Virality on TikTok Opens Up a New Chapter for the East Cleveland Public Library

You’re mindlessly scrolling on TikTok looking for the next recipe tutorial, style inspiration or social trend paired with a new hit song, and what? … your local public library has gone viral? Shelved between countless other content like books on a library shelf, a video stood out. The dedicated staff of the East Cleveland Public Library raced down the aisle holding the first thing they’d grab in a library fire, right next to those same stacks of library books I perused as a kid. 

Not only that, but their videos also astoundingly garnered tens of thousands of likes and hundreds of comments from excited locals and readers worldwide, thrilled by the newfound passion and creativity for one of the city’s most historic and valuable public resources. 

Under charming TikToks of the staff sharing their knowledge, humor and upcoming library programs, users like @sara_jo19 celebrated, “As a Clevelander, THIS is the representation we need.” Many others from far and wide carried the sentiment “I have never wanted to visit a library so badly in my life,” from user @Cuteotaku. 

Even the official PBS TikTok account left a comment on their viral “Trust Fall” video that echoed, “We’d trust ya’ll.”

As far as the impact of ECPL’s recent internet stardom, “We’ve had some patrons take notice of our newfound success on social media, for sure,” says Liz Anastasiadis, Library Marketing and Program Associate in charge of managing the ECPL’s social media. “I think they were all really excited about the fact that East Cleveland is getting a spotlight, in a way, because historically it’s been, I would say, a little overlooked.”

The library has its own “TikTok committee” to keep things constantly fresh, with not only a rocking social team to stay active online but a library-wide staff motivation that lends an authentically fun glimpse into the incredible team and resources right in our local community. 

And the energy when the staff learned their videos were going viral? Absolute delight and total surprise, says Anastasiadis. 

“When we all found out, we were just kind of freaking out. We were really excited about it, and we wanted to know: ‘How can we keep this momentum going? What new things can we come up with?’” she says.

Even with a designated TikTok committee, ideas for their social media are sourced from anyone and everyone, and the staff keeps things constantly fresh to complement their continually evolving programs, such as the Color Our World events for kids, teens, and adults throughout the summer.

“We just want to make sure that people know that we’re here, and I would say we’re kind of like a small library,” says Anastasiadis. “We used to have multiple locations; we don’t anymore. Now it’s just us holding down the fort here at Main.”

The East Cleveland Public Library has a plethora of programs for kids and adults during the summer, so be sure to stop by the ECPL and get your library card issued, or find their digital collections on Libby. For ECPL’s priceless content, check out @ecplibrary on TikTok or @east_cleveland_public_library on Instagram. 

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