Best Uses of Pinterest by Libraries

In general, Pinterest acts as place to collate bookmarks in a visual manner. A pin is an image, but also a link to a website. This means libraries can use Pinterest to visually engage people and capture their interest with an image, and supplement it with a description and a link, allowing people to investigate further or pin it to one of their own boards for sharing or bookmarking.

More specifically, libraries can use Pinterest to:

• Create boards for book reviews and recommendations, as does Moonee Valley Libraries with their Staff Favourites and Reviews. Here, the pin includes the book cover, the description acting as a short review, and the link taking the user to the library's catalog, so customers can take actions towards borrowing a book.
• Showcase activities, collections, and displays, letting people know what is happening at their local library.
• Create reading lists (i.e. a board the recommends books to read over summer, or books for certain age groups).
• Organise resources into different boards and make them available to the public. For example Hume Libraries' Pinterest and their Hume Communtiy board, which is a "collection of community resources", including many videos and information on what is happening in the area. Their Study Resources board fills a similar role, sometimes linking out to other sites with study tips and information.

There is a commenting system, but Pinterest seems to prioritise the pin's image and its source rather than any further discussion, the comment section often forgotten and neglected at the bottom of a pin.

Individual librarians can also use Pinterest in similar ways, and there are many boards dedicated to creative spaces and book displays for libraries. Pinterest can be a great source of inspiration. It can be a fun way to share ideas and find out what libraries all over the world are doing.