#BookTok: Teens, Screens, and Librarian Dreams
Across the United States, young adults are putting down their smartphones and picking up books again; or are they?
Thanks to the popular app TikTok, there has been a renewed interest in reading books as a form of entertainment over the past year, largely due to the short videos posted under the hashtag “BookTok.” With over 27.6 billion views and counting, BookTok is proof that an online community of book lovers holds real weight in terms of the success of individual novels, as well as the book industry itself.
Videos tagged with the hashtag #BookTok can range from book recommendations and hauls to creative jokes or book “aesthetic” videos, where creators use music and images to represent the “vibe” of a character or the novel as a whole. The videos are extremely popular, and thanks to TikTok’s elusive algorithm, target those who have shown interest in BookTok content. Some of the highest viewed videos have been seen over 50 million times, garnering millions of likes. BookTok creators have amassed hundreds of thousands of followers, and many have platforms on multiple social media sites.
One such creator, Courtny Drydale, has more than 6,ooo followers across her social media accounts (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Twitter, Pinterest, Wordpress) all of which are named Courtagonist. She primarily posts book recommendations, monthly reading “wrap-ups,” and collaborations with other creators for book discussions.
“[Joining social media] gave me the ability to have a reading community that spread across the world,” Drydale says. “Pushing books into others’ hands while getting more pushed into mine is the best feeling.” She believes that young people are more comfortable behind screens, so these virtual book clubs are easier for them to connect with other readers their age.
#BookTok began gaining popularity in March 2020, coinciding with the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic. Director of books at Barnes and Noble Booksellers Shannon DeVito told NBC News she speculates this was due to young people craving an emotional connection with others that they satisfied through reading.
“[TikTok] has been pivotal for introducing younger audiences to reading,” DeVito told NBC, “as well as for introducing older titles to new readers and for helping new authors find an audience.” BookTok has given new life to books published years ago, like Adam Silvera’s young adult novel “They Both Die at the End,” which has been at the top of the New York Times monthly Young Adult Paperback Bestseller list since August 2020, despite its 2017 publication.
BookTok has not gone unnoticed by publishers and booksellers. CEO of Bloomsbury publishing house Nigel Newton reported a record spike in sales and a 220% rise in profits. He attributes this to the “absolute phenomenon” of BookTok, he told The Economist.
Walk into almost any Barnes and Noble and you will find a table dedicated to BookTok recommendations due to the uptick in sales the retailer noticed last summer, according to DeVito. Penguin Random House publications has a section of their website titled “TikTok Made Me Read It” with links to buy the viral books, and Amazon Book Review put out a newsletter titled “#BookTok Sensations.”
But it is not only booksellers that are benefiting from the recent spike in the young adult demographic. Public libraries too have noticed more young people coming in the doors in recent months. Elizabeth Davis, Assistant Branch Manager at the St. Mary’s County Public Library Leonardtown, Maryland Branch elaborated as to how the Leonardtown Library is targeting the teen to young adult audience using what they feel most comfortable with: technology.
“Our main goal as a public library is to provide everyone equitable access to information,” says Davis. “That information can be books, but it can also be technology [or] computers.”
The Leonardtown Library just underwent a serious move and renovation within the last two years, moving from a small, cramped, and outdated space to a new state-of-the-art building equipped with far more community resources. Attached to a brand new senior center, the library has a computer lab with dozens of new computers, study and meeting rooms, and the Makerspace, “a flexible, participatory learning environment” with technology such as 3D printers, VHS and cassette converters, and green screens.
All of these materials are available to the public for free. All you need is a library card.
“The ultimate goal is for people to start seeing the library as a community space, not like the stuffy, quiet libraries you see in TV and movies,” Davis says, “But it can be difficult when that is the preconceived notion [people have] of the library, especially young adults.” That was why the Leonardtown Library’s move was so significant. The space now boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and high, spacious ceilings, and an entirely new section of the library: the YA/Teen Space.
Before the library changed locations, the Young Adult books were housed on four bookshelves in a cramped corner near the back door. In the new building, young adults have their own wing of the library. “We felt like a dedicated YA section was needed now that we had the space to accommodate our young adults; the goal is to get them using the library regularly, for more than just books!” Davis said.
Not only have they made the space itself physically more inviting with fun couches, study nooks, and laptop bars reserved for young adults, but the library is doing all they can to engage audiences across different age groups. This started with the teen space and the integration of new technology into the library, but it is an effort that is ongoing.
In recent months, the library has introduced a new book club program inspired by BookTok specifically targeted at young adults. The program is primarily focused on engaging new and different types of readers and library patrons. They read viral BookTok books, as well as graphic novels and books that have been adapted into TV shows and movies that are popular amongst young people, including the Bridgerton book series.
Davis herself has noticed the power of social media when it comes to libraries and reading. She and her co-workers have been discussing the possibility of creating a TikTok account, in addition to their Facebook and Instagram profiles.
“We are [actively] trying to improve our social media presence every day,” she says. “The world around us changes and we have to adapt to those changes. What’s important is keeping people reading, and getting that information to them.”