Social Media in Academic Libraries: Engaging in 140 Characters or Less

摘要

This article will focus on my experiences in managing social media while working as a co-op student at The D.W. Weldon Library at Western University. I found that managing social media in an academic library setting requires three things: a good working knowledge of the digital world of social media, a flair for composing interesting content, and tact. This article will address the most practical of these first: what social media is and how to use it. Next, it will tackle the more esoteric subject of how to write as the voice of a library for an online audience. Finally, it will suggest some further areas of exploration for what I have called here "tact," the positioning of the social media manager him or herself within the larger context of the organization, and challenges faced.