-book-arts


http://uispeccoll.tumblr.com/

http://uispeccoll.tumblr.com/


academic libraries/archives/special collections

Other notables: • Hougton Library, Harvard

(houghtonlib.tumblr.com)• Peabody Library, John’s Hopkins

(peabodywunderkammer.tumblr.com)• Huntington Library

(huntingtonlibrary.tumblr.com)



librarian tumblrs

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Sylvia is a librarian at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM and tumbls at alethiosaur.tumblr.com

#tumblariantalk


librarian tumblrs

Kelly is a teen & YA librarian in southern Wisconsin and tumbls at catgator.tumblr.com



single-focus tumblarians

librarianwardrobe.tumblr.com)

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LibrarianProblems.tumblr.com

iworkatapubliclibrary.tumblr.com

#tumblariantalk


#tumblarianproblemsWhat sort of tumblarian am I?



tumblarians

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tumblarians#gtkytt from Laura @ lecieltumultueux.tumblr.com

#gpoml from Daniel @ thepinakes.tumblr.com



balancing content

• It’s up to you—but make it YOUR tumblr

• Even if you’re running your library’s tumblr, remember to keep a personality

• Share a selfie or fandom affiliation



#tumblarianproblems

…Ok, I signed up. But I don’t get it. I just don’t.



learning the culture

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• See a #tag/meme/abbreviation you don’t understand? • Knowyourmeme.com• Urbandictionary.com

#tumblariantalk


#tumblarianproblems

…What’s with all the porn and f*ckyeahs?

#NSFW



it’s still the Internet



#tumblarianproblems

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fuckyeahyellow vs fuckyeahlgbthistory

#tumblariantalk


#tumblarianproblems

…Why don’t I have any followers?

• Your content isn’t tumblr-y• Get feedback from users you know• Follow others & introduce yourself• Use library logo on homepage & thumbnail



#tumblarianproblems

…Why aren’t my posts getting any action?

• Use TAGS• Consider timing• Keep it general• Mimic successful posts• Keep it ~*VISUAL*~• Have you used GIFs?• Create a cache of clickbait2/6/14 #tumblariantalk


the inexplicable internet



#tumblarianproblems

…How do I reach my library patrons?

• Remember to keep a general audience until you have some traction

• Carefully seek out tags relevant to your location/community (ex. #chicago #windycity #chitown)



#tumblarianproblems

…What’s the best way to ‘chat’?

• Enable replies• Utilize your ask box (/ask)• Move discussion offline



#tumblarianproblems

• Tumblr will only work for you/your library if you enjoy tumblr

• If Twitter/Facebook are already working for you, USE THEM

• Use your queue• Divide responsibility or find the staff member

who’s already tumbln’



you got this



resources• “The Library is Open” by Molly McArdle, Library

Journal, online, June 2013 (http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2013/06/in-the-bookroom/post/the-library-is-open-a-look-at-librarians-and-tumblr/)

• “Power Tumbl’ng: Why Tumblr Is a Great Way to Reach Teen Patrons” by Robin Brenner School Library Journal, online, Sep 2013 (http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/09/social-media/power-tumblng-a-teen-librarian-explains-why-tumblr-is-a-great-way-to-reach-patrons/)

• “Tumblr Index: Your Guide to Artistic and Literary Tumblrs, Part III,” The Millions, online, April 2013 (http://www.themillions.com/2013/04/tumblr-index-your-guide-to-artistic-and-literary-tumblrs-part-iii.html)

• “How to Make a GIF in 5 Easy Steps,” Gizmodo, online, Sept 2012 (http://gizmodo.com/5941436/how-to-make-a-gif-in-five-easy-steps)



contact

Kate TkacikBank of Montreal Business Research

[email protected]

Twitter: @lifegdlibrarian Instagram: @katetkacik

2/6/14

Education

Tkacik: #Tumblarian