Milwaukee Public Library shifted to TikTok- and video-first social content, emphasizing memes, trending formats, and cinematic parodies to reach younger audiences. The library's Instagram grew to nearly 240,000 followers (a 1,497.5% increase) and its TikTok to 150,000 followers after adopting quirky videos in 2022. Leadership reports that the strategy opened new community partnerships, increased database usage, and brought younger readers back into the stacks. The shift began amid post-pandemic patronage declines, with staff experimenting to attract BookTok and Bookstagram communities. The library's social presence now resembles edgy, brand-style pages and successfully drives engagement and outreach.
When residents of Milwaukee check out their library's social media accounts, it's a different story. They're met with memes, thirst traps, and a multipart cinematic video series parodying the oeuvre of Wes Anderson. For the past three years, Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) has been diverging from the typically staid online presence of most public libraries by going full-send on TikTok trends and video-first content geared toward a younger generation. The library's accounts look more like the social media-savvy pages of companies like Duolingo or Sour Patch Kids -and it's working.
But for an institution funded by taxpayer dollars, the goal of going viral on TikTok is a bit less clear. According to Melissa Howard, MPL's communications and community engagement director, embracing a TikTok-forward strategy has actually driven the library's mission in a number of ways, including by opening the door to new community partnerships, boosting database use, and getting younger readers back into the library stacks.
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