Is Pinterest for me?

I've never been a Pinterest user because I'm a bit of an anti-consumer. My only glimpses of the site have been through my friends, who collect and share pins that translate to particularly delicious Thanksgiving dishes or unique wedding reception centrepieces.

Pinterest seems to me to be one of the more passive social networks, with fewer opportunities to really discuss one's pins—and thus one's interests—with followers. You simply upload something of interest with a comment and then it's left alone to be watched, perhaps commented on. Not my kind of network, and not one I would have thought would be worthwhile for a non-profit organization.

But the Edmonton Public Library, purveyors of all things exciting and creative in Edmonton, have a Pinterest worth looking at. Their 18 boards are all thematically linked to libraries, while branching off to explore the various components that prove that libraries are more than just a collection of dusty books. They reflect on their history using images and anecdotes, promote the local art they have on hand, help you decide what to read next, and leave a place for staff to offer their favourites.

For an organization as diverse as EPL, Pinterest seems like the perfect visual outlet for all it's endeavours. But for somebody who prefers the written word, I would be hard pressed to find a place for it in my busy social media arsenal.

A screencap of EPL's Pinterest page at http://www.pinterest.com/EPLdotCA/.