Swansea Library Service bags top social media award

CLEVER use of websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube means Swansea Library Service is the best of its kind in Wales.

Swansea Council's Library Service came first in this year's Welsh Libraries Marketing Innovation Awards.

The awards were open to all library and information services in Wales to recognise and reward marketing innovation. Libraries in Wales run innovative marketing activities throughout the year and the aim of the awards is to celebrate and promote this valuable work.

Ten entries were received in the local authority category.

The Swansea Library Service's Facebook page now has more than 400 likes. Swansea Libraries has two Twitter accounts: www.twitter.com/discovermore has more than 1,000 followers and www.twitter.com/libraryline has about 300 followers.

Library staff also put together adverts for YouTube on the Swansea Council channel. The most popular can be accessed at http://bit.ly/w4GsAV and is called Sneeze.

The library service's social media project is called Swansea Libraries 2.0.

Steve Hardman, Swansea Council's Library Services Manager, said: "We are so pleased to have won the award for Swansea Libraries 2.0.

"The staff involved in the project really enjoyed themselves and I think this was a crucial factor in scooping the award. We're delighted to have gained national recognition for the library service and I would like to thank my staff for all their hard work and innovative ideas."

The awards were judged by Dr Jonathan Deacon, Reader in Entrepreneurship and Marketing at Newport University Business School and Chair of The Chartered Institute of Marketing Cymru.

Dr Deacon said: "Although these awards are to recognise marketing within the library service across Wales, I have to say there are many aspects and illustrations of excellence in marketing that could equally be applied to any business or organisation within Wales.

"It's the use of new media and in particular social media that makes this the top entry. The creation of the YouTube ads is quite brilliant."

For more information have a look at www.swansea.gov.uk/libraries or follow the Swansea Library Service on Facebook or Twitter.

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This page last updated on February 28 2012