If your public library has a full marketing department, a graphic designer, and a carefully planned communications calendar… YAY!
But also… a lot of us do not live in that reality.
In many public libraries, social media and marketing end up falling to whoever has the time, whoever is comfortable with technology, or whoever remembered to snap a photo before everyone cleaned up after the program.
Sometimes it’s the youth librarian. Sometimes it’s the circulation desk. Sometimes it’s “Can somebody post this real quick?”
And somehow, in the middle of all of that, libraries are still expected to promote programs, build community awareness, increase attendance, share important announcements, advocate for funding, highlight collections, celebrate partnerships, and remind people we exist.
That’s a lot.
But it matters because one of the biggest misconceptions about public libraries is that people already know what we offer.
Spoiler alert: They don’t.
They may know you have books. They may know you exist.
But they often have no idea:
- that you offer storytimes,
- or teen spaces,
- or databases,
- or maker programs,
- or digital magazines,
- or job search support,
- or tech help,
- or free museum passes,
- or early literacy kits,
- or video and board games,
- or libraries of THINGS,
- or streaming services for music and movies,
- or summer reading programs.
This list can go on and on.
Libraries do incredible work every day—and if we don’t tell people about it clearly and consistently, they may never know it’s available.
Social media has become one of the easiest and most effective ways to bridge that gap.
And the good news is that you do not need a marketing degree or a giant budget to do it well. You DO need consistency, clarity, and a willingness to show people what your library actually looks like.
After taking one graduate course in Marketing for Libraries and personal experience, here’s what worked for me.
(I am not an expert )
Start with the basics: Make posts easy to understand
This sounds obvious, but it makes a huge difference.
People scroll quickly. They are not going to work hard to figure out what your post or advertisement means.
That means every promotional post should answer the important questions immediately:
What is happening?
Who is it for?
When is it?
Where is it?
Do they need to register?
Is it free?
What should they expect?
A cute graphic is great.
A graphic with no details? Not so great.
That creates an extra step, and extra steps lose people.
One of my kids brought this bookmark home from school, and it caught my attention right away.
It’s a cute design! Someone spent a lot of time designing, printing, and cutting these out! But there’s no library name, logo, website, or information about what it actually is—just dates and a QR code. If I weren’t a librarian, would I know who was promoting this or where to go? I knew it was for summer reading because of the slogan, but would someone else know that?
Here, the same slogan is used, but without having to take an additional step, we know what this is about.
And with social media, please do not post an image without a text description. For the visually impaired, this is highly problematic because they rely on screen readers—assistive technology that reads digital information aloud.
Here is a cute social media advertisement, but it lacks a text description, identifying information, and a description of what this program actually is. For regular patrons, this is probably fine – but your regular patrons aren’t your only audience here. Marketing should help you gain new patrons and tell people about offerings that they may not already be familiar with.
QR codes
QR codes are great for linking to registration forms, calendars, or expanded information, but they shouldn’t replace the basics. Good marketing tells people who you are and what you’re offering first. The QR code should be the bonus, not the only way to find out what’s going on.
If someone has to stop scrolling, pull out another device, scan a code, and then read more before deciding whether they’re interested… many won’t.
Tell them enough in the caption and image to decide quickly.
Use templates. Seriously.
You do not need to reinvent every graphic.
Tools like Canva are incredibly helpful for libraries.
A few reusable templates can save hours:
- weekly event posts
- “new this week” book graphics
- database spotlight posts
- staff highlights
- holiday closures
- urgent community announcements
- summer reading countdowns
When you keep branding and templates consistent, patrons begin recognizing your posts immediately.
That matters because people trust familiarity. People need to trust the library. You want them to recognize you immediately.
And consistency helps the feed feel polished even when five different people are contributing.
Show real people
This has probably been the biggest lesson from my own experience managing library social media:
People engage with people.
Photos of:
- kids enjoying a program
- staff helping at an event
- families participating
- teens creating something
- a librarian recommending books
- a quick behind-the-scenes clip
…almost always perform better than graphics alone. People love to see a familiar face.
With permission, share the people using the library.
And don’t be afraid to step into the frame yourself!
Record a quick video:
“Hi! Ms. Adrienne from Youth Services here—we’ve got Wacky Water Day this Friday…”
That personal connection matters.
Libraries can feel much more approachable when patrons see familiar faces. And this is a great place to brag! Public libraries do incredible work!
Talk about it.
Celebrate it.
Show it off.
Post consistently—even when nothing feels exciting
Consistency matters more than perfection.
You do not have to go viral. You do not need every post to be a masterpiece.
You just need people regularly seeing the library in their feed.
That might look like:
Monday: upcoming programs this week
Tuesday: new books or digital resources
Wednesday: staff spotlight or behind-the-scenes
Thursday: reminder about an event
Friday: photos from the week / thank-you post
And sprinkled throughout:
- new library cards
- patron milestones
- community partnerships
- school partnerships
- weather closures
- holiday hours
- tax resources
- local voting information
- food pantry/community resources
- database reminders
Libraries are information hubs. That includes community information, too.
Use the marketing materials vendors already provide
This one gets overlooked a lot.
Many library vendors already create social media graphics and promotional content. Take advantage of it!
For example:
OverDrive marketing & outreach resources
Databases often provide:
- downloadable graphics
- social captions
- themed campaigns
- ready-made images
- promotional videos
You already pay for those services. Let them help market themselves!
A note about AI-generated graphics
I understand why libraries use them.
Budget is tight. Time is tight. Staffing is tight. And AI-generated images can feel like a fast solution.
But library patrons notice.
And many people respond better to authentic library photos than AI graphics. Ever notice they all look the same?
AI images can sometimes feel generic—or unintentionally misleading. They do not provide connection.
A summer reading flyer with children who don’t look real, impossible hands, or stock-style AI visuals can feel disconnected from the actual community you serve.
Real photos feel more trustworthy – even when not perfectly created by a graphic designer.
A photo of your own teen advisory board decorating. A librarian laughing during storytime. Families walking through the door.
That connection matters.
If AI helps with brainstorming or drafting copy or text description? Great!
But for public-facing promotion, real library moments often connect better.
A few great resources
These are worth bookmarking:
WebJunction: Social Media Policies for Libraries
4CLS Library Social Media Resources
NJ State Library: Refresh Your Library Social Media Content
Giraffe Social – Social Media for Libraries
Example posts: What to do vs. what not to do
❌ What not to do
graphic says “Summer Fun!”
Caption: “Don’t forget!”
No date. No age group. No details. QR code only.
People scroll past.
✅ Better
☀️ Wacky Water Day is back!
Join us Friday, June 14 from 1–3 PM for sprinklers, reusable water games, bubbles, and music outside the library.
Ages: families + kids of all ages
Free
No registration required
Bring a towel!
📍 Your Town Library lawn
(Photo of kids from last year)
❌ What not to do
“Check out our databases!”
That’s it.
✅ Better
Need homework help this summer?
Did you know your library card gives you free access to [database name] for:
✔ tutoring support
✔ research help
✔ test prep
✔ homework resources
Log in anytime with your library card.
(links)
Screenshot included.
❌ What not to do
Post once in June.
Disappear.
Return in August.
✅ Better
Show up regularly.
Even simple posts help:
- “Look who got a library card today!”
- “New graphic novels just arrived!”
- “Teen volunteers helping prep for next week.”
- “Staff pick Friday!”
- “Reminder: Storytime tomorrow.”
That consistent visibility adds up.
Libraries do amazing things every day.
Social media is one of the easiest ways to help your community actually see it.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t need to feel corporate. It doesn’t need a marketing team.
It just needs to feel clear, welcoming, and real.
Show people what your library offers. Show them who is there. Show them what’s possible when they walk through the doors.
And if you need inspiration? There are HUNDREDS of libraries on social media! I follow about 300 (and some of them DO have dedicated marketing teams you can steal ideas from)! I highly encourage you to do the same.
Want feedback on your posts or ads? Reach out! I’m happy to chat 🙂
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*This blog is intentionally ad-free. I want it to be a clean, distraction-free space. Here, public librarians can find practical ideas for youth services, outreach, and programming. There will be no pop-ups or sponsored clutter.
Some posts may include affiliate links for books or supplies I genuinely use and recommend. If you choose to purchase through those links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. It’s a simple way to support the work while getting materials for your own programs.
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