The Public Libraries of Singapore is on social media! Here are some tips on how we manage our various channels. - for IFLA Poster Session 2013

1. 3 EASY WAYS TO LOVE YOUR LIBRARY
Social Media 101

2. TIPS & POINTS TO CONSIDER

3. • Know your target audience and determine the
appropriate social media platform
e.g. We chose Twitter to target the Youths (18-35 years old)
demographic and connect with them
• Decide what tone and personality your page should
adopt
– It should be friendly, not officious, yet professional
– Do not use short forms e.g. ‘coz’, ‘wat’, ‘btw’
– Always spell check!
TIPS & POINTS TO CONSIDER

4. • Explore other sites and try
out different ways of
presenting content that
might catch even more
attention
– Internet memes
– Check out what other libraries
worldwide have on their
Facebook pages
– Use photos/videos to make the
content more engaging
TIPS & POINTS TO CONSIDER

5. • Check out mobile applications that will
help you manage your page when you
are on the go
• Some of the applications our librarians
are using:
– Pages Manager to manage Facebook pages
To create attractive images
– Line Camera
– FotoRus
– Pixlromatic & Whitagram for Instagram
– Phonto to add text to your photos
TIPS & POINTS TO CONSIDER

6. • Roster librarians to monitor and manage the platforms
– Decide on the minimum number of posts per week
– Conduct online scans for mentions of your library
• Decide how feedback should be handled
– Determine the response time
– Negative comments about the library should not be deleted
unless they are inflammatory or inappropriate
TIPS & POINTS TO CONSIDER

7. • Create an online forum to share best practices or
discuss difficult issues
– Should include Page Administrators, Library Managers
– Consider having a Customer Care/Corporate
Communications representative in this online group to
provide quick support
TIPS & POINTS TO CONSIDER

8. USEFUL TOOLS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook Insights
• To assess what content resonates with our fans e.g. posts that invoke memories/nostalgia,
behind-the-scenes or meet our staff posts, and to post more of such content to create more
virality
• Helps us to analyse whether our promotions are effective by monitoring the number of ‘likes’
and engagements received during that period
• Helps us to understand the demographics of our fans (gender, age, countries)

9. GENERATING CONTENT
PROGRAMMES
COLLECTIONS
FUN BITES

10. Programmes: Facebook
Highlights include:
• Post-Programme Photos
• Event Calendars
• Sneak-Peeks
• Publicity Posters
• Special Celebrations
e.g. Branch Anniversary

11. Highlights include:
• Unique Branch Programmes
• Launch of New Services
• Re-tweets from Partners
• Post-Programme Photos
• Library News
Programmes: Twitter/Instagram

12. Collections: Facebook
Highlights include:
• Staff’s Picks
• New Arrivals
• Thematic Collection
• Book Displays
• “Did You Know” quirky
facts from books

13. Collections: Twitter/Instagram
Highlights include:
• Librarian’s Reviews
• Interesting Book Displays
• Monthly Twitter #read Theme
• Books related to current affairs

14. Fun Bites: Facebook
Highlights Include:
• Staff Profiles
• Creative FaceBook cover photo
• Memes
• Shared posts from other affiliated
organisations

15. Fun Bites: Twitter/Instagram
Highlights Include:
• Memes
• “Live” Reporting at external events
• #petswithbooks series
• Spine Poetry
• Sneak-Peeks

16. PROMOTING YOUR CHANNELS

17. Marketing Channels
Promotion within
the library
• Put up posters at
strategic locations
• Promote the page to an
audience after an
event/programme
• Set up a laptop booth
during programmes for
people to browse your
page and encourage
them to [Like] the page
to get further updates
Promotion outside
the library
• Promote the page to
your audience at events
outside the library
• Set up a laptop booth
• Give out brochures with
QR code links to your
Facebook page
• Include your social media
channels in your email
signature
Collaborations with
partners
• Invite partners to share
our posts on their own
Facebook pages
• Connect and retweet
relevant posts on Twitter
and Instagram

18. Connect with us!
Public Libraries Singapore – Social Media Channels
24 Branch Facebook Pages
http://www.pl.sg/page/PLAnnouncements&newsLocation=
PL#3-easy-ways-to-like-my-library
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicLibrarySG
Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/PublicLibrarySG

19. For more information on our Social Media initiatives, please contact:
Jillian Lim, Assistant Director,
Public Libraries Singapore
(Jillian_LIM@nlb.gov.sg)
Averil Tan, Associate Librarian,
Public Libraries Singapore
(Averil_TAN@nlb.gov.sg)
Lynn Koh, Librarian,
Public Libraries Singapore
(Lynn_KOH@nlb.gov.sg)