TikTok is helping libraries flip their quiet, stuffy reputation on its head

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books/article-tiktok-public-library/

Snips:

“If you’ve ever watched Parks and Recreation, you’ll remember Tom and Donna explaining their Treat Yo Self Day – “the best day of the year!” In a series of TikTok videos filmed against the show’s original audio, including one from Alberta’s Grande Prairie Public Library, librarians replace the characters’ indulgences – clothes, fragrances, massages, mimosas, fine leather goods – with their own, which are conveniently found at the local library: video games, Chromebooks, puzzles, anime and manga, toys. Treat yo self!”

“it provides insight for decision makers, too. McCullough says some members of Grande Prairie’s city council follow the library’s TikTok account and engage with staff on the app. “We have had some success in donations and grant funding as a result of our TikTok account,” she adds. “While it doesn’t guarantee funding, it helps people realize we are more than just a book-storage facility, and it has the potential to change the conversation about libraries everywhere, which is a beautiful thing.””