Social Media Apps

Social media has allowed people to connect with each other better than ever all over the world. In an instant, you can receive updates on breaking news, receive a message from a family member, and keep up with friends - all virtually. This type of connectedness has allowed society to expand in ways unimaginable. Why not use these valuable connection resources for other means? Using social media apps and websites can further extend the outreach of professionals and their services. Libraries, for example, benefit greatly from using these resources to promote their services and programs. 

Facebook is an example of a social media app that can help promote libraries and their services. Upon reviewing some school library Facebook pages, it was clear that there is some value to using this type of social media to catch people’s attention. Many of the Facebook pages posted news about the happenings in the library, such as MakerSpace projects, students checking out books, and playing games. Some libraries also included information about their library stats and district announcements. As I continued to view many of these school library pages, I did happen to notice that there were very few likes and comments. This can be an indication that the posts aren’t catching enough of the viewer’s attention, there isn’t much interest in the post, or sadly there just aren’t enough followers. If this is a library’s only social media means of promoting itself and its services, one might suggest that another approach be used. 

Twitter is another viable option for libraries to use to promote their programs and services. This particular social media app can not only showcase the services and happenings in your library but can also be of use in finding the latest information and/or trends. Users can find and follow accounts that appeal to their needs or wants. For example, by following educational technology leaders, a librarian can keep up to date with the latest trends and uses of technology in the educational world. An example of this is a tweet by Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) in which he shares a website offering useful websites for students to use when researching.

15 Useful Research Sites Every Student Should be Using https://t.co/qNheApGyOQ pic.twitter.com/G8ep73z7rj

— Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) August 21, 2022

Another ed tech leader, Gwenyth Jones (@GwynethJones) and creator of thedaringlibrarian.com, helps fellow tweeters with free printable forms to use for Chromebook repairs or checkouts. This is not only useful but a time saver as well!

Ticket to Ride: FREE Helpful Printables
Chromebook Repair Tickets
Chromebook Loaner Tickets
& More Stuff! https://t.co/8uO1V6qk3l#FutureReadyLibs #EdChat #Printables @cc_unitedstates #CreativeCommons #TLChat #Chromebook #ChromebookManagement @hcpsslibmed pic.twitter.com/NHBbXoqjgN

— Gwyneth Jones (@GwynethJones) May 30, 2022

While these are just two examples of leaders in ed tech, there are MANY more to follow for ideas and resources to make the integration of technology just a little bit easier. Although Twitter at times can seem intimidating due to the wealth of information or the roundabout way of getting useful ed tech advice, for those who dare to venture into the world of Twitter and all of its tweets, there is gold to be mined. 

Another great social media app is Instagram. This application can not only be helpful for promoting the library but also be useful in the classroom. Teachers can post homework reminders, and lesson tutorials, and showcase student work. Students can even engage in classroom discussions by using the comments section. Check out this article by Education Week about how to use Instagram in the classroom. Click HERE for the article. As with any social media app, there are downsides. For Instagram, the challenges you may come across are access to the application itself and learning how to use the app. There are many options for uploading content so it may take some practice but practice makes perfect right?! 

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Feed Readers

 Feed Readers and Why You Should Have One

The internet is laden with information on every subject imaginable and we often find the information we’re looking for with a few clicks of a button. One type of informative website that has become increasingly popular is blogs. Over time, people may begin subscribing to many different blogs and soon find themselves laboriously entering each web address to get to their next favorite blogging site. This is where the Feed Reader becomes handy. A feed reader gathers and displays web feeds from various websites in one place. By using a feed reader you can get updates from several websites delivered to you, without the need to visit each of them individually. There are quite a few free feed readers that do not require a monthly or yearly subscription. Some of these include Feedly, Inoreader, NewsBlur, Feedreader Online, Feeder, and Good News. While each of these feed readers offers much of the same service, there are some differences. Some may offer the ability to create offline folders, organize material into categories, variations on viewing mode, advanced filtering options, and more. I have come to find that I prefer the free feed reader Feedly. In my opinion, this particular feed reader is easy to navigate and is visually organized in a friendly manner. I have been able to easily find and follow specific websites and blogs that are of interest to me. A few websites and blogs I have followed include the following: 

1. AASL Blog - This site is the #1 most popular school library blog on Feedly. It is the official blog of the American Association of School Librarians and includes information, including but not limited to activities to, build school library culture, genrefying school libraries, and digital tools to incorporate into the school library program.

2. The Daring Librarian - This happens to be the #2 most popular school library blog on Feedly and features fun and innovative activities for the librarian to incorporate into their library program. Activities include how to create Musical Bookcases, slides for a Back to School Special presentation, and how to create Makerspace for Little or Nothing

3. YALSA - This site is the #5 most popular school library blog on Feedly and is home to the Young Adult Library Services Association blog and journal. This particular website includes information relating to young adult literature such as how to become more involved with the YALSA organization, the annual YALSA Conference, and more. 

4. Library Learners - This is the #8 most popular school library blog on Feedly. This blog features information such as activities for library orientation at the beginning of the school year, activities for distance learning, and teacher book clubs. 

5. School Librarian in Action - This is the #9 most popular school library blog and includes a plethora of various information valuable to librarians whether it be resources to evaluate their library program or an informational article on the use of research websites. 

 

There are many more informative websites and blogs I will soon follow but these happen to be ones that I have found to be valuable and informative currently. 

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Liedke, L. (2022, August 29). 6 best free RSS feed readers (2022 edition). Blogging Wizard. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://bloggingwizard.com/free-rss-feed-readers/ 

Feedly. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://feedly.com/