I talk about Flickr a lot in my presentations, because it shows libraries in a different way than we normally present ourselves online. It's where you actually see the vibrancy, humanity, and just plain busyness that we all know happens in our buildings, but that we have such a difficult time translating online (opening up comments on your blog posts is the other high-impact, low-cost way to do this ).

More Flickr proof in the pudding from Kelli Staley at the Lansing (IL) Public Library regarding their celebrity READ posters.

Flickr - Photos on Fire!

"Added bonus: The local newspaper, The Times, saw the photos on Flickr, and ended up doing an article, and reprinted mini copies of the posters in the paper! A few people not included in the original batch of posters contacted us because they wanted to be included! A local school librarian requested copies of the posters of the Superintendent, Library Director, and Police & Fire Chiefs to hang in the school library.

We've also uploaded pics from events, then simply emailed the newspaper, letting them know we posted some new photos from a recent event. Then they choose which ones they want to use. They used some of our photos from Flickr in articles about the summer reading program.

The youth & teen department has been handing out small pieces of paper with the link to our flickr account whenever they have an event when they take photos. The recent Rex Checks Out library card promotion event featured a dinosaur cutout where people put their faces in and posed for pictures. Parents who didn't bring their own cameras can just download their own copy of the photo, or email the link to friends and family!

We just got a comment to a pic I posted of a display of red books in our Adult Services Dept. (Our display has been up a few weeks, before Bono & Oprah made red such a hot color!) A library in Florida was inspired to put together a display of orange books, and posted their photo, and a link back to our red display! The librarian in Florida probably wouldn't visit a Chicago suburb to see our book displays, but through Flickr, we're able to share ideas! You can find other library book display photos in this Flickr group." ['Brary Web Diva]