Disclaimer: Make sure you are following any media release policies that your institution has before posting photos with patrons in them.

Instagram is a highly visual platform that presents us with a unique opportunity to showcase our resources, events, and most importantly the vibrant communities that we build within our libraries. While static graphics have their place, the real magic happens when we embrace candid images and videos of actual people. Let’s take the time to delve into why this dynamic content is crucial for our library’s Instagram account and explore some tips for how you can capture compelling visuals with nothing more than your smartphone camera.

First things first – why are candid images and videos so impactful? One word: AUTHENTICITY. When followers see genuine moments captured within the library, whether it’s patrons browsing for books, attending an event, or interacting with library staff, it fosters a sense of connection. There’s a reason why these kinds of posts usually see more engagement! These posts humanize the library, transforming it from a mere building filled with books to a lively hub buzzing with activity and community spirit – that mythical third place that lots of folks are seeking nowadays! This authenticity resonates deeply with Instagram users (our patrons!) who are accustomed to scrolling through polished but often impersonal content. Candid shots break through the ‘perfect,’ evoking emotion and, again, inviting that engagement that we all are striving to get.

Something else to consider – candid content tends to perform better on Instagram’s algorithm. The platform tends to prioritize posts that spark interactions such as likes, comments, shares, or saves. Candid images and videos have a higher potential to elicit these kinds of responses in comparison to static graphics. When followers within your community see familiar faces or relatable moments, they are more inclined to engage with a post, whether it’s by leaving a comment, tagging a friend, or sharing that content with their followers (thus furthering your reach!). This increase in engagement not only boosts your library’s visibility, but it also strengthens your online library community.

Here are some tips for capturing great content with just your smartphone camera:

1. Focus on lighting: Good lighting is essential for any photo or video. When indoors, position your subject(s) near windows to take advantage of natural light. Avoid harsh overhead lighting or backlighting.
2. Capture Genuine Moments: Encourage your patrons and/or staff to act naturally. Again, we are striving for authenticity and want to avoid overly posed or staged scenes. Capture those genuine interactions, expressions, and emotions!
3. Use Different Angles and Perspectives: Don’t be afraid to get creative with your compositions. Try shooting from different angles and perspectives to add visual interest to your content. Get down on the floor or up on a chair!
4. Utilize Portrait Mode (if available): Many smartphones offer a portrait mode feature, which automatically blurs the background, creating a professional-looking effect. This can help the subject of your photo stand out and draw focus to the main elements of what you are photographing.
5. Edit Thoughtfully: While smartphones offer built-in editing tools, exercise some restraint when applying filters or adjustments. Aim for a natural look. Most photos do not need to be edited and content is trending more towards the exclusion of filters nowadays.
6. Tell a Story: Each post should aim to tell a story or evoke a specific emotion. Whether it’s capturing the excitement of a children’s story time, the quiet contemplation of a reader lost in a book, or a student’s buckling down to study for an exam, strive to convey the unique atmosphere of your library through your visuals.

By incorporating candid images and videos more regularly into your Instagram strategy, you can breathe new life into your account, boost engagement, and hopefully forge deeper connections within your community. Embrace authenticity, don’t discredit the usefulness of smartphone photography, and have fun! Remember that the heart of the library lies not only in our collections, but also in the people who bring it to life every day.

Happy creating! 

Amanda M. Lowe is the Outreach and Marketing Librarian at the University at Albany, SUNY. In her role, she serves as a reference librarian and the marketing maven for all three campus libraries. When Amanda is not engaging patrons on social media, you can find her doing all sorts of outreach programming. Her research focuses on library marketing and outreach with a concentration on social media, reference services, and library programming. Amanda has an MLS from the University at Buffalo and a BS in English with a minor in Theatre from Oneonta State College.

Register early

Aside from the monetary difference, some conferences don’t allow you to pick a hotel until you have registered. Rooms, especially in the hotels closest to the conference center, book up quickly. You don’t want to walk two miles in the heat of D.C. or New Orleans (ask me how I know). Flights, too, should ideally be purchased as soon as possible, especially if the conference city is on a less popular route from where you live.

Wear comfortable shoes

I know people say this all the time, but they say it because it’s true. Leave the new clogs you just bought at home. You are going to walk forever each day; you deserve not to hobble around in pain by the second day. A pack of blister bandages is also an excellent idea.

Consider your outfit choices carefully

This is different for everyone. I am jealous of the people I see in adorable, colorful ensembles, but I also know that doesn’t work for me. I do far better with a couple pairs of hiking pants and the same type of shirts in a technical material, with a cardigan or two and maybe one travel dress just in case. Everything is black, maybe with one pop of color in a layering piece. Everything can be washed in the sink. Inevitably, I don’t wear at least one item. I have a theory that you could wear the same outfit every day at a conference and no one would notice, though I have yet to test this.

Look at the schedule before the conference

Develop your schedule before you arrive because once you hit the ground, it’s a whirlwind. Is there a conference app? Use it. Be sure to have one or two alternate possibilities for each program slot, as rooms can and do fill up.

Attend at least one session that has nothing to do with your job

Are you an IT person? Go to a program about Children’s Services. Are you sure you’ll never want to work in Administration? Go to that panel presentation by library directors sharing what they’ve learned over the years. Yes, the conference is a time to delve deeper into your specialty, but it’s also a great place to break out of your comfort zone and learn about aspects of librarianship that are completely new to you.

Bring snacks

It is possible you will not have time for a regular lunch when you are running from session to session.  Protein bars may become your new best friend. Whatever your favorite, travel-friendly snacks are, bring them.

On the other hand, make sure to make time for meals

Sure, I just contradicted myself, but why not? I highly recommend enjoying at least one decent meal per day if you don’t have time for more. If you get to eat with your new friends (see below), so much the better.

Find out where the post office is located

This is one of the first things I do when I get to the convention center. Is there a conference post office right on the exhibits floor or somewhere else in the conference center? Ask at the registration or information desk. You are going to pick up a lot of swag, even if you promise yourself you won’t. Sending this home from the nearest post facility is highly preferable to dragging your wares several blocks or trying to cram them into (and weighing down) your suitcase.

Meet new people

It is my opinion that it is better not to spend much time with the people from your library or even your area. At a national conference, especially, you have the opportunity to meet people from all over the country and maybe even from other countries. They may have very different experiences and values than you. This is a good thing.

Nearly 20 years ago, after a long, tiring day, I hauled myself onto a shuttle bus. The woman sitting next to me must have had every conference ribbon attached to the badge that indicated that she lived in a different state than I did. “I’m a new librarian and this is my first conference!” she gushed. Guess what? We’re still friends.

It's interesting to hear older librarians talk about the number of public computers they had in their library. Back then (the 1990s), computers were initially considered expensive and a luxury, so not many people would spend the money. Libraries had to set a time limit on computer use because there were so many people vying for the few we had. Everyone heard about how we would all be using them in our workplace, but who believed that?

Pre-pandemic times managed to keep library computers humming constantly. Patrons were doing research, writing papers, filling out job applications, and a myriad of tasks that only worked on a laptop or desktop computer. People had smartphones but the Internet was optimized for larger screens, sizable storage, and powerful applications.

During the Pandemic, no one could get near the library’s computers. Everyone was using Zoom at home and probably purchased or was provided a device from work or school for that purpose. When we allowed people into the library, we cut the number of workstations to provide distance in between. Fewer people came into the building so there were no time limits and the area was left empty for hours. Did the Pandemic do away with the need for a public computer space?

There has been a noticeable change with the usage of a public computer, shifting to tasks like printing packing labels for Amazon or eBay or scanning a document. People also came to the library to make appointments for COVID shots. Pharmacies and other facilities were requiring appointments to be made online and telling customers to go to the library to make an appointment. Pharmacies couldn’t make appointments themselves. Senior citizens, especially, did not or could not learn how to navigate the appointment application and asked us to do it for them.

The Pandemic also quickly changed our access to Internet information and services from primarily desktop and web accessibility to offering mobile-friendly apps to accommodate those who only had smartphones. The library began offering printing straight from a smartphone over our WiFi so there is no longer a need to use a public computer to print.

Do we need a public computer space at the library? To navigate today’s world, make appointments, access patient files, and social security funds, or see your child’s grades, getting on the Internet is essential. Purchasing a device is still costly and there is an ongoing fee for cellular service. The cell service bill is the new electricity or gas bill and while it seems like everyone on earth has at least a smartphone or some sort of device to access the Internet, that simply isn’t the case.

Organizations like the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and the CNY Digital Inclusion Coalition (CNYDIC) strive to bring about legislation and funds to provide high-speed Internet service to everyone. According to CNYDIC, 32% of households in the middle of the state who earn $35,000 or less do not have Internet at home, and of those whose income is $35,000 - $75,000, 13% do not have Internet access at home. Beyond that, many of the households do not have high-speed access but cable, dial-up, community WiFi, or other antiquated systems. If schools didn’t provide a device for students and companies didn’t purchase workstations for some of their employees, access through only a smartphone would be a larger percentage than the reported 7%.

Accessing the Internet is as essential as electricity and heat and there is a disparity between those that can easily buy access and those who have to decide between food and paying the heating bill. Because finding a job and paying bills are increasingly only through electronic means, those without sufficient access are at a huge disadvantage. The public computers at the library provide digital equity, leveling the playing field between the computer haves and have-nots.

Social media apps are now the new television stations and communicating with family and friends is increasingly through the Internet. While this is convenient, the loss of face to face interaction through our reliance on our devices may affect us in ways we haven’t begun to fathom. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg talks about the idea of a third place where people can gather and interact. The first place in a person’s life is their home while the second place is work or school. The library can be a third place where communication in person provides a much-needed societal benefit not accessible on the Internet.

Many people have smartphones and the ability to connect anywhere, but there are still people that don’t have access. There are people without digital skills to access online job applications, social security, and other services crucial to day-to-day life. While the Pandemic caused major changes in how we access the Internet, it highlighted the need for digital connectivity in every home. There are still people who don’t have the funds or skills to efficiently and usefully utilize the Internet for essential programs.

The library’s publicly accessible computers offer a way to learn new skills, compete for jobs, and gain entry into services that could create a more secure future. The library’s computers are free for anyone to use and many libraries offer computer skills classes - it further solidifies the library as a source of equity that is still necessary. 

Jacquie comes to Baldwinsville from a varied background of professions like Internet trainer, young adult librarian, school librarian, president of a nonprofit, and member of a board of education. She’s also performed just about every role in a library except the director, having recently added custodian to her list by plunging the public toilets. Now she is happily situated at the Baldwinsville Public Library.  

The following is an interview I conducted with Dan Glass who is a Library Trustee, on the Board of Trustees at John Jermain Memorial Library, located in Sag Harbor, NY on the eastern end of Long Island. 

I just returned from four days at GaryCon; an annual celebration of Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax. Held in Wisconsin, a bunch of us tabletop gaming fans spent four days playing all sorts of RPGs, from Dungeons & Dragons to Hunter: The Reckoning, from Call of Cthulhu to Dungeon Crawl Classics. Naturally, being a librarian, I wanted to visit the local library: in this case, the Lake Geneva Library, home of the Gary Gygax Reading Room and Gygax’s “Throne of Reading,” donated by his widow. Gygax’s Appendix N, included in the AD&D Dungeon Master’s Guide, is a list of readings that inspired him as he created D&D, and the reading room has its own Appendix N collection, which got me thinking: what inspires us, and how can we share that with our communities? What is your Appendix N?

My Appendix N is loaded with science fiction, fantasy, and horror. I’ve got the classics, like JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and Stephen King’s The Shining; I’ve got the dark fantasy of Neil Gaiman, and I’ve got the paranormal steampunk romps from Gail Carriger. I also have Gail Simone’s Red Sonja and Batgirl runs, Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s X-Men run, and The Lumberjanes, created by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Gus Allen, and ND Stevenson.

Think about your Appendix N, and share it with your community. Don’t have a Reading Throne? Heck, any chair in your library can be made a reading throne. Invite your teens and kids to make one of their own, and share your Appendix N with them while inviting them to think about the works that made them and that keep influencing and inspiring them.

Want to share your Appendix with me? Email me at [email protected]. I’d love to see them!

Rosemary Kiladitis (she/her) is a native New Yorker (almost – she arrived here at 5 days old, having been born in Hollywood, Florida) and a self-confessed bibliomaniac with fond memories of burning out many an Itty Bitty Book Light as a child, reading under the covers well past her bedtime. She currently reads by her tablet light when everyone else is asleep. The excitement of rediscovering her childhood favorites – and discovering new favorites! – with her kids led her to children’s librarianship after a little over a decade in book publishing. She received her Masters in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University in 2013 and is an Assistant Community Library Manager at the Corona branch of Queens Public Library, where she dreams of world domination through storytime. She lives in Queens, New York, with her husband and an assortment of kids and pets.

Happy April! In this month’s entry of Tales of a Youth Services Librarian, I wanted to talk about some of my favorite children’s books! These are books that I am always recommending to kids ages 8-12. There are so many great books out there. Here are just a few of them:

• The Tristan Strong trilogy by Kwame Mbalia: I love this series so much! Mbalia is a master storyteller! He really draws you into the story and characters. This book is also a great representation of African American folklore! This fantasy series takes you on an adventure and gives you characters to root for.

• Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland:  I love Ireland’s YA books, so I was excited when I saw she had written a middle-grade book! Set in the 1922s, Ophie discovers she can see and talk to ghosts. When Ophie becomes friends with one of the ghosts, she wonders if perhaps she can help the spirits she sees. The ghosts are not spooky and there is also a bit of a mystery going on! I enjoyed the mix of history, fantasy, and mystery.

• Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone:  This stand-alone realistic fiction book shows how girls are unfairly targeted simply for what they are wearing. Molly starts a podcast to talk about how unfair her school's dress code policy is for the girls. I liked the way the students banded together to create real change.

• Phoebe and her Unicorn by Dana Simpson:  This graphic novel series is a cute and funny story about the friendship between Phoebe and the unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. These graphic novels do not need to be read in order and are easy and quick reads.

• Pup Detectives by Felix Gumpaw:  I’ll admit, I first was interested in the series because of the author’s last name. It’s a graphic novel mystery series, where a dog named Rider Woofson solves mysteries with his friends who also have fun dog names! There is also a math teacher named Mrs. Plus. I have not gotten to all the books in the series yet, but I have enjoyed what I have read and have gotten good feedback from the kids I recommended this series to.

Well, I hope this article introduced you to some new books!  Do you have anything you love recommending to the kids at your library? Let me know! Send me an email with your favorites! [email protected]

In this writing, I’d like to share with you a question that often comes to my mind when communicating with others – What’s in a name, does a name make a difference? I question what Shakespeare’s Juliet said in Act II, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet” (lines 42-44). Is Juliet telling the truth?  This is a question I often ponder and have researched over the years. 

Coming from Queens, New York, and having taught online since 2000, I have often interacted with patrons and others who have backgrounds not similar to my own. With the growth in multicultural societies and collaboration across various cultures, comes a larger need for awareness of cultures different from my own to ensure clear, concise, and effective communication. At first, I thought this was simple – be sure the words I use are accurate and cannot be misconstrued, be sure I have diversity in my choices of persons represented in images, and be sure I have a variety of materials on different cultures and regions. But are these all the types of cultures I encounter regularly? And what is a culture anyway? A culture, became, in my mind, a way of differentiating a community with a shared trait or traits, based on any number of factors – geographic, socioeconomic, demographic, interests, languages, and more; and thus, in this writing, I use the terms interchangeably.

My minimal efforts, while at the time I thought was doing great, were only the tip of the iceberg. These efforts were sometimes appreciated, but they also opened a can of worms, “why is that diversity being addressed and not mine?” is a question I (or my colleagues/supervisors) heard quite often. It was not just which groups were being represented, but also what aspects of communication were being addressed, both written and spoken verbal language (jargon, colloquialisms, pronouns, assumed knowledge) and nonverbal language (movements, representation, gestures, voice tone, timeliness, formality, etc.). So many differences had to be considered – cultural, regional, socioeconomic, sexual, religion, gender, racial, age, primary language, education, and more. How could all of these be addressed, especially when not all were readily visible for us to consider, let alone know how to address them?  

The first step in addressing this, besides figuring out the differences that had to be considered, the term ‘language’ needed to be defined so that it meant the same thing to everyone who encountered it. I define language as any form of communication, whether words, motions, vocal tone, actions, or any other way of conveying an idea from one person to another, whether synchronously or asynchronously, whether in-person or via distance.

Growing up, I was used to seeing the United States of America as the feature, or center, and other countries changing size in relation accordingly as the ‘orange’ of the world was flattened out. Speaking of the United States of America – why do I specifically choose that term? I didn’t always do so. But then it came to my attention – America is all of North, Central, and South America, not just the United States. The first time I visited Canada I learned this front and center! Yet, in the US I can still be caught using America, although I try to be more conscious of this faux pas.

In another instance, while I was teaching at the post-secondary level (or should I call that the college or university level?), I had to figure out who I was. Students, participants, and learners wanted to know what to call me. I had to figure that one out. If I was too informal, they might not respect me. If I was too formal, they might not find me approachable if they had questions. I had to consider the culture of the institution (I asked around at each one I taught at), the make-up of the students (older vs. younger for example), and how I felt most comfortable being addressed. Decisions, decisions. My head still spins when I think about this. Am I Dr., am I Professor, do I use my first name, my last name, or my initial? Am I a mentor, a facilitator, or a lecturer? Do I teach, instruct, facilitate, or educate? Are we in a lecture, a class, a workshop, a course, an internship, a work-study, a service learning, a lab, or something else? While I knew what I was most comfortable with, as a learner and as an educator, I also had to consider what would be the impact on my relationship with the students of my word choice. To my mind came the example of calling a child home, and I had to seriously consider which might work best – not only for my comfort but also for the comfort of the entire community in the learning process – and that would convey what I intended it to be.

“Johnny, it’s time to come home.”

“Jonathan, it’s time to come home.”

“Jonathan Jordan Smith, it’s time to come home.”

“Dr. Smith, it’s time to come home.”

“Dr. Johnny, it’s time to come home.”

And so on. Do each of these sound different in your head? They sure do in mine. And each tells a different scenario.

As previously mentioned, language is not just words. It is the expression of an idea or concept. Most generally, language is perceived as being done through words, but not always. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, or so they say. And even just a gesture, a change of voice, how one sits, or even when one sits can all say so much.

With all of this being said, what in the world can I do? I can’t make everyone happy and comfortable. I have a few tips that I try to use and follow that I’d like to share:

1. Be aware of preferred languages and ways of communicating – and that these can vary between cultures, communities, and circumstances
2. Attend DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) trainings and workshops
3. Attend cultural events outside my own (whenever possible)
4. Recognize cues from those I am communicating with – this is where my improv training comes in!
5. Most importantly – if I am unsure, ask!

Sine Rofofsky is a part-time Reference Librarian at SUNY Schenectady Community College. In his role he serves as a reference librarian among wearing other hats. When Sine is not working to improve the information seeking road for others, you might see him volunteering as a peer specialist, or with various community organizations in the Saratoga area. His current research focuses on communication, diversity, distance learning, underrepresented communities, UDL and accessibility, queer theory, and whatever else catches his fancy at the time. Sine has an MLS from Queens College and a PhD in elearning from Touro University International among other degrees.

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“Be curious and be courageous. Be curious and be courageous because at the worst – it’s like my friend says about dates, it’s either a good date or good story. I think that’s really good advice. Try things, it’s going to help you grow and learn, you know, learn something, learn something about yourself.” – Emily Weiss

En route to the PLA 2024 Conference in Columbus, Ohio I was listening to the book Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss’s Glossier by Marisa Meltzer. An interesting recount of the rise and near-fall of a woman-founded direct-to-consumer cosmetic brand, it is chock-full of takeaways about leadership, communications, workplace culture, and adapting to change. Amid the thought-provoking narrative (ex: Yes! The term “Girl Boss” IS ridiculous and needs to be retired.), I was especially keen on the above quote, specifically, “It’s either a good date or a good story.”

In libraries, as in life, we are often inhibited by our fear of failure. While engaging in risk management is prudent (and something I’ve previously touched upon; see: NYLA Voice June 2023 and August 2023), success is not guaranteed no matter how much you plan and prepare — and that is ok. Not only can failure be a wonderful teacher, but it can also provide us with some of the best water cooler stories and most memorable retirement toast anecdotes.

When I share programs, events, and initiatives on social media, the pictures make the execution look easy and polished and wildly successful from start to finish — but most times the reality is far from it. I did not post pictures of my shin after driving a lawn sign stake through it; the 50 full-color posters I had printed with a [very obvious I before E except after C] typo; or the time I hosted a documentary screening featuring an in-person Q&A with the filmmaker and the movie just kept buffering and buffering and buffering (and buffering… it might still be buffering) despite a smooth tech test the day before. But after the initial pain and frustration and total mortification (and literal blood, tears, and sweat), I laughed about them – and still do, and I share these stories with giggles and gusto (calibrated for the audience).

I cannot remember an instance of a group “Remember that time…?” guffaw that included “Everything went exactly according to plan and it was the most organized program/event/service launch in library history.” The workplace memories that often elicit the most laughter are when things go awry, and I think being able to find humor in such setbacks can be healthy. Being disappointed, embarrassed, or angry about a mistake made or an uncontrollable force is understandable, valid, and ok. However, holding onto those feelings can cause undue stress, exacerbate anxiety, and lead to burnout. Additionally, excessively ruminating on a misstep or unlucky circumstance can diminish self-confidence and limit personal and professional growth.

Being able to laugh, learn, and let it go is a wonderful skill to develop. Laughter can de-stigmatize failure by removing the pressure of perfection. We are not infallible and a workplace bungle does not define us, or our work. When we allow ourselves to laugh at an unfavorable outcome or situation, we simultaneously acknowledge it while removing its negativity so we can engage in meaningful evaluation. We can assess what could (or could not) have been done differently, extract our lessons, and move forward with a purpose. And then if you have the opportunity to regale a crowd with a library-related folly or two, turn your perceived loss into a win-win and enjoy a group chuckle!

Suzanne Macaulay is the Program Director at the OWWL Library System which supports library services in Ontario, Wayne, Wyoming, and Livingston Counties. Her responsibilities include Outreach Coordinator, Youth Services Consultant, State Aid for Library Construction, Continuing Education, and Social Media & Communications. Suzanne is the President of NYLA's Rural Libraries Round Table and a member of the Association of Bookmobile & Outreach Services. She received her BA in English from Molloy University and MLIS from LIU Post. Originally from Long Island where she started as the Children’s Librarian at the Henry Waldinger Library (Hi, Mamie!), Suzanne now lives in Rochester. During non-library time, she runs, officiates lacrosse, plays (terrible) golf, and is a very supportive but very non-shouty sports parent.