SpringyNews: Maximize Engagement

Take advantage of the summer rush, and turn your once-in-a-while patrons into invested and excited library regulars!

This edition of LibGuides Tips & Tricks is all about showing off to your users. And, getting your users involved with what you're doing.

Increase outreach, maximize engagement opportunities, and most of all...have fun!

Engaging users doesn't always mean one-on-one communication. It can also mean engaging them through, and with, your collections. Connect them to the amazing resources within your library! A great way to do that is via the Book Assets option available inside LibGuides Blogs. 

With LibGuides Blogs, we've built in 'Books from the Catalog' functionality so you can enter in the ISBN and retrieve book information, including cover art, right into your blog post! Create visually powerful blog posts that attract users to the library's resources!

Creating opportunities for engagement can occur on any of your virtual touch-points. Be it your website or your LibGuides system, your users are looking for ways to connect with you. 

The following Springy Tech Tip Video focuses on how you can create a widget for your LibGuides blog and easily embed it on all of your web portals. 

A virtual touchpoint is any time a potential customer comes into contact with your brand, online.

- Adapted from Dictionary.com

For example, build a Presidential Elections LibGuide and add a discussion forum on that LibGuide encouraging friendly debate about the current primary process. 

Remember, patrons need a LibApps Patron Account in order to post their discussion ideas and replies. You could create patron accounts one-by-one, but you could also use the Bulk Import Account tool to import a bunch of accounts at the same time!

Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Vine... there are so many ways, spaces, and places where you can reach out to your users. 

Well, we've made it even easier optimize engagement opportunities and promote your social media presence visually with integrated Font Awesome Icons. Engage and interact with users across all your social touchpoints! 

Here's How:

• Copy the code below > Open it in a text editor (Notepad or TextEdit)
  • - Tip: Don't use Microsoft Word to perform code editing
• Remove any social media sites that you don't use
  • - Tip: Look for <!-- Name of Tool --> in the code and remove everything from <p> to </p> after it.
• Insert your Social Media URLs
  • - Tip: Look for "INSERT-FACEBOOK-URL" and replace it with your Facebook URL. Repeat for all other social tools.

Create This Box!

Social Icons for LibGuides Box

Social Icons for Profile Box

Coloring has become the new it thing: coloring nooks in libraries, research promoting the stress-reducing properties, even coloring decals affixed to tables. It's been reported that the world's largest colored pencil manufacturer had to work extra shifts just to keep up with the demand. 

In February 2016, museums and libraries around the world participated in #ColorOurCollections - a campaign where users colored artworks from their collections and then shared it on Twitter. The Getty even created their own downloadable coloring book showcasing their collection. 

How Can You Combine Coloring and LibGuides?

Easily! There are tons of free, and paid-for, sites where you can turn any image into a coloring page. For those of you that are graphically-inclined, there are even step-by-step instructions on how to do it yourself. 

Create coloring pages of your library's interior / exterior, artwork, desks, pets or mascots, and even staff!

Once you're done, create a 'Color Your Library' LibGuide and upload your coloring pages for easy download. Your stressed-out users can download the pages and color to their hearts' content. Plus, they're coloring your library - talk about engaging users with your collection!