This blog post is brought to you by Erica B., Miller-Golf Links Library
Did you know we’re on TikTok now? Yup, it’s official. Find new book recommendations, what our libraries have to offer, and even what goes on behind the scenes... all on your phone. Though we aren’t quite at microniche internet celebrity status yet (still waiting on that verification mark), you don’t want to miss out on all the content our staff comes up with. Laugh with your friends—and even stitch/duet or comment if you find something that resonates with you! After all, the library isn’t just for serious business matters.
Our content is not just bot-created nonsense! Thanks to Ray Baca, our Social Media Librarian at Joel D. Valdez Main Library, you can find us at https://www.tiktok.com/@pimacountylibrary. Here are a few words from Ray to put a face to the name.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m Ray, he/him/his. I started out as a page in 2012 at Valencia library. Since then, I have worked at Sam-Lena South Tucson, Frank De La Cruz-El Pueblo, W. Anne Gibson-Esmond-Station, Southwest, and now at Joel D. Valdez Main as a library associate, managing librarian, and now as the social media librarian.
What does your position entail?
I manage all social media accounts for the library. This includes Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and now TikTok! In total, there are 43 different individual social media pages that I oversee! I also lead the social media team of over 80 staff members throughout the system. I help train these members and answer any questions they may have. I create content reminders as well as document events at our libraries so people can see what is happening at their local branch. Through researching trends in social media, I can help more people discover the magic of public libraries.
Why did you decide to get the Library on TikTok?
On TikTok we can reach people who are unaware of libraries and their resources. We can reach a demographic that we sometimes have trouble bringing in: teens.
As SocialMediaToday describes, “TikTok is the dominant platform of the moment among the youth, while Facebook continues its downward slide…” Even Pew Research 2022 survey shows that TikTok is the top social media platform among Americans ages 13 to 17, with over the majority of this group using TikTok, while only 32% of teens use Facebook.
We’ve had tons of comments on our page already like:
- “This is my local library and I haven’t visited it yet (although I do have a digital card!). This is TikTok has given me the motivation to go.”
- “I’m sold! Getting my library card as soon as I move there!”
- “All of a sudden I feel like checking out a book”
- “I want to go to this library. I will just have to make a road trip.”
Lastly, why is the library important to you?
All of the stuff it offers—it’s a hub of free resources. Our programming, like Job Help, Citizenship Classes, Homework Help to our Storytimes and teen time are just a few things we offer. We have WiFi, hotspots, and seeds to borrow. The library is an essential part of any community.
Whether we like it or not, social media is an influential part of everyone’s life. In order for libraries to stay relevant we need to meet our communities where they are, and a lot of the time it’s on social media.
As Pew Research Center reports, “72% of Americans use some type of social media, up from 5% in 2005.” For many users, social media is part of their daily routine. Seven-in-ten Facebook users—and around six-in-ten Instagram—visit these sites at least once a day.
This is why it’s important for the library to be active on social media. Our community is on social media and we can reach a wider audience of people who are unware of the great resources we offer.
