Get with the Program:
Using social media to effectively increase teen patronage among teens served by the Public Library of Enid and Garfield County
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LIS 5713 Research and Evaluation Methods
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Goal
Learn about how ethical research is conducted in the field of information studies
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Objective
Gain a greater understanding of how to use research to inform library practice
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Reflection
Designing an ethical research project on the use of social media as a way to increase patronage among teens in my home library enabled me to meet the goal of translating previous research experience to the field of information services by using ethical research in library practice. Additionally, I was able to theorize ways to use research to meet the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) proficiencies including youth engagement and interactions with teens.
The Get with the Program project led to future projects with similar themes expanding on the concepts. Additionally, the use of ethical research enabled me to incorporate collecting and using data to inform my practice in the library. One such data collection project that directly informs programming is our Book Club google form that allows interested youth to recommend genres for book clubs as well as how they would like to participate in the book club.
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By creating book clubs based on the interests of patrons I am demonstrating an understanding of how educational concepts like self-directed learning and the social work concept of self-determination are intertwined and apply to library practice.
LIS 5053 Information Seeking and Use
Goal
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Learn about information-seeking behaviors
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Objective
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Gain a greater understanding of how people search for information
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Reflection
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Through this project, I was able to meet the goal of learning more about generalized information-seeking behaviors by exploring how adults and teens search for information. Thus, I am better prepared to assist patrons of all ages in their information searches. Researching the information-seeking behaviors of teens through the literature and in studying the behaviors of teens in the library also enabled me to meet additional goals including The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) proficiencies related to interactions with teens and youth engagement.
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The Adolescents and the Public Library project helped me to better understand the information-seeking behaviors of teens and children, especially as it relates to other-imposed searches such as classroom required reading. This helps me to more effectively help young people and others to execute searches both self-directed inquiry and needs-based inquiry.
Understanding that different searches have different meanings for the patron, and respecting those differences, is an example of how the social work theory of self-determination can be applied to the library setting. While as a librarian we may want to perform an exhaustive search resulting in materials that fit both the criteria of a needs-based search and is rewarding for the patron, the patron's concept of what is important should be the focus. This is true even if the patron decides being excited about the materials chosen isn't important.
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LIS 5063 Fundamentals of Information Technology
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Goal
Learn about technology uses in information services.
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Objective
Gain a greater understanding of technologies used in information services and the implications for expansion.
Reflection
Researching current uses of technology in the library and drawing conclusions about possible expanded uses of technology helped to meet the goal of learning about technology usage in the library by creating ways to use technology to expand programming and outreach. Theorizing how the use of technology could be expanded to effectively reach teens more enabled me to meet The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) objectives related to youth engagement and to gain a greater understanding of possible additional learning experiences and learning environments in the public library.
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This project also helped me to correlate theories of teaching including meeting patrons (or students) where they are instead of expecting patrons to conform to our established use of social media. Moving social media campaigns to platforms where teens are active also demonstrates the sociology and social work concepts of affirming societal practices different from our own.
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Technology use and applications have always been one of my professional interests. The deeper and more focused investigation required for the Expanding Public Library Programming Through the Use of Social Media project helped to inform my use of social media within the public library. Teen programming at the Enid Public Library now includes a TikTok campaign and is branching out to include Discord and Twitch, both of which are platforms utilized by teens at higher rates than platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
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Expanding Public Library Programming
Through the Use of Social Media