Flickr and the School Library

I've been thinking of ways in which school librarians can use Flickr to promote library programs or advocate for their libraries.  Flickr Groups offers some possibilities.

 Flickr returned 652 group results when I searched for "school library" under the Groups tab, click on the screen shot for a larger view.  Some libraries have created Groups in Flickr around themes such as School Library Displays.  These can be a rich source of ideas.




One group is sharing photos to use on their school website while others share photos from library events and conferences.  There's even a group showing how students study in the library.

Given that a picture is a powerful way to convey an idea here are some suggestions:
- promote new resources by snapping pictures of new books OR advocate for more resources by showing how empty the shelves are
- create excitement around upcoming events with photos of posters, an author's titles, mystery objects or 'guess who?' photos
- document changes or renovations to the library
- promote programs with timeline photos as students progress through stages and acquire new skills, take photos of student projects.  For example, Gr. 1s signing out their first books > Gr. 3s reading to Gr. 1s > Gr. 1s reading to their parents during an open house night
- document events: poetry readings, author visits, character costume days - search flickr for ideas others have captured with an image
- photograph staff learning on ProD days held in the library
- promote groups that help the library, parent or student volunteers
- promote genres in your fiction collection
- thank parent groups for donations by showing how they are being used
- demonstrate how well your library space is used before and after school and during the lunch hour
- illustrate the wide variety of learning that takes place: individual studying, group projects, computer use, demonstrations, readings, presentations, club activities

What else can you do with the photos you take?
- post up around the school, in the staff room
- display on open house or parent-teacher interview nights by projecting as a looping slideshow
- add to school newsletters and to your school and library websites
- add to school district promotional materials
- attach to an email when you want to advocate for or promote your library
- send to your local paper

How have you used Flickr or other social image sharing tools?