The dialogue with our customers is important to us. Through our participation on social media platforms, we wish to encounter our younger users there where they often spend their time. Our goal is to offer them a communication platform for library topics in a virtual world.

To increase our visibility in the public eye, we participate in the communities of highly-frequented social media platforms. In this way it is possible to present special acquisitions and inform the public of the library’s services and activities in a timely and transparent manner. Additionally, active participation on social media platforms allows us to enter into a dialogue with others, thus not just influencing communication via the Staatsbibliothek, and also to relay and exchange information quickly and directly. In doing so we wish to increase our transparency, visibility and credibility as well as to establish a new means of accessing information, knowledge, opinions and experiences of our target audience.

Handling social media interactions

Through participation on social media platforms, the library becomes accessible worldwide and provides an additional opportunity for its target groups, as well as generally interested persons, to establish communication. We strive to protect the personal rights of all persons involved. Insulting, offensive or defamatory contributions will be removed, as will advertisements, spam and other posts with commercial content.

The future of social media at the SBB

We plan to, at minimum, maintain our existing presence in our current social media networks. We strive to expand our range of offers whenever possible. A change in provider or modification of key areas are possibly at any time, therefore the library takes into account that each social media offer and the acceptance thereof, is also subject to change. It is necessary to observe the market constantly and in doing so, to review the suitability of channels for the library’s objectives. To ensure adequate management and supervision of all channels, the human resources available will be adapted accordingly.

Organization

The Central Web Editorial Department of the SBB is responsible for strategically outlining the involvement of the Staatsbibliothek in social networks. It structures and coordinates its participation on various social media platforms. Together with the Department for Information- and Datamanagement, it is responsible for monitoring, not only the online presence of the Staatsbibliothek but also further developments in the social media realm. It coordinates the appointment of persons responsible for the social media channels – these individuals are reliably available throughout the opening hours of the library and are responsible for providing up-to-date content.

It is of utmost importance that both the staff and the content of the social media channels reflect the diversity and significance of the Staatsbibliothek. This requires the involvement of all departments and areas of the library.

The Social Media Strategy was published in May 2014.