Designing for Impact: DEIA Social Media Posts for Academic Resources

Social media posts are an easy and effective way to deliver messages to academic audiences. With many institutions moving online during the pandemic, social media became one of the only communication channels available to connect researchers with the resources that they need. During the summer of 2020, the BLM movement combined with a virtual environment to create a change in our library’s social media outreach. To incorporate more diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) content into our online platforms, the library began to feature anti-racism resources, produce and promote virtual DEIA events, and create informational posts on topics like Juneteenth.  This presentation will introduce basic graphic design recommendations – including best practices for accessibility and usability across platforms and devices.  Featured social media platforms include Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.  Featured design and production resources include Canva.com, Zoom, and Streamlabs OBS.