Social Media Tool - School Library

 Social Media Tool - Instagram for the School Library

I chose Instagram as the social media tool for my school library. I use Instagram the most over all of the other social media platforms, so I was more comfortable with using the tool to create my school library account. According to the App Store, Instagram is an social media picture and video app where you can "Connect with friends, share what you’re up to, or see what's new from others all over the world. Explore our community where you can feel free to be yourself and share everything from your daily moments to life's highlights" (2010). Before creating my account, I went to the school library Instagram accounts I currently follow and gathered some inspiration. Not only are school library accounts platforms for the school library, but for the school as a whole. I named my "elementary" school after my dog, Winston. The hashtag "WESreads" is to help gain traction and build a community for others to use the hashtag.

Posts like these, about Dr. Seuss and his contributions to literature, along with an activity to facilitate learning at home help to support instruction and collaboration between teachers, families, and the school library. It is likely that students were learning about Dr. Seuss and participating in Dr. Seuss day this week with dressing up and reading Dr. Seuss books in class. Giving away small prizes like these also help to attract followers (Wetta, 2016).

Like I stated earlier, school library accounts are also platforms for the school as a whole. They help to promote communication between parents and the school through the use of posts like this. 

School library Instagram accounts can be a helpful tool to connect the school librarian to young readers and their families. Instagram is a powerful tool to promote a love for reading by promoting books that are in the school library. This template could be updated monthly and the school librarian could get other teachers on board to create their own. It is a fun way to use the Instagram to promote books and connect deeper with library users. 

Sharing posts through the highlights feature can help to promote advocacy in the school library as well following positive accounts that promote learning and good digital citizenship. Sharing pictures, videos, and programs that the school library is participating in is a great way to advocate for the school library.

References

Instagram. (2010, October 6). Instagram. App Store. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/instagram/id389801252 

Wetta, M. (2016). Instagram now: Engage young users with the image-based social media tool. School Library Journal, 62(2), 30-32.