Another library on Reference Rick’s Canadian Libraries on Twitter list is the Thunder Bay Public Library. After the surprise of Edmonton, I was interested to see how a really small public library could leverage themselves via social networking.
Let me start off by saying that the Thunder Bay reading the Thunder Bay Public Library tweet feed is like being invited into a relative’s parlour. There’s discussion about re-carpeting and pictures to boot (there are a list of such renovations in case you think it was an isolated post, including the toilets and the circulation desk). There are other notices about library events (puppet show!) and advertising library books related to current events such as Giller-prize award winner. But the feeling that I’m in a parlour probable stems mostly from the acoustic guitar and song-writing posted to their Twitter feed from their YouTube channel.
After that musical interlude, I’m sure you’ll quite agree with me!
Of course, I had to look at the library home page to see what other social networking sites they belonged too. The Twitter and Facebook listings were not prominent at all on the library website, instead residing at the very bottom of a long subsidiary Contact Us page. They also list three blogs, their YouTube channel and a rather unused Delicious bookmarking account.
Their Facebook page is something of a media aggregator. It has everything that the Twitter feed has with the addition of the aforementioned pictures. The calendar is up to date and handy for library patrons on Facebook. Perhaps I’ve looked at too many Facebook pages already in the course of this blog, but the pages feel like they lack content and inspiration. Perhaps they should channel the energy from their student helpers away from their own Facebook page about strange things seen in the library (mostly men’s parts and mail-order bride forms), before they get themselves into trouble.
Does Thunder Bay Public Library bring the social network thunder? Not really. But they do manage to perfect the art stick-figure storytelling. And that just leaves me speechless.
