The Massachusetts Library System is pleased to announce that we have contracted with ALA to provide our members with access to their live webinars.  These webinars are free to MLS members who register through our calendar.  Please do not register directly with ALA. Members who register directly with ALA are responsible for paying their registration fee. 

Please help us keep MLS sponsored training free for all members. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, please cancel your registration. A cancellation link can be found in your confirmation email, or you may contact Sarah Donnelly at sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org to cancel. 

Description

While social media is an unavoidable reality of today's digital landscape, it has inherent conflicts with some of the core values of librarianship—including intellectual freedom and privacy. Indeed, many of the most important aspects of librarianship and public service are at odds with the defining characteristics of social media.

Is it worth reconsidering how we use this tool and examining its real and practical value for libraries, rather than the value attributed to it by Big Tech? Do we put our profession in an ethically compromised place by encouraging patrons to use social media platforms when we can communicate in other ways?

In this webinar, learn how a medium-sized public library in Montana minimized its social media use while still engaging with its community.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Recognize that social media and libraries have inherent conflicts in their values, including intellectual freedom and privacy, that are worth thinking deeply about;
• Understand that minimizing social media use by your library can save time, reduce the tension that comes with constantly managing a social media page, and redirect your marketing efforts to ways that might feel more authentic for your library and community; and
• Feel empowered to think outside the box and hopefully reconnect with some of the most important values of librarianship and better communicate them to other librarians as well as the public.

Who Should Attend

This webinar is intended for public library staff involved in marketing and/or social media management, as well as library directors.

Presenter

Mark Wetherington (he/him) is the director of the Bitterroot Public Library in Hamilton, Montana, and an avid backpacker and outdoor enthusiast. He is a co-author of Backpacking Washington published by Wilderness Press and is a regular contributor to Trails Magazine. Mark began working in libraries in 2006 and received his MLIS from the University of Kentucky in 2012.

Accessibility Information

If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.