Dynamic Engagement with Social Media

“The dominant role of the internet in recent years has caused a change in the relationship between media producers, suppliers and consumers in the traditional media landscape.” (Vilet/Hekman, 2012).

While the authors above were discussing social tagging, their acknowledgement holds equally true when considering the dynamic, barrier-demolishing effect social media has had on media production and consumption. In the age of Twitter and Instagram, nearly anyone can interact with celebrities, report on current events, or complain directly at an institution or individual. In the cultural heritage and arts sectors, the immediacy of social media has led to successes (e.g., increased access to previously hidden collections), and sometimes, arguably, failures (e.g., the Minnesota Opera’s hipster live tweet experiment). A nuanced command of social media is now requisite for institutions, including LAMs in the current milieu of digitization, non-traditional outreach efforts, and measurable outcomes.

It is odd then, when one encounters an organization today with little to no social media presence. Sometimes this is the result of managerial conservatism in terms of public relations, and sometimes it stems more from a lack of awareness or confusion over social media. Regardless, no presence, or a presence without strategy, undoubtedly hinders the ability of an organization to reach (and keep) new and diverse audiences, and positions them as an entity lacking relevance in the digital age. Sadly, I would argue that the Institute of Jazz Studies Archives at Rutgers University – Newark suffers from this lack of relevance, and its collections bear the brunt of effects incurred by this service gap. The IJS is considered to be the largest jazz archive in the world, with an incredible breadth of materials. However, due to Rutgers Library system’s extremely risk averse copyright policy, the rich IJS collections—especially a compendium of audio-visual items—are largely unavailable online, and only to those scholars who can afford a trip to Newark.

The IJS, in my opinion, could easily be developing digital exhibits that employ fair use, including snippets of time-based media integrated into digital projects; but, in the context of a copyright-conservative administration, it would behoove the Archive to develop creative ways via social media to share information about their collections and services in a way that engages as much as it promotes. A visit to the IJS website quickly reveals that online presence and user experience have not been at the forefront of the organization’s strategic vision.

Once scrolling down to the bottom of the page, an outdated Facebook widget does appear, linking out to the IJS’s only social media account. I know from my time spent there that the account is managed exclusively by the Associate Director of the Institute, and is deemed as a great leap forward in terms of outreach, having just been launched in the past few years. The IJS Facebook page does provide some promotional value for the Archive, and is mostly used to advertise events, and post photos of the same afterward. They have just over 800 likes, despite being affiliated with a large research university library system. Most posts garner 2-5 likes, with the occasional share. The Associate Director does post consistently—about 1-2 times per week—but the lack of interactivity with the posts results in them not hitting an analytic mark in Facebook’s algorithms to get top placement in their followers’ feeds. In the past, hashtags have been haphazardly and sparsely added, which while not a primary feature in Facebook, could, in the realm of a topic like jazz, potentially connect the page to new visitors if employed consistently. Another suggestion would be for the page to share other jazz and archival content, rather than only posting about IJS events. I also find the prominent cover photo of IJS employees a waste of digital media space: are you only advertising to your own staff and current supporters? No one in the broader jazz, archival, or cultural heritage communities would recognize these individuals. Why not feature images from your collections?

It is a shame the IJS does not have a Twitter account—and more so, I would suggest platforms like Pinterest and SoundCloud as well to help feature their format-dynamic collections. I know from conversations with the Associate Director and archives staff that Twitter is not seen as a valued platform for communication by them, and thus not encouraged or prioritized. The IJS does not have an explicit social media policy, to my knowledge, and as mentioned previously, functions under the sole control of a person who is openly “not that into social media.” Copyright is certainly a restrictive element impacting collection-sharing, especially in the realm of recorded sound, but other music archives have developed social media presence with more thought and concert, like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Library and Archives and the British Library’s Sound Archive.

It is interesting that the archives staff at the IJS all acknowledge the impact copyright policies have on their ability to provide access, but none seem to believe a disregard for social media is also hindering access. This exemplifies the imperative need for managerial support and development of a conscientious, informed social media strategy.

The Mass MoCA in North Adams offers a much more hopeful case study for a regional (albeit established) institution to capitalize on the potential inherent in social media campaigns. Their main front page of the website features a prominent scrolling photo bar under the hashtag #massmoca, which aggregates patron photos from both Twitter and Instagram highlighting activity and experiences at the Museum. It’s refreshing to have user generated content front and center like this, though having the Museum’s own social media account widgets at the very bottom makes it a little difficult to immediately connect via those platforms. The Mass MoCA uses Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterst, Facebook, and Instagram, and while I couldn’t locate a social media policy, it seems apparent that the Museum takes a thoughtful, strategic approach to these various interfaces, recognizing the accepted social media tenet that different platforms should present unique content in a unique, platform-specific voice that attempts to identify and connect with each platforms’ unique user-base.

Each social media account presents collection materials and information in a way that acknowledges the style and voice prevalent to each. For example, the Mass MoCA Tumblr offers powerful images paired selectively with text that promotes commentary by users over the Museum itself. Their Facebook page, tapping into the informational needs of its generally older audience, includes event updates, news articles, and more narrative posts with relevant photos. The Mass MoCA Pinterst page uses the boards structure to highlight the diverse programming and collection aspects of the institution, including its live music events, historical information, and artist-specific boards.

When compared to the social media campaigns of the MoMA, the Mass MoCA seems to employ similar strategies focused on rich visual information, though the MoMA repeats content across its various platforms more than the Mass MoCA. The MoMA does personalizes their social media presence, though, including mentions/tags to their Digital Marketing employee who appears to manage the shared content. The MoMA also does more with video, especially on Instagram (and via a YouTube channel), which would be a wise avenue for the Mass MoCA, especially considering all their music programming. Both the Mass MoCA and the MoMA could do much more with hashtags—on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr specifically. Hashtags, when strategically and efficiently used, allow an institution to connect to new audiences and promote new conversations about their materials. These two museums seem to have reached a high enough saturation level with social media where developing new contacts is less of a priority that simply sharing collections via these platforms, albeit in fairly dynamic ways.

Sustainability does not rest solely on the shoulders of social media, yet its integral role in communicating institutional mission, connecting to users, and sharing materials in interactive, fresh ways should not be discounted. Those organizations with strong social media identities and presence will likely find it easier to lead in the years ahead, capitalizing on increased connectivity to users, fostering new and innovative encounters with digital media that allow cultural heritage institutions to realize their full potential.