User-Generated Content: Your Questions, Answered

It's no secret that social media is a much more significant marketing tool now than it was five years ago. Whether it be Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or some combination, companies and brands worldwide are expanding their reach by establishing social media accounts in order to remain relevant in today's progressive tech world. This new era of business has produced a marketing element we see every day but may not recognize: user-generated content or UGC.

So what exactly is user-generated content? According to social media management service Sprout Social, UGC is a "source of content crafted by a consumer, social media follower, fan or influencer that lives under your brand’s properties."

UGC is a efficient and authentic way of publicizing a brand through a third party. Thanks to retweets, likes and shares, ordinary people all over the world are able to connect both with each other and the brands they care about. Below are a few of the ways I work with and have seen the benefits of Library-centered UGC.

Location: Library Lawn

On Instagram, users can tag their posts at certain locations. Library Lawn is a popular location option on campus with significant post traffic from all sorts of people on campus. For example, during homecoming week students and alumni alike posted awesome pictures of themselves with friends and family who were celebrating America's Greatest Homecoming. My favorite type of post on Library Lawn usually comes from prospective or future students who are visiting for a tour or recruiting day! The Library Lawn Instagram location is a wonderful collection of posts from all types of OSU fans making memories at the heart of campus.

Hashtags: #EdmonLow and #OkStateLibrary

Hashtags are also useful tools on social media for people interested in viewing categorized content. Some useful hashtags that I search are #EdmonLow and #OkStateLibrary. By searching these hashtags, I am able to view any posts having to do with OSU Libraries that are tagged with them. From there I can sift through what people are talking about and pick out a funny tweet or photo to feature on digital signage. From impromptu workout videos on the third floor of Edmon Low to words of encouragement during finals week, hashtags are a great way to see what people are doing at the Library.

Mentions: "Edmon Low"

This form of UGC is any text that is typed and posted, no specific hashtag or location needed. In addition to mentioning the library, people may also tag the Library account in the post. Both of these types of UGC are considered mentions. As far as Library coverage, I can search anything from "Edmon Low" to "finals," depending on the time of year, to see what OSU students are doing at the Library. Mentions are very useful because they streamline a form of feedback that Library management may be unaware of otherwise. Complaints and suggestions about Wi-Fi, uncomfortable temperatures and disruptions in Edmon Low are often tweeted about. Once I see such tweets, I can direct the content to facilities management or other necessary staff member to be addressed.

My time as the Electronic Communication Intern at the Library has taught me how crucial UGC is to connecting with the target audience on social media. UGC opens up the door for brands such as OSU Libraries to interact with their audience and foster a personal connection. If someone tweets about the Wi-Fi not working, the Library will typically respond to the tweet to collect more information and assure them that the issue is being addressed. Even small acts such as this can create a relationship between brand and consumer that can have a lasting, beneficial effect.

 Posted by Tatum Wallace, Electronic Communications Intern for OSU Library Communications

Rooms of Purpose

It is well-known by now that the OSU Library has seen some changes in recent times. With the new equipment in the Creative Studios and the renovation of the 1st floor west wing, our aged building continues to be a hotspot for students while cultivating a venue for creation and innovation. Some of its most useful rooms are sometimes overlooked, so the following are several spots that may not receive as much attention as they deserve.

Data Visualization Studio

The McCasland Foundation Data Visualization Studio is a new addition to the Edmon Low Library. This room, also called 109A, is located on the western wall of first floor near Cafe Libro. The data visualization studio is open to anyone and is encouraged for projects. The studio holds a wall-mounted SMART Board as well as a tabletop monitor that allows collaboration between two screens. You can send information from one board to the other or reflect one screen to its counterpart.

The tabletop screen is great for close-up visuals of graphics and data. Data visualization itself is the display of information for analysis and communication, and the technology in the library’s studio is meant to do just that. The horizontal screen allows users to get closer to their data and see more detail. It is also useful to be able to move elements and create different arrangements of data.

Although it is set up horizontally, the data visualization screen is not an actual table, so food and beverage are not meant to be placed on it. You can reserve the studio through the Edmon Low Creative Studios.

Event Room

The new event room, also known as 102G, is primarily dedicated to hosting small events in the Edmon Low Library. It is located in the center of the new 1st floor study rooms, and the space can fit up to 40 people, depending on seating arrangement. With a SMART Board, wireless controls and a podium, this room is ideal for hosting seminars or holding presentations.  

When it is not being used for an event, 102G is open to the public for studying. There have been instances of visitors being asked to leave the room for an event,but this conflict can be avoided by checking the event calendar. The room can be reserved by completing a request form online.

Reading Room

The Anne Morris Greenwood Reading Room is one of the library’s oldest study areas. The space has been used by students since the 1950's, and it still attracts the most diligent of scholars today. It is the only space in the library to offer lamps, which makes it a spot of interest for students who perform their best with personal space and extra amenities.

It has two levels, which is convenient for those who want to be productive during their library visit but do not wish to venture higher than the second floor. There are also more electric outlets in this room than any single room in the library.

Contrary to popular belief, group study is allowed and encouraged in the Reading Room; however, the room remains quiet much of the time. Events on the second floor are typically held in the Peggy V. Helmerich Browsing Room, so the Reading Room remains a dedicated study space around the clock.

You may still have to see these rooms for yourself to get the full effect of their worth, but there is no doubt these spaces are bringing intelligence and innovation to the OSU Library. Whether data development or diligent studying is the goal, the library remains a primary location for traditional services and advancing technology.

Post by Jennifer Barnett, E-communications intern for OSU Library Communications