For years, conventional wisdom in library marketing has been clear: you need to be on Facebook because that’s where your community is.
But what if that’s no longer true?
The staff at Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in Wakefield, Massachusetts, asked themselves that question. And then did something many libraries would consider unthinkable.
They stopped using Facebook altogether.
Several months later, Library Director Catherine McDonald says the results have been surprisingly uneventful.
“After all the work that went into the decision, it didn’t have any effect other than how freeing it is to have one less thing on my plate,” says McDonald.
“I realized I had felt a constant responsibility to protect patrons and staff from harsh words and misinformation about the library and its services. People don’t behave face-to-face as they sometimes might on Facebook.”
A Long Time Coming
Lucius Beebe Memorial Library serves Wakefield, Massachusetts, a community of just under 30,000 residents located north of Boston. The library operates from a single historic building on Main Street.
The library wasn’t an early skeptic of Facebook. In fact, McDonald created the library’s first Facebook page around 2010.
At first, the platform helped the library connect with patrons and promote programs and events. Over time, the library expanded its social media presence and experimented with different content strategies.
Some of the library’s most successful posts featured unexpected moments, including a bunny rescue, removal of a hornet’s nest, and staff retirements.
But as the years passed, McDonald began questioning whether the effort was still worthwhile.
” First, we noticed that the number of followers who were Wakefield residents was about only a third of the list,” recalls McDonald.
“Social media was becoming less social and requiring more work to understand how to game the system.” It became complicated to understand who we were reaching with what information.”
McDonald also saw reports on declining reading-for-pleasure rates, online bullying, misinformation, and increasingly hostile online interactions. The platform also made it difficult for the library to control its own narrative.
“On Facebook, often people type, but don’t read,” McDonald says.
Those concerns prompted a deeper internal discussion about whether Facebook still aligned with the library’s mission.
Testing the Assumptions
One of the most common arguments for maintaining a Facebook presence is that libraries need to “meet people where they are.” McDonald wasn’t convinced that statement should go unquestioned.
Rather than relying on assumptions, the library began comparing Facebook’s effectiveness against other communication channels, including its website, newsletters, blog, and local media outlets. The library also experimented with a social media pause during Summer Reading. The response?
“I received a couple of emails thanking me,” McDonald says.
The experience reinforced what library leadership was beginning to suspect: Facebook might not be as essential as many people believed.
Making the Decision
After an influx of bots appeared on the library’s Facebook page, McDonald decided it was time. With support from the assistant director, the library stopped actively using Facebook.
Not everyone was immediately convinced. Two members of the library’s board questioned the decision, and some staff initially worried the library might be giving up an important communication tool.
“Initially, some staff thought we were missing something important,” McDonald says. “But they accepted the decision and moved on to other things.”
Interestingly, she says stakeholders have been more likely to praise the decision privately than criticize it publicly.
What Happened After Leaving Facebook?
The short answer: not much.
- Program attendance remained steady.
- Website usage remained strong.
- The library’s newsletters and blog continued to perform well.
- Community engagement did not decline.
The library still maintains an Instagram presence, which McDonald says allows staff to share photos and connect with the community without many of Facebook’s drawbacks.
In fact, one unexpected benefit involved customer service. When the library was active on Facebook, patrons expected staff to monitor comments and answer questions in real time. During weather closures, for example, patrons would ask questions such as, “Are you open tomorrow?” and expect a response.
Without dedicated staff monitoring the platform, those inquiries often went unanswered. Now there is no confusion about where patrons should go for timely information.
“The expectation is that the place to learn immediate information about the library is the website or the Town website,” McDonald says.
The library also works closely with Wakefield’s communications manager to ensure important messages reach the community.
The Real Benefit
While the library didn’t experience dramatic gains after leaving Facebook, McDonald says the biggest benefit was psychological. For years, she felt responsible for moderating misinformation, managing negative comments, and protecting both patrons and staff from hostile online interactions.
That burden disappeared.
“I realized I had felt a constant responsibility to protect patrons and staff from harsh words and misinformation about the library and its services,” she says.
The experience also eliminated ongoing questions about moderation policies, comment removal, and blocking users, areas where McDonald says she often received conflicting legal advice.
Advice for Other Libraries
McDonald acknowledges that many libraries continue to find value in the platform and use it successfully.
But she does encourage library leaders to examine their assumptions.
“I’m sure lots of communities find Facebook effective and fun,” he says. “But don’t be afraid to question your assumptions or prevailing theories.”
For Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, questioning those assumptions led to a surprising discovery: Leaving Facebook changed far less than they expected.
And sometimes, that’s the most revealing result of all.
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