I work in a public library. In addition to the integrated library system, we use Microsoft 365 and some social media platforms. The city of Kuopio restricts the applications that employees can use and specifies the services in which city officials are allowed to participate. The city evaluates the risks of every software and platform. If for example library wants to use an app or a service, it must provide a digital impact assessment report.

We use Logitech Mevo cameras and their mobile apps to stream our events to Facebook. We used to use OBS, but it requires a laptop, whereas Mevo apps can be controlled with a tablet of even a phone. The quality of Mevo cameras is excellent for our needs. The only downside is that if the presenter has a PowerPoint presentation or some extra material they want straight to the stream, we have to use OBS or a video projector. Then we point one of the Meco cameras at the silver screen and try to show the stream audience the presentation.

The Kuopio City Library is on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. We were on X (prev. Twitter), but decided to withdraw from the service. We also use Canva (but not with our work email addresses, just in case). Oh, and I almost forgot our Blogger! It sadly has a very little use nowadays. And I came across our even older book blog. I had completely forgotten about that too, even though I have written many book-related texts there. It’s not worth maintaining any (social media) platform if content cannot be updated regularly.

A few of us use Signal, mostly to ask/tell if the morning coffee is ready. ☕ We were using WhatsApp, but it is now forbidden to use it with work phones. Signal is okay to use (don’t know why… 🤔).

5 + 1 new and “new” tools

Canva and Copilot (in Microsoft 365) both use Dall-E, which can be used to generate pictures with AI. Dall-E has some copyright issues, since it has been trained basically by stealing people’s images and art. The copyright of the pictures created with Dall-E belong to the person who uses the tool, since they “create” the picture by giving prompts and “sculpting” it until desired result. Despite these issues, Dall-E could be used more in our social media posts and as an illustration. We also used Dall-E’s creations during the media literacy week. We made images with Dall-E and searched similar photos from the internet and asked customers to vote which one(s) are made by AI. It was not easy to see the difference!

Doodle is a convenient tool for finding a common meeting time. In the free version, you don’t even need to log in unless ads bother you. Technically we shouldn’t use that either, but I sometimes use it with colleagues from other organizations, since I can’t see their Outlook calendars and when they would be available.

I mentioned that we already have a blogger blog (two, actually, as I suddenly realized). If we had more time, it would be nice to maintain a book blog. We could recommend books and write longer reviews. Book blogs are popular amongst book loving people, but “bookstagram” and “booktok” (Instagram and TikTok and their book related content) have taken over. Also, there are many lovely book blogs already, I don’t think we vcould or should compete with them. (Instead we collaborate with them: if I remember correctly, book blogger Amma has been in our library having a book talk and recommending books to our customers.)

I have used Miro as a participant. Previously we had Google Jam Board, but it has now been taken down by Google. We use(d) Jam Board in our educational briefings to collect ideas from participant and to engage them. I thought Miro is not free at all, but looks like users get three boards with the free plan. I believe the boards can be re-used. We usually don’t have to save the brainstorm boards, but if we do, we can take a screenshot of them. This I will definitely start to use in my work!

For the fifth tool I chose TikTok, even though that is also not allowed to use that in our work either. TikTok is a great place to reach young people, and even I, a 30-year-old, enjoy it. Many Finnish libraries and other public and commercial operators are using it to generate entertaining content. That, I think, is actually the point of every social media platform: get people to see, enjoy and interact with your funny content, so that they will also later see the “boring” but important content (like opening hours or campaigns). The content in TikTok, and other platforms too, must not be forced. If making videos isn’t your thing, don’t do it. Audience will see and feel if you are not enjoying making the content, and awkward content will drive away even the most loyal fans.

We currently use YouTube, even though Google services are not recommended to use for Kuopio City employees. We could (and should…) use some other online video service, like DailyMotion and Vimeo. Those two are less used, which means our customers are more unlikely to come across our videos “accidentally”. I think YouTube is also easier to use for content creators and users. The city of Kuopio is on Vimeo but it’s also on YouTube. So I guess library can also use YouTube for now… 😅 Just don’t tell anyone! No, wait a minute, tell everyone about our awesome YouTube channel!

Pros(?) and cons of social media

Social media is addicting and it is said to have shortened the attention span of it’s users. I, also, have noticed this: if the video or the text won’t immediately go to the point, I’ll move on to the next one. Two minute videos are too long for me in TikTok, depending on the content of course. On the other hand, I enjoy reading books, so I still have the ability to focus on something if I have the time and want. I read fanfiction (stories on the internet written by fans of tv series, movies etc.) and have always read them skipping, not from word to word, even before social media came and ruined my concentration.

Every social media platform, like TikTok, has it’s downside. Usually you can’t be sure where and which country your information and the created content are stored. If you log in with your work email, at least be sure not to use any of the same passwords! Also, if you engourage your customers and co-workers to use a platform or website, you and your company are in a way responsible, especially if your customers are under 18 years old. Try to find platforms and sites where logging in isn’t required, or maybe one where the user can easily opt out of cookies. What is the age distribution of your customers? What platforms do they use? 13 is the minimum age for most social media sites, and younger generation uses Snapchat and TikTok. Older people, maybe some of your co-workers, would rather use email than Slack (or they will call you rather than email you).

To use or not to use

I have worked in a regional development team in my library (alueellinen kehittämistehtävä, AKE) whose task is to maintain and enhance the expertise of the library staff in the area. AKE Savo has an Instagram but not many followers and it’s posts and webinars are not for citizens or customers.

I believe that many librarians do not want to follow channels related to the library and their work during their free time, nor do they often browse Instagram during working hours. The best ways for us to remind library staff of oncoming webinars are an email newsletter and communicating via Teams. In the future, we need to consider whether there is a need for an AKE Instagram account.

As for our library’s social media accounts and posts, they are almost essential nowadays. They are a great way to remind people we exist and advertise our events and loanables we offer. Greating a Facebook event is an easy way to promote events and remind participants of an upcoming event. For example, we have an online graphic novel book club that has participants all over the country. One of our regulars mentioned that they had missed a few meetings because we hadn’t realized to create a Facebook event for the book club anymore. I, also, use Facebook events to get reminded of upcoming things. If you click “interested” of “going”, you will get notifications about the event. People’s free time is filled with various activities, and there are many ways to spend it. Libraries must compete with alternative activities and make some noise about themselves.

Self evaluation

This assignment made me remember platforms, which: a, we have already used at some point; or b, I have heard of but didn’t remember until now. I could have evaluated the positive and negative sides of the platforms more.

I left my comments on https://blogi.savonia.fi/kaisakuuppo/eplatforms/ and https://blogi.savonia.fi/rarecare/digital-society/.