Introduction

Facebook started as a way for college students to socially connect with each other. In fact, in it’s early stages you needed a .edu email address to register. Since then, Facebook has erupted into the biggest social networking site on the web. Its users consist of young teens to the elderly, as well as businesses and other establishments.

Public libraries are always in search of new ways to market themselves and their services, and many have caught on to the Facebook trend. The purpose of this study is to examine how public libraries use Facebook as a way to reach new and existing patrons and to see if they are successful at reaching new user groups. It will also look at the benefits and complications involved with having a Facebook page for a public library.

Problem/Concern/Interest Area

The problem area is that public libraries aren’t always successful at marketing themselves to potential and existing users in forms most accessible to patrons and potential patrons. The concern is that there may be ways to better market a specific library that the library isn’t using. The interest area of this study is to see if Facebook is a viable marketing tool for small to mid-sized public libraries, such as the Davidson County Public Library. Interest lies in the areas of libraries who have existing Facebook pages and deals with reaching new and existing users, the amount of input needed versus the tendency for desired results, and what issues or problems have come up involving existing Facebook pages of public libraries.

Research Questions:1. Are there any trends in who at the library is responsible for the Facebook

page?2. Why do libraries start Facebook pages?3. Does the participant’s Facebook page link the Facebook visitor to the actual

library through marketing of current events?4. Does the participant feel that Facebook helps them reach patrons and potential

patrons that aren’t reached using other methods?5. Is the amount of time and input needed worth the results of the participant’s

Facebook page?6. Would the participant recommend Facebook as a marketing tool for other

public libraries?7. What features of the participant’s Facebook page are most widely used or the

most popular among current or potential patrons?8. Does Facebook open up new lines of communication?9. Are there any major issues or a trend in problems and issues revolving around

the participant’s Facebook pages?

Literature Review

To my knowledge, after conducting my research, there has been no significant study done on the use of Facebook by public libraries. In general there is a lack of literature, but there is more on the use of Facebook by academic libraries. Those, although valid, cannot be considered parallel when looking at public libraries. Each type of library has it’s own set of users and it’s own set of marketing needs. The target audience for an academic library is more defined than a public library’s and most of an academic library’s patrons are familiar with social networking. While looking at current research on the topic, I found several “how to” sites, but they weren’t developed or published by any authoritative source, and contained only the most basic of information.

Along the lines of “how to” articles and websites are articles devoted to possible gains and advantages to a Facebook page for a public library. For instance, Denise E. Agosto and June Abbas, in their article "Teens and Social Networking: How Public Libraries are Responding to the Latest Online Trend”, list some of the benefits for teen users. However, Facebook offers many more advantages for public libraries than just those affecting the teen population. Much of the literature out there on the link between Facebook and any type of library deal specifically with the teen or college-aged user, but the demographic of Facebook is rapidly changing, with more and more older adults using the technology.

Marshall Breeding also talks about Facebook and the public library in his article "Librarians Face Online Social Networks", where he argues that Facebook and social networking are trends that are here to stay and that it is in the best interest of libraries and librarians to become familiar with it and the technology that revolves around it. He goes on to say that “I think that the more that library professionals use social networking environments like Facebook, the more that they will discover good ways to use it to improve library services and to expand their outreach (Computers in Libraries 27.8 30-32).” This is more along the lines of my research, but it’s a brief article with no study behind it.

I think that the lack of relevant scholarly literature is due in part to the “newness” of the Facebook website. I also feel that there is a stigma attached to Facebook as being trivial and unscholarly, therefore proper time hasn’t been given to its study and its possible benefits as they pertain to public libraries. I also believe that the people best equipped to study this trend, such as public librarians, are notorious for their busy schedules, particularly those in towns and cities most affected by the recession and increased budget cuts. Based on my results and the things that people had to say, I expect more and more literature linking Facebook and public library marketing to surface.

Methodology

After my research, I haven’t found a study comparable to mine.

I first went to Facebook and used the search term “public library”. I got website information and email addresses, if available, from the first fifty libraries, excluding those in large cities, those outside of the United States, and those whose pages were very new. I then made a Word document with the contact information used, as well as the names and locations of the libraries. I chose fifty with hopes that I would receive complete usable responses from at least twenty percent of those contacted, or at least 10 libraries. This, although a small sample, for my purposes would help show any trends happening between public libraries and their Facebook pages.

For those libraries who didn’t provide an email address on their Facebook page, I went to their website. I first looked for a general reference type email account. If one wasn’t available, I looked for an employee directory and emailed the administrative assistant, asking that my email be passed on to the person or people most responsible for the library’s Facebook page. If there wasn’t an administrative assistant, I collected the email address of the person most likely responsible for the Facebook page. If this wasn’t relatively obvious, either by website instructions, job title, or job description, I sent an email to the assistant director. If there wasn’t an assistant director listed, I sent an email to the director. If none of the above were listed, I looked for a Webmaster email. If there was no email address on the page that could be accessed, I moved on, figuring that if they don’t list email as a possible way of contact then the library probably prefers that people don’t contact them that way. I eliminated these from the fifty and found new ones.

If I were to do this study again or were doing it as a professional, I might have put out a call to Listservs to garner more responses.

My questions varied in subject and I tried to format them in a way that did not require a lengthy response but were conducive to comments should a participant want to expand.

I used Gmail as my main platform for communication and made a separate folder for the responses. After collecting them, I compiled them into a word document. I then organized the responses by question in a separate document to better analyze the results.

Results

Of the fifty libraries contacted, I got complete usable responses from 16 of them. This is more than a thirty percent response rate, and this exceeded my expectations. Factors such as this being an unsolicited email, at times being unsure who the best point of contact was, and the fact that I disclosed that I was a student working on a project for school all may have deterred potential participants. At the beginning I was concerned that I would have trouble getting responses, because of the above reasons and because of the subject matter. I think I may have hit on something, a “hot topic”, because of the number of responses and because of the length and depth of responses.

Analysis of Results By Question

[ Based on the nature of the questions and the various answers, I was unsure of whether to organize this by question or by major trends and issues, or something along those lines. I wasn’t sure if the latter approach was “legal” or not, so I went with the one that seemed to be more “technically” sound.]

Question 1

What is the title of the person responsible for updating your library’s Facebook page?

The intention of this question was to see if there was a trend in where the responsibility for the Facebook page sits within public libraries. Based on the results there is no trend. The answers varied greatly. Some of the participants had several people who updated it. With others, the responsibility fell with technical services or marketing/event coordination employees. With others it fell with teen services and general staff members.

If I were to do this study again I might find out weather these people had previous experience using Facebook.

Question Two

What was the main reason for starting a Facebook page for your library?

The overwhelming response to this question fell along the lines of outreach and marketing. All respondents, except for respondent C, listed outreach and marketing as their main goal in using Facebook.

Another trend in the answers is teen oriented. Several of the libraries, including respondents F,I,J M and O All listed teens as part of the reason for their Facebook page. Respondents I and M mention a shift from their page being mostly teen oriented to being more holistic and including patrons of all ages.

Another trend in answers included reaching patrons where they are. Respondent L says that their intentions were to “To reach patrons and potential new patrons where they are.” Respondent O stated “We feel that our job as a library is to make the information as convenient to the patrons as possible.” Several respondents also mention Facebook as a way to foster interaction with the library and other patrons.

Question 3

Are current library events updated on your library’s Facebook page?

I asked this question to see if libraries that used Facebook were connecting users and potential users to the actual physical space of the library and to see if they used Facebook as a marketing tool to advertise events.

All respondents answered positively. Some made the distinction that they don’t often make official “events” through the tool on Facebook, but announce them via comments and wall posts. Respondents D, E, O, and P all stated that while they do post events on Facebook they don’t list all of them.. Respondent P said “Yes but not every event as that would be redundant and cumbersome. We tend to highlight certain events.” Respondent O had this to say : “Yes, not everything, but we do try to post upcoming programs or lectures on Facebook. We have so many programs it would be impossible to post everything, but we do post many. E had this to say “Programs that occur every week, like story time or our Thursdays at the library, don't usually get updated on Facebook.  We have an online calendar for those regular programs.”

I think a trend here is that while libraries use Facebook as a marketing tool for events, they choose to highlight certain ones that are forthcoming. For the bigger libraries with multiple branches, if they were to list every event every week on Facebook it might be redundant or overwhelming. What this means for libraries looking to start a Facebook page is that while posting events is a great tool to get Facebook users involved, there may be a point where too much information is just as bad as not enough.

Question 4

In your opinion, does Facebook help you reach patrons and potential patrons that aren’t reached using other marketing techniques?

This question was meant to see if Facebook helped public libraries reach people who aren’t reached using other methods, and to see if Facebook helps them reach new populations.

All of the respondents answered positively except for participant B who was unsure yet because of the newness of their page. Respondent A says “I think it does.  Our “likes” have been steadily climbing, and we are now at 592.  I am fairly certain that not all of these 592 people check our website weekly or visit the library weekly.” Respondent H said “ Yes.  Most patrons don’t go to the library website every day to check what new events/services the library has.  However, many people do check their Facebook News Feeds daily and therefore also see our updates/events.” Further, respondent N said, “Yes, I have had new people coming to my programs because of Facebook” and respondent G had this to say: Yes absolutely, I had one family come in and tell me they were interested in moving to our town and they looked us up, and that was what made their final decision because we were so active.”

This shows that Facebook does play a successfully active role in marketing events and linking Facebook users to the physical space of the library, and that it reaches populations not included in other marketing strategies. For libraries thinking about

starting a Facebook page, this shows that Facebook is a valid marketing tool and may help reach new audiences and connect them with the library. If it’s worked for so many, it could very well work for them too.

Question 5

In your opinion, is your library’s Facebook page worth the time and effort needed to keep it up?

The theory behind this question was that if the responses were overwhelming positive or negative, this would provide valuable insight for a library thinking about starting a Facebook page.

The responses were all positive. The fact that Facebook can be updated from anywhere at any time was mentioned. Respondent A says “Definitely.  I only spend about 30 minutes a week on it, but I make sure I update it every week so the page stays active. It is a really low-cost, low-effort way to advertise events and new offerings in the collection.  I can also update from home.  I don’t do this frequently, but it only takes 5 minutes or less for me to update the page with news articles I see in the physical newspaper at home.  I’ve done this late at night or early in the morning – whenever the whim hits me.”

Respondent B says “Yes.  The friends/fans we have are new faces.” This shows that their original goal is being met and that their effort is paying off. Respondent I said “YES!  It’s is (sic) easier than our web page. We dedicate 10 mins every morning to do FB first then when we arrive.” And respondent M said “Definitely. It doesn't take much time, and is an easy way to reach hundreds of people.” This shows that for a minimal amount of effort a library can reach a vast amount of users.

Respondent P had this point to make—“ I believe it does. It allows us to market our services on Facebook where many of our users already spend a lot of time. Facebook has become so popular that almost everyone has a profile or a page. It is important to have one to seem relevant.” Facebook is an easy way to go to where patrons and potential patrons already spend a lot of time, and the fact that it’s free and takes so little time and effort makes it a lucrative tool for marketing purposes.

Question 6

Would you recommend developing a Facebook page to other public libraries that are looking for new ways to market themselves?

Libraries of relatively the same size often have the same issues and problems when it comes to marketing and reaching new users. So, this question is to see if the libraries interviewed value Facebook enough as a marketing tool to recommend its use to other libraries of comparable size.

Every respondent answered positively. The answers were very straight forward.Respondent G commented that “ Yes, I have talked three other library friends into giving it a try.  Two love it, one needs to do more and she would see the effect it can make.”

Two responses commented that while Facebook is a great marketing tool, it should be only a part of a library’s marketing strategy. Respondent K said “Yes, I would, however I would view it as part of the whole marketing plan. Respondent P stated “Absolutely! Once, you set it up and have a team in place who can share posting duties, it can add to the traditional marketing strategies of libraries.”

What a library can take away from this information is that Facebook is a valuable marketing tool that falls within the current trends of what users are doing, but that libraries shouldn’t rely solely on Facebook and do away with traditional marketing strategies and materials.

Question 7

From what you can tell, what are the most popular features of your library’s Facebook page?

This question was asked to help libraries who may use Facebook as a marketing tool see what features draw users in and what features of a Facebook page are of value to a user. I had some unexpected responses, the biggest being photo postings. This was a popular answer, as well as the posting of events and new acquisitions. Other popular features fell within the realm of conducing interaction, such as surveys, interesting facts, and open-ended questions.

There is, however, no way to track this information, unless a library makes it a survey question on their site. Libraries who are potential Facebook users can use this information when planning and implementing what types of things to add to their Facebook page.

Question 8

Do patrons or potential patrons ever contact your library via Facebook?

This question was asked to see if the use of Facebook opened new forms of communication between the library and patrons or potential patrons. Respondents B, L, and O all had negative responses. The rest answered that patrons or potential patrons contact the library in some form via Facebook.

Respondents F, O, and P all mentioned that reference type questions are not asked via Facebook.

Respondents G,H,I,K,M and P all mentioned that they receive comments and questions based on the things that the library posts on their Facebook page, including photos, status updates and events.

This could be of value to a library considering Facebook as a marketing tool because it shows that Facebook can be a new form of communication. Not necessarily of a reference nature, but to help connect patrons to events and news about the library.

Question 9

What have been the biggest problems and/or issues for your library revolving around your library’s Facebook page?

This question was intended to see if there was a trend in issues or problems with Facebook as it applies to public libraries. This information would be helpful to a public library considering starting a Facebook page because it can help them avoid common problems or issues, and can also help them weigh their decisions.

The biggest trend was misuse of the Facebook page by page visitors, especially inappropriate or unrelated comments. This issue was reported by respondents D, E, F,H, I, and P. Advertisements as comments are a big trend in issues. Respondent D commented that “Sometimes we get people putting their advertising in the comments but that is rare and we just delete those comments.” Respondent F stated that “.  I've had two sort of mean comments that I deleted.”

Respondent E commented that “The comments were mostly about things like

school fund raisers, school kids offering dog-walking services, etc.  These comments have been few and far in between. There have been no negative or obscene comments.  We have Use Guidelines for our FB page in which it is clearly stated that we will remove such comments.” Respondent E is the only one that mentioned use guidelines or a social media policy, but it may be a good idea for public libraries who may use Facebook in the future to be able to justify the removal of these types of comments.

Respondent N mentioned an instance of the misuse of the libraries Facebook page in their answer to question 10, which asked the participants if they had any other comments. The respondent said “ I can see where there might be problems.  We had a psycho ex of an employee that was using it to find out when stuff was so he could send presents.  If you delete someone off friends list would that be discriminating??  There are issues that could arise but for us it's been beneficial.” This brings up a valid point: There can potentially be discrimination and censorship issues when it comes to restricting access to a Facebook page or deleting comments. This is where a Social Media Policy or Usage Guidelines, made available to the public, can protect the library against accusations.

Another major trend in issues evident by the surveys is an issue with technology and administration.

More and more municipalities are limiting the use of social networking sites from staff computers, such is the case for respondent G: “ Hardest part would be getting a

patron computer open to do to updates.  (we are not allowed to use staff computers for facebook).”

Another issue, mentioned by respondent A, was that Facebook isn’t very conducive for a library with multiple branches. “… I would love a way to create a per-branch page, and tie them all together to one District page”, respondent A stated.

Respondent O also brought up the point that “The library’s Facebook account is set up in such a way that we have to assign administrators. Having those people removed as administrators once they no longer work at the library has been challenging.” This could potentially compromise the security of the library’s Facebook page.

Respondent B commented on the lack of experience with the technology of the librarians and respondent J commented on the need for more experience. This shows that it is important for the person responsible for the Facebook page to be familiar with the technology, and if they are not, they should have the opportunity to seek out help and education.

Question 10

Do you have any other comments?

There were two major trends when analyzing this question, the first being that while Facebook is a great marketing tool, it should still be used as a part of a bigger whole. Respondent K stated, “ Facebook has certainly not been the answer to all our marketing problems.  It is just one more attempt to get our message out.” Respondent M also stated this by saying “While FB is a great way to reach people, traditional methods (fliers, brouchures, etc.) are also needed for patrons who are not on social networking sites.”

Respondents A, C, D, and P all comment on the usefulness of Facebook as a marketing tool. Respondent A stated “I love our Facebook page!  It’s free advertising, and doesn’t take a lot of time or skill to update!” Respondent C commented that “Facebook is the most cost-effective way of reaching your audience – there is no reason not to do it – it costs nothing except a small amount of time.” Respondent D also supported this trend by saying that “ We have 956 followers on Facebook. We find that it is worth our effort.” Respondent P reiterated this point stating “I think if libraries have a great opportunity to market themselves on Facebook. It has so many users and is a great way to reach out to the community.

Conclusion

Public libraries are always looking for new ways of marketing themselves and reaching new and existing users. By looking at the trends and issues that libraries have had that already have a Facebook page, public libraries who are potential Facebook users weigh the pros and cons and decide if Facebook would be of value to them. They can also

see what some of the major problem areas are and plan for them ahead of time. Based on the results of this study, Facebook is a viable marketing tool to reach current and potential users. It’s marketing output is worth the input of time and energy, it connects Facebook users to the actual physical space of the library, and it fosters communication between the library and it’s users. All participants in the study would recommend its use to other public libraries as a successful, cost effective way of marketing the library and its services and as a way to reach new populations.

Works Cited

Agosto, Denise E., and June Abbas. "Teens and Social Networking:

How Public Libraries are Responding to the Latest Online Trend." Public

Libraries48.3 (2009): 32-7. Library Lit & Inf Full Text. Web. 23 Oct. 2010.

Breeding, Marshall. "Librarians Face Online Social Networks." Computers in

Libraries 27.8 (2007): 30-32.Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 23 Oct.

2010.

Attachments

A1, My name is A, and I am the Manager of the Paso Verde Library, which is one branch of the Henderson District Public Libraries.  I am a member of our District’s Social Networking Team and had personal interest in working on our Facebook page.  One of our Teen Librarians also occasionally updates the District’s Facebook page.B1. Program Coordinator C1. Development Director D1. Library Assistant E1. The title is Facebook Coordinator.F1. The promotional services manager is the main person responsible for the 1st page.  The adult services manager and I, the teen librarian, also contribute content.G1. Librarian (Branch Manager)H1. Computer Systems AssistantI1. Director and part-time webmaster.J1. Branch librarianK1. Assistant LibrarianL1. Outreach and community services coordinator Supervisor of teen services Media services coordinatorM1. Youth Services Assistant/ Teen LibrarianN1.  Library Services CoordinatorO1. There are several of us that update the Fayetteville Public Library’s Facebook page. The library’s Reference Staff, communications manager, Children’s staff and executive director all add things to the library’s Facebook page.P1. Pa, Head of Reference, Pb, Business Librarian & Pc, Reference Assistant & MLIS candidate all share the duties of updating the Facebook page and Twitter account for the library

A2. We wanted to increase our library visibility in this very popular medium of communication.  It was born kind of as a whim as many of our library staff members had Facebook pages.  We also want to keep up with current technology.  We started a MySpace page a couple of years ago, but did not really keep it up as the MySpace trend died.  With the beginning of our MySpace page, we started a Social Networking Committee, and the Facebook Page grew out of this effort.  (We also have a Twitter feed, pictures on Flickr, a YouTube account, and a MySpace page.)  B2. Outreach to the community.C2. We were opening up a newly renovated and expanded building – we were looking  to bring some of our information services into the 21st century D2. We want to reach out to the community and keep them informed about what is happening at the library.E2. To share information about programming and events at the library by taking that information to our patrons (FB being so popular). To encourage input from patrons/community (e.g., Do you have a book you recommend?) To provide a space for people to make comments/give feedback on library programming and events – ask questions, say that they like something, etc.

F2. I started the Facebook page as a means of reaching out to local teens.  I wanted to alert them to library programs, materials, and invite them to respond to postings in a manner that they felt comfortable using.G2. To get more patrons involved with Library activities in hope of increasing turn outs for programsH2. To promote library events and services to a wider audience.I2. connect with teens, but we have found that adults who love technology are really into posting, and liking our posts.  When we add pictures our hits soar.  So we try to add a picture every other week.  The response to adults who have never connected to our library has been amazingJ2. To interest younger patrons and post general info such as hours, etc.K2. To expand marketing for the libraryL2 To reach patrons and potential new patrons where they areM2. The library uses both Facebook and Mysoace to update events. It started as a way to reach our teen patrons, but has spread to include adults as well.N2. I wanted to use it as a way to get events out there to the publicO2.  The library wanted to spread the word about all the events going on at the Fayetteville Public Library. We feel that our job as a library is to make the information as convenient to the patrons as possible. We know that teens, especially, spend a lot of time on Facebook, so we wanted to post our events where we felt teens are most likely to see them.P  2. To reach out to library patrons and potential users who were already on Facebook. CCPL has so many events that we wanted to be able to highlight certain events to the patrons via Facebook. We had previously had a Facebook group but when Facebook decided to create fanpages, it seemed like a smart transition.

A3. Yes.  I update usually once a week, unless there are unusual circumstances.  We have 6 library locations, and I choose one program from each branch where registration is still open.  I give preference to programs for adults, under the theory that those are our main users on Facebook, but if only a children’s or teen program is available, I post that with no hesitation.  Otherwise, if our library makes the paper for some reason, I will include links to the article online.  One branch has a Redbox, and I update weekly with the movies that are available there and coming soon.  Finally, every week on Tuesdays, our webmaster set up an automatic feed of our new items.  B3. YesC3. We post information for various programs regularly, not as Facebook “events” – Special fundraising events are posted as “events”  D3. Not all of our events are updated on the Facebook page but many events are described in our status updates.E3.Yes, we post information about unique or one-time events, but generally do not post information regarding on-going programming. We try to provide information that is available in thew newsletter and Web site, but also add additional information such as Web sites of authors or other individuals taking part in programming and/or events.F3. I used to post library events as "events" on Facebook, but that wasn't used much.  Now I usually post a comment about a special event with a link to more information.  If it's a big event, I will sometimes post multiple times.  I believe other staff members do

the same.  Programs that occur every week, like story time or our Thursdays at the library, don't usually get updated on Facebook.  We have an online calendar for those regular programs.G3. I update or change something at least once a day on our facebook page.  One class I attended at a conference said you needed to keep things fresh or people would get bored with it.H3. YesI3. Yes, all events are made into a page on our fb page.  We even allow sign up on FB, but they have to have a reply from us to verify that they are signed up so they know we have received their post. We don’t let friends add pictures of video download to protect us from inappropriate content.  However we tell our patrons who attend events to send us pictures on our email and we will load them to FB if appropriate. J3.  Not enough, but I am trying to improve thatK3. YesL3. Some, not allM3. Yes, we list events as well as new services and items.N3. YesO3. Yes, not everything, but we do try to post upcoming programs or lectures on Facebook. We have so many programs it would be impossible to post everything, but we do post manyP 3.  Yes but not every event as that would be redundant and cumbersome. We tend to highlight certain events

A4. I think it does.  Our “likes” have been steadily climbing, and we are now at 592.  I am fairly certain that not all of these 592 people check our website weekly or visit the library weekly.   B4. Unsure yet.  We've only had the page a few months and don't seem to be getting a lot of feedbackC4.Yes, Facebook helps us reach out in ways that we could not otherwise D4.Yes   E4.We do not have statistics on this, but I would guess that it is the case to some extent. F4.Yes.G4.Yes absolutely, I had one family come in and tell me they were interested in moving to our town and they looked us up, and that was what made their final decision because we were so active.H4. Yes.  Most patrons don’t go to the library website every day to check what new events/services the library has.  However, many people do check their Facebook News Feeds daily and therefore also see our updates/events.  Also, any events we post are made searchable.  For example, someone could search all Facebook events for Book Sale and find our annual sale, among others.I4. YES! J4. Yes.K4. Yes, it is probably the best way to reach teens and young adults.L4. yesM4. Facebook is a good way to reach patrons who are too busy to come in or check the library website for information.

N4. Yes, I have had new people coming to my programs because of facebook.O4. Yes! Teens are a tough audience. They don’t always respond to fliers they pick up at school, they don’t read the newspaper, but they do LOVE Facebook. It’s a great tool to communicate with that age group, especially, but all audiences really benefit because more and more people are becoming Facebook users.P4. At times, many who don't pick up the paper and see what we are up to. It also gives patrons and direct communication outlet with the library. Also, it is easy to post important info and reminders, i.e. closing early due to in weather.

A5  Definitely.  I only spend about 30 minutes a week on it, but I make sure I update it every week so the page stays active.  It is a really low-cost, low-effort way to advertise events and new offerings in the collection.  I can also update from home.  I don’t do this frequently, but it only takes 5 minutes or less for me to update the page with news articles I see in the physical newspaper at home.  I’ve done this late at night or early in the morning – whenever the whim hits me.  Facebook is still “fun” for me.  B5. Yes.  The friends/fans we have are new faces.C5. Yes –maybe five minutes a day is spent posting information – it is not a time consuming process at all.  D5. Yes.E5. Yes, we have been receiving comments and feedback from fans. The number of fans is steadily increasing and we receive a consistent number of visits to our page each week. It is a great way to keep up the visibility of the library. The time involved in maintaining the page is minimal – 5 minutes for each status update.   F5. Yes.  I find Facebook a quick & easy way to show off new books, special programs, and quirky things. G5. I totally agree it is worth the time and effort.  People enjoy seeing themselves, grandchildren, children and more on the page (we of course do not label names on our photos)  People tell us often that they check the page to keep updated on programs.H5.Yes.  It really doesn’t take much time or effort to maintain; maybe five minutes a day.  It allows patrons/library supporters to ask questions and comments about the library.  This input is invaluable to the library.   I5.  YES!  It’s is easier than our web page. We dedicate 10 mins every morning to do FB first then when we arrive.J5. Yes. I'm hoping to be able to devote more time to our page in the near future.K5. Yes, it is not time consuming.L5 Yes, we don’t spend too too much time on itM5. Definately. It doesn't take much time, and is an easy way to reach hundreds of people.N5. Yes, sometimes it's a hassle because I do all the programming, too, and I sometimes forget to put something on there but it's worth it in the end.O5. Yes, I think the key to our Facebook success has been two-fold. One, we share the responsibility in posting items. Our Reference Department tries to post something every day, but other departments post items when something comes up. The second, part of our success is that we vary what we post. It’s not all upcoming programs. While that’s a great way to spread the word about library events, it doesn’t tend to garner a lot of interaction. If there’s something in the news about a noted author, we’ll post it on Facebook and

mention our collection of that author’s books. When the director John Hughes died, the library posted a note about it and listed the Hughes movies available for check out at the library. Sometimes we’ll post a question for fun – is it better to be a vampire or a werewolf? – just to get some interaction and comments.P 5.  I believe it does. It allows us to market our services on Facebook where many of our users already spend a lot of time. Facebook has become so popular that almost everyone has a profile or a page. It is important to have one to seem relevant.

A6 Absolutely.  It is important to find the right person to update it, though.  I would find the person (or people) who are active Facebook users themselves.  They are more likely to keep the page current than someone who is “forced” to do it and it becomes “work.”  B6. Yes.  But as with a blog or a website, you need to feed it.C6. Yes   D6. Yes.E6. Yes, we would recommend it.  Our page went online last spring so we are still exploring the potential of the page, but so far it appears to have been received well and is a popular service.F6. YesG6.Yes, I have talked three other library friends into giving it a try.  Two love it, one needs to do more and she would see the effect it can make.H6. Definitely!  It’s free (unless you decide to advertise) and a great way to reach out online, beyond your own site.I6. YES!  J6. Yes, a huge segment of our population gets information from the internet and you can advertise your hrs., events, new acquisitions, etc.K6. Yes, I would, however I would view it as part of the whole marketingplan.L6. yesM6.Yes. It is a good way to notify the public about events, hours, etcN6. YesO6. Yes, more and more people are increasingly using Facebook and it’s a great way to spread the word about ongoing programs or other items of interest at the library. And, if you spread the wealth – and it’s not one person’s responsibility – it won’t require too much time.P6. Absolutely! Once, you set it up and have a team in place who can share posting duties, it can add to the traditional marketing strategies of libraries.

A7.This is one drawback to our Facebook page.  We have 6 locations with hours that vary.  For this reason, I cannot post the hours of the library on the Facebook page.  (We chose to have one District-wide Facebook page, rather than 6 different Facebook pages for each location, to keep them unified.)  There is the same dilemma with contact information.  We get more “likes” than comments.  There have only been a few instances where people commented, and I strive to respond quickly to develop the multi-tiered forum that is the beauty of social-networking sites in general.  This is another drawback – I am not emailed whenever someone comments, so I just have to check often.  One time I

felt badly because someone inquired about an upcoming program.  I missed their question for one week, and by then the program was done. People “like” the news articles and the new books/DVDs, etc., more often than the programs, actually.  B7. No ideaC7. The daily posts  D7.Not easy to tell. We don't get a lot of comments about hours of operation or contact information. We do get interactions when we post status updates about our events or when we ask patrons what they are currently reading.E7.Current events updates receive the most feedback (likes, comments, etc). It is hard to say about hours of operation and contact information since we have not collected s data on it.F7.I think most people like to learn about special events and sometimes new books from the Facebook page.G7. Program updates and photosH7.It’s difficult to tell.  Status updates about upcoming events and new services probably get the most “likes” and comments.I7. Contact info, pictures, reminding patrons of programs, update of technology upgrades. (We just upgraded to automated circulation and our provider is in the process of upgrade many benefits of this function.)  J7.All of those listed.K7. I believe the updates are the most popular.L7. photosM7. People love pictures, as well as random facts (author birthdates and such), as well as surveys (what are you reading? favorite author? etc)N7.  Event information and the wallO7. We tend to get the biggest responses when we post a question for people to answer or give their opinion to. When we just post hours, etc., while it may be  helpful, it’s not usually what they go to Facebook for. I think they tend to use the library’s website to find out that information.P7.  According to our Page Insights, the most viewed tabs are the welcome tab and our wall.

A8. Occasionally.  See answer immediately above.  We’re still working on the dialogue!  B8. No.C8.Yes  D8.Yes.E8.Yes, we receive comments and questions from patrons on the page.  F8.We get some comments.  I'm not sure exactly what this question is asking.  We have a way for customers to instant message us from our website, but they're not able to do that from Facebook.G8.Yes, they leave comments on the status updatesH8.Yes.  We’ve had questions and suggestions from many patrons via Facebook.  For example, a patron posted a response in our Discussions regarding the use of study rooms and the regulations.

I8. Yes at least once a week we get questions or comments.  When we upload pictures the response has been amazing.J8. There have been a few posts, but we are fairly new at it.K8. On occasion, we have had questions posted as responses to our postings.L8.noM8. Yes, we often have people ask questions about upcoming events.N8. yesO8. We have a questions account and most of the questions for the library come through that account, rather than Facebook.P8. Sometimes we get comments on our wall. Also, we sometimes get comments on posts. Usually these are just comments. It is very rare that we get an reference query on the Facebook page. We have had a few in the two years that we have had the page but not often.

A9.I mentioned some of these above, but I would love a way to create a per-branch page, and tie them all together to one District page.  I also have tried to install the program that integrates Twitter and Facebook, but cannot thus far because we don’t have it set up as a personal page.  The organizational page won’t allow this program – at least it didn’t the last time I checked.  Facebook works REALLY well for libraries that have one building- you can include hours, contact information, everything for one building.  It is constrained by a multi-system branch setup, but we’ve worked around that, hopefully.  B9. Inexperience/uncertainty with the technologyC9.  None  D9.We haven't had any real problems. Sometimes we get people putting their advertising in the comments but that is rare and we just delete those comments.E9.We have been very lucky and not run into any major problems or issues. There have been a few comments that we removed due to them being off topic – not related to the library, programming or events. The comments were mostly about things like school fund raisers, school kids offering dog-walking services, etc.  These comments have been few and far in between. There have been no negative or obscene comments.  We have Use Guidelines for our FB page in which it is clearly stated that we will remove such comments.  F9.I really haven't had many problems.  I've had two sort of mean comments that I deleted.  On occasion, I've had trouble uploading photos.  Other than that, I haven't had problems.G9.It is hard to have something new to say EVERY day.  I try to also do status changes at different times of the day so different patrons will be on the computer.  We are a small library but an extremely busy one (programs).  Most time consuming is adding photos.  Hardest part would be getting a patron computer open to do to updates.  (we are not allowed to use staff computers for facebook)H9.We haven’t really had any issues or problems thus far.  The page gets spam comments once in a while.  Since we check the page nearly every day, we delete them promptly.I9. Patrons/FB users will tell you just how angry they are about anything bothering them. We set out at the beginning to use the most positive wording on any response immediately to defuse potential problems and it has work.  We had young families upset

we did not offer programming for birth to 3 year olds.  Constant posts were complaining that we didn’t have this type of programming.  We would reply with very positive upbeat replies that we wanted to have these programs and that their voices were being heard, that we did have “….etc..programs”, and would take into consideration new programs as money was available.  I have a teacher who volunteered to do these younger programs from these posts!J9.  The main problem is that we need more education/information on how to improve our page's look, links, etc.  A secondary problem is that it's hard to carve out time to do administration of the page; it needs to be more of a priority.K9. There really haven't been any problems.L9.      M9. Getting the word out that we have one. Even with a link on our website, many people don't realize we are on FB.N9.Just being able to maintain it on some daysO9. The library’s Facebook account is set up in such a way that we have to assign administrators. Having those people removed as administrators once they no longer work at the library has been challenging. We haven’t had any issues with abusing the account, but I could see how that might happen with a disgruntled employee. We’ve sought help from Facebook about the problem but haven’t had much luck resolving the issue.P9.   Sometimes we have trolls who comment but they are minimal. This is inevitable as with any online presence. Facebook gives you the control to delete offensive comments so this has not been a huge problem. We also make it a point to politely address criticism

A10. I love our Facebook page!  It’s free advertising,    and doesn’t take a lot of time or skill to update!B10.It can be a time intensive tool.  And I think you can crowd the wall with too many messages if you are not careful.C10. Facebook is the most cost-effective way of reaching your audience – there is no reason not to do it – it costs nothing except a small amount of time.   1D0.We have 956 followers on Facebook. We find that it is worth our effort. E10. Nothing that I can think of.F10. I think it's fun to show students the library has a Facebook page.  I think it makes the library seem a little more approachable.  I'm the teen librarian at the Champaign Public Library.  I will try to answer your questions as well as I'm able.  This library actually has two Facebook pages: http://www.facebook.com/ChampaignPublicLibrary  I started this page a couple of years ago, meaning it to be for teens, but when the page got mostly adult fans, the graphic artist took over most of the posting duties.  I still upload new book covers as photo albums for this page. I'm the teen librarian at the Champaign Public Library.  I will try to answer your questions as well as I'm able.  This library actually has two Facebook pages: http://www.facebook.com/ChampaignPublicLibrary  I started this page a couple of years ago, meaning it to be for teens, but when the page got mostly adult fans, the graphic artist took over most of the posting duties.  I still upload new book covers as photo albums for this page.http://www.facebook.com/CPLTeenSpace  This is the page I currently work on.  It's meant for middle & high schoolG10.   

H10.    Check out our page!  http://www.facebook.com/wheatonlibraryMany library vendors offer applications to add to Facebook.  For example, we use Book News for sending new book updates and newsletters.  By using Book News’ Facebook integration services, we now have tabs for the online catalog and the Book News newsletters on our Facebook page.I10.   FB needs to be used as a marketing tool and how you craft your words on FB has to be always with the thought of customer service first.  Your posts have to create warm feelings for your institution and convey information.  Don’t waste your patron’s time with a post a day – once a week or as needed.  They don’t want a barrage of info streaming in that doesn’t matter to them.  Great user info data from FB info pages to read on this as well.J10.   NoK10. I hope this has been helpful.  Facebook has certainly not been the answer toall our marketing problems.  It is just one more attempt to get our messageout.L10. M10. While FB is a great way to reach people, traditional methods (fliers, brouchures, etc.) are also needed for patrons who are not on social networking sites. FB is also a great way to get patrons talking. Besides library info, we post historical/ literary facts and qoutes, movie trailers (for films based on books), and pictures of our events.N10. I can see where there might be problems.  We had a psycho ex of an employee that was using it to find out when stuff was so he could send presents.  If you delete someone off friends list would that be discriminating??  There are issues that could arise but for us it's been beneficial.O10. Best of luck and let me know if you have any questions!P10. I think if libraries have a great opportunity to market themselves on Facebook. It has so many users and is a great way to reach out to the community.