Rudaí23 thing#18: the visual world of libraries

An screenshot of the
 National Geographic's Instagram account

Although there are many photo sharing social media platforms, Flickr and Instagram tend to be the ones we think of when we upload our photos. Although previously they served very different functions, those differences are becoming less pronounced as they adopt popular social media practices. While in the past, Flickr may have been associated with a more 'professional' type of photograph, with the all-important metadata, Instagram's appeal was inherent in its name: uploading your photos could be done 'instantly'. Now, however, Flickr has become far, far easier (and quicker) to upload photos since they have launched their mobile app, while with Instagram it is becoming increasingly more likely to see professional photos from sources such as the National Geographic.

My interaction with Flickr and Instagram

 

I have had accounts with Flickr and Instagram since the early days of both, although I use them in very different ways. While the recent innovations that Flickr has introduced are most definitely welcome, I still associate it with a photo storage site, rather than something I actively engage with. Despite this, there are still many positives: the quality of the photos that you upload tend to be better than on Instagram and the detail that people use to describe these photographs tends to be of a higher quality (my appreciation of this may be due to all those countless hours spent cataloguing over the years). With the new mobile app, it is becoming easier to share and interact with others. Also, doing research for this blog post has brought up a wealth of fascinating photographs that I had never come across before, so it's definitely something I need to devote more time to. Buildings under construction aren't everybody's thing, but I love both of these images. The photo on the left is Marina City, Chicago, taken in 1963 by C. William Brubaker. It's taken from the Digital Collections, UIC Library. The one on the right is the Liberty Hall building, taken a little later, in early 1964 (from the NLI's Flickr Commons page).


There are still some issues with Flickr (particularly with the rather cumbersome feel and look of the new beta additions) but hopefully they will be ironed out in time.

Instagram is something that I've been getting more and more comfortable with over the last year or so. It's incredibly easy to use, and everything about it is geared towards sharing and interacting with others on the app. This is especially so with the introduction of hashtags to make finding photos more intuitive. I find that the tendency on Instagram is towards being more relaxed about the quality of the photographs that you're uploading: they don't have to be perfect and often the goal is more about what the picture is trying to say rather than its quality as a piece of art or a historical document.  Having said that, more and more cultural institutions and businesses are embracing Instagram which makes using it an even more rewarding experience.

Libraries sharing their collections

Given the popularity of both of these apps, it is not surprising that many libraries have realised that they are a great way of advertising their services as well as interacting with users that may have either forgotten they were there or are unable to get to their library for whatever reason. A great example of this is the National Library of Ireland's Flickr account.

An example of the selection of photographs available on the NLI's Flickr Commons page

The first thing we notice is a range of high-quality photographs that advertise an essential quality of the NLI: it's a cultural institution of Ireland, and has photos not simply advertising their services but sharing their collection directly online. There's a wealth of information about the photographs, and a lot of interaction with users online. It's interesting to compare this resource and the amount of time that must be put into selecting photographs, cataloguing, and so on, with the NLI's presence on Instagram which is ... nonexistent. There are lots of people posting images about the NLI, but they are not connected officially with the institution. I think with the growing popularity of Instagram, and the fact that other institutions like the New York Public Library and the National Gallery of Ireland embracing the format, there is a opportunity for the NLI to engage with its users through Instagram. Below we can see the National Gallery of Ireland's Instagram account: it's a nice mix of showcasing its considerable quality of world class art, as well as advertising its services and some interesting photographs of staff members.

Using photo sharing apps in your own library

 

Is photo sharing suitable for all types of libraries? I have thought about this question while doing research for this topic, and was initially very skeptical, especially when thinking about the library that I work in. However, seeing how different types of libraries adopt different platforms for photo sharing, and also the different ways that they interact with these apps, has made me reappraise the situation.

As with most things in a library, planning is essential. The first thing that needs to be ascertained is whether there is enough people available to manage the project and whether the library can set up another social media platform within the marketing parameters that may exist in the college. An important thing to keep in mind is that any social media platform should be considered a long-term marketing tool, and may not see any achievable results in the short-term. This means that it may be difficult to argue for its implementation with the relevant college authorities as well as being aware that the library will have to update its account on a regular basis. A general rule of thumb might be to update at least a couple of times a week.

Where I work, the only social media presence that we are engaged in is Facebook. We highlight any news that might be of interest to the students, and have recently started highlighted the services that we provide. As I mentioned previously, I was initially unsure as to whether Instagram or Flickr would really suit a small academic library like ourselves and this was only highlighted when I investigated accounts like the NLI's Flickr Commons and the National Gallery of Ireland's Instagram account. These accounts are showcasing a collection, and the photos themselves are works of art or interesting historical documents. Does somebody really want to look at a photo of the latest statistics must-have textbook?

I thought this article was interesting, however, and shows how an imaginative approach to something like an Instagram account can pay real dividends. There are some great ideas, including a 'Flashback Friday' focusing on old yearbook photos, as well as the occasional picture of a historical document. What seems to be the key to a good Instagram account (for a non-traditional cultural institution) is to mix up the informative with the silly and the esoteric. The article does mention, however, that there are very few students following the account they are using as an example, which might lead to some serious questions as to its purpose and viability.

A good example of how it might work is the Oregon Libraries Instagram account, which you can see on the left. We can see some historical photographs mixed with some quirky ones, as well as library notices advertising opening hours over a holiday period. There is a very brief bio at the top, and appropriate notice of suitable hashtags where you can interact with the different libraries that make up the service. There is considerable interaction with regards to liking the photographs, although interaction in the comments section is somewhat minimal.

Overall, I think an Instagram account might work in the context of the library where I work if we follow some of the good examples mentioned above. I think we might have to wait until we've tried some of the more obvious social media platforms, like Twitter, but it's an exciting prospect.