Librarians become TikTok stars, drawing young adults back to libraries
Australian librarians have built massive followings on TikTok and Instagram. They are drawing young adults back to libraries.
Libraries discovered social media during the pandemic and found it worked. Marion Libraries in Adelaide's southern suburbs now has more than 78,000 Instagram followers.
Marion Libraries has 21,000 on TikTok. Marion Libraries' videos show what librarians do.
You see books spinning on wheelie chairs. You see staff dress-ups for Book Week.
You see simple tasks performed in twos to avoid other work. One TikTok video hit 2.5 million views.
Joan Bruce is a 72-year-old rare books librarian at Queensland's State Library. She became an instant hit posting about artist books and historic texts.
Her video about a coffee-table-sized book got more than 200,000 views. Libraries report the viral attention brings real results.
They see more digital loans, new members from young adults, and genuine community connection. The accounts share free events, digital resources and rare book treasures.
They show that libraries exist and remain free for everyone.
- 78,000
- Marion Libraries Instagram followers
- 21,000
- Marion Libraries TikTok followers
- 200,000
- Joan Bruce's video views
- 2.5 million
- One TikTok video views
Why it mattersLibraries are rediscovering how to reach people where they already are: on their phones. Social media is turning libraries from places people had forgotten about into genuine community hubs.
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