Colleen TheisenOutreach & Instruction LibrarianSpecial Collections & University ArchivesUniversity of Iowacolleen-theisen@uiowa.edu@libralthinking

Workflows for Social Media Outreach

@uispeccollBehind the WorkflowUISpecColl Philosophy & IdentityWhy social media outreach?

[This image comes from this news story, "Raiders of the Lost Archives"http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/420366.article]UISpecColl PhilosophyWe try toAsk more than we tellWork in public as real peopleShow behind the scenesMake things togetherTell a storyNot worry about numbers Provide both dinner and dessertHave a conversation with other collections

youtube.com/uispeccollOur main collecting areas: Chances to have conversationsEarly Print BooksThe Civil WarIowa City HistoryChautauquaScience Fiction HistoryStar TrekFanzines and ZinesHectography & MimeographyAbraham LincolnRailroads

Culinary HistoryEdgar Allan PoeMiniature BooksCrowdsourcing transcriptionDada and FluxusVaudevilleJames Van Allen, George GallupWomens HistoryNancy Drew

UISpecColls Current Social Media PresenceUISpecColls Primary Presence: Tumblr

http://hevelincollection.tumblr.comhttp://uimapcoll.tumblr.comhttp://iowawomensarchives.tumblr.comhttp://uispeccoll.tumblr.comhttp://iowacitypast.tumblr.com

UISpecColls Connected Pages

@uispeccollStaxpeditions! youtube.com/uispeccoll@uispeccollRelationship Status:Its ComplicatedPlays well with TumblrDoes not play well with Tumblr

Something is workingOutcomesI think about Special Collections all the time now.-University of Iowa professorTo Tumblr or Not to Tumblr?

Why Tumblr?Community of book loversFairly robust metadataFocus on visual contentYounger demographicExtremely user friendlyPosts are dormant not goneConversationsShare easily with other sitesIndexed by search enginesSupported by Tumblr staffJournalists are watchingViral content

Why Not Tumblr?Still sometimes NSFW (Dont automatically follow back)Culture can be a barrier to new usersCan be difficult to searchTherefore can be time consuming to like, reblog, respondConversations can be complicated logisticallySmall overall market share (though the users stay and look longer)

Trend: Cross-platform conversations(Especially Tumblr & Twitter)

WorkflowAre you ready?

(Save Drafts)Processing staffVolunteersStudents

(Reblogs)Archives #tbt

YouTubeTumblrTumblrTumblrInstagramTumblrMain Site: uispeccoll.tumblr.com

What I doSeek & photograph collection items to create planned posts Animate GIFsApprove drafts from GAsMake metadata consistentSearch out, choose and time reblogsSearch our name and tagsSpontaneous posts and responses

Periodic meetings with all page leaders and content creators discussing trends and best practicesAvailable consultant with page leadersSchedule video filming and coordinate editingEdit some videosTrain staff to animate GIFs

AdviceGet everyone involved, especially processing staffNot too much per person so it is sustainable Create or tie into weekly topics (#tbt, Miniature Mondays)Could have volunteers submit contentReblogging builds communityCross platforms

Re-evaluate Facebook presence Full citations and links between materials its our value addConnect with user-generated content through tagsSmall institution? Try to connect to the institution as a whole and feed them content.Create one page with multiple local institutions

Dinner and Dessert Draw in your followers with fan favorite topics, and when you have their eyes, serve up what they need to know about libraries & your collections.Gradually, we will change stereotypes.

(For us, GIFs,bookporn, 1890s publishers bindings, Alice in Wonderland, & Shakespeare are dessert)

Why?

[This image comes from this news story, "Raiders of the Lost Archives"http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/420366.article]