This module brought me back to the excitement I felt when I decided to transition into the library field. While my library use dropped off for a period during my first career, I did return as a patron. I had recently relocated to Los Angeles, where the big city library did not disappoint. As a new patron, I discovered the burgeoning Library of Things collections, Memory Labs, and Makerspaces. It blew me away. It was the innovation and community centered approaches to librarianship I saw that really inspired me to get involved. For all the exciting technology, it’s clear that the heart of a hyperlinked library is the communities it serves. Libraries can connect with communities that already exist as well as foster new connections. They are uniquely situated to be community bridges and gathering places, inside and outside of the library walls. A hyperlinked library community is expansive.
While libraries are a comfort place for me, one does not need to physically visit a library anymore to utilize its services or build community. Meeting communities where they are through outreach and events increases library visibility and allows for new connections and partnerships. The “Wash & Learn” pop-up demonstrates how meeting people in the spaces they already utilize regularly offers them an opportunity to access library resources they may not even be aware of. This initiative is the result of multiple organizations forming a partnership and maintaining an initiative that reaches residents in a place they utilize regularly (Bibliothèques Sans Frontières, 2017). Whether taking a bookmobile to a laundromat, farmers market, senior center, or festival, libraries that can meet community members where they are can become more top of mind for those who may not be aware of library services.
Another space libraries can utilize to reach and better understand the communities around them is the digital space. I personally enjoy watching library reels on Instagram. Librarians can create a sense of playfulness and share their personalities in a way that reminds viewers that libraries are welcoming places to have fun and explore. Entire communities exist in purely online spaces, but the people are real, and they are (and can become) library patrons. BookTok connects readers worldwide, with niche communities forming within the larger community. As discussed by Jensen (2022), keeping tabs on popular trends in these online communities can help inform collection decisions and displays, not only for trending titles but also for read-alikes. A hyperlinked library would be wise to both consume and create on BookTok.
City of Marion Libraries Instagram profile page. (@cityofmarionlibraries, n.d.)
As described by Stephens (2025), when libraries use social media to foster authentic, human dialogue, they can create connection that resonates beyond marketing. One of my favorite libraries to follow is City of Marion Libraries. As demonstrated by their Instagram highlights, social media isn’t only used to share library events. It’s used to engage in online trends and conversations, participate in BookTok trends, and allow the public to get to know the staff (City of Marion Libraries, n.d.). If their online community reflects their libraries, I would expect their physical spaces to feel fun and welcoming and the staff to feel approachable. These qualities invite patrons and communities to feel comfortable reaching out to engage in new ways.
It is easy to view outreach as a way to encourage people to enter the library, but this module has reinforced that connection works both ways. Libraries must be willing to step beyond their physical and digital boundaries, listen to the people around them, and build relationships with groups and communities that already exist. Whether through a pop-up event, a social media interaction, or a partnership with a local organization, each connection creates opportunities for dialogue, positive associations, and future engagement. A hyperlinked library is not defined only by its collections, programs, or technology, but by the relationships it builds. Those relationships are what allow libraries to remain relevant and active participants in the communities they serve.
References
Bibliothèques Sans Frontières. (2017, October 11).
“Wash & Learn” pop-up library program in the Bronx [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HM7pQiqDZY
City of Marion Libraries [@cityofmarionlibraries]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved July 19, 2026, from https://www.instagram.com/cityofmarionlibraries/
Jensen, K. (2022, February 10). As seen on #BookTok: Inspiring young readers, TikTok is a boon for books. School Library Journal. https://www.slj.com/story/as-seen-on-booktok-inspiring-young-readers-tiktok-is-a-boon-for-books-libraries
Stephens, M. (2025). Beyond buzzwords: Ten invitations to build library connection and community [PDF]. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/f05u6l0d50k8js28vgokz/Beyond-Buzzwords-Ten-Invitations-to-Build-Library-Connection-and-Community.pdf?rlkey=2i1b76g18h9t2qxmq3s1y7q90&st=of4tisuf&e=1&dl=0
Jennifer – This was fun. I agree with you that a hyperlinked library should investigate what might be possible with creating content centered around books and reading of all kinds. I am really impressed with what I see coming out of the Ferndale Public Library’s social media here in Michigan. They do all sorts of content and memes, etc., but always focused on the collection.