FEATURE
Using Twitch at Your Public Library
by Anne Jamieson, Victoria Karlovsky, Megan Sanks, Sam Rosen, and Cristina Bueno
| Video game streaming is the backbone of Twitch and is a great way to showcase games in the library collection. |
When the pandemic hit, libraries pivoted to providing virtual programming and services for their patrons. Since then, especially for adults, virtual and hybrid options continue to be very popular. Enter, Twitch.
Twitch is an online platform for streaming content. It originally came into prominence as a site for streaming e-sports, but it has since expanded to include such things as video games, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), chess, and concerts. In 2022, Twitch averaged 35 million daily viewers, and every month, 7 million unique streamers go live.1 Signing up for Twitch is free, and people can watch streams and recordings without an account if they wish. Twitch is particularly popular with younger adults, teens, and older kids.2 Without monetization, videos are kept on Twitch for 1 week, so it’s possible to gain both live views and views from the recording.
Over the past few years, a number of staffers at Deerfield Public Library have gotten into Twitch, whether through Critical Role’s D&D stream or via virtual offerings from musicians, gamers, and more. One of our staffers even attended a virtual comic con. We began to ask ourselves how we could use Twitch to connect with the community virtually.
Pitching the Project
The first hurdle in bringing Twitch to our public library was getting management buy-in. While we had experience with Twitch and some ideas of how we could use it at the library, Twitch was still an unknown entity to many on our management team. We wanted to be clear and precise about how we could create additional engagement with our patrons and add to our virtual offerings.
We developed a proposal that explained the basics as well as the ideas we had for potential programming, which included resources for learning more.3 Additionally, we thought it was important to pitch this as a project in which staffers from all over the library could participate. When we did a survey in 2022, one of the things the community expressed was how much they loved our staff, and we thought Twitch was a great way to showcase our staff members’ personalities.
Equipment
The minimum setup required to stream on Twitch is a computer that can handle streaming software, a microphone, and a camera. Our streaming setup utilizes webcams, an omnidirectional microphone, and OBS Studio.4 We have developed standardized setups for different programming types; for example, with a board game stream, we try to have one camera on our participants and another on the board game.
Programming
We provide a wide variety of programming and use both prerecorded and live content. Prerecording allows more flexibility with scheduling and lets more people participate, but it limits your visual engagement. Livestreaming allows for easier engagement with viewers, but it places limits on scheduling since you need to be available at a specific time. Our programming can be loosely grouped into the following four categories.
Board Games
Finding your niche on Twitch is a great way to get noticed. In 2022, we were among the top 17% of board game streamers according to our 2022 Twitch Recap.5 Our board game streams are among our most popular. We focus solely on board games that are available for checkout at the library, and we showcase the wide variety of games we carry as well as provide instruction on how to play them.
There are a few things to keep in mind when streaming board games. One is presentation. Can viewers follow along and see the various pieces of the game? Next are the players. You definitely want to ensure people know how to play the game. Some games work better with more players, so you’ll need additional participants. You also want to be sure you have booked enough time to play the game. Since we prerecord our board games, we try to stick with games that take 1 or 2 hours to play. We have to ensure there’s enough time to finish the recording and that it won’t be too long for staff to stream online. We film both competitive and cooperative games that take varying lengths of time to play so we can appeal to different viewers.
Video Games
Video game streaming is the backbone of Twitch and is a great way to showcase games in the library collection. Our video game streams are sometimes done live, but they are mostly prerecorded. We keep several things in mind when planning out these streams. We try to ensure that someone knows how to play the game and that it will be engaging to watch on stream. We try to find a game design that looks good on screen and has rules that can be explained clearly and succinctly. We also make sure that the library owns the game and the console required to play it. We have done a few streams based on feedback from community members who watch our streams. Video game streams can be a lot of fun and very entertaining for viewers.
Live Readalongs
Lunchtime Listens is our weekly live readalong program, and it features staff members reading either portions of a larger story or short stories for about an hour. We’ve had success with episodes featuring complete stories and longer stories read over the course of weeks. Lunchtime Listens is the least time-intensive program we provide on Twitch and is something that can easily be implemented at libraries without a lot of time and staff to dedicate to streaming. All you need is a good book and someone who’s willing to spend some time reading it in front of a camera.
Virtual Programming
The convenience of attending a program from home is too good to pass up. Twitch allows us to share our virtual and hybrid programs with anyone and extends our reach beyond those who follow the library’s YouTube channel or programming calendar. If you’re already hosting a virtual or hybrid program, you don’t have to do much additionally to stream on Twitch. Twitch allows you to connect to a Zoom account and livestream directly from there. You also have the option to stream program recordings later. It’s important to choose programs that are unique or visually appealing—content that Twitch users would find interesting. We work with our adult programming coordinator to decide which programs are best for Twitch as well as the presenters who have granted us permission to record or cross-post.
Youth programs are a little tricky to stream on Twitch because you have to ensure that no minors are visible or that you have written permission from their legal guardians. Our library doesn’t do many virtual or hybrid programs now for youth, but when we do, the programs are usually very interactive. If you know you want to stream a youth program on Twitch, be sure to have video and sound off for all participants to avoid any issues.
Branding and Advertising
Branding and customization of your Twitch channel are important so you’re recognizable as a library and familiar to your patrons. We chose a Twitch handle that clearly reflects the library, and we use existing library branding and graphics on our channel to keep it in line with our other social media accounts. We aim for consistency.
When we launched our channel, we knew it was critical to get the word out in a variety of ways. We released a channel trailer on all of our social media accounts and worked with our social media coordinator to ensure there was in-library signage and information in our enewsletter. We also have a landing page on our website and promote streams on social media—especially on X (formerly known as Twitter). Word-of-mouth is important, particularly to patrons we think might be interested, such as our D&D program participants.
Showcasing our channel content is a great way to advertise. Twitch allows you to make clips from your stream to use in social media promotion. Clips are short (5–60 seconds) snippets taken from the stream and can be created by anyone watching. We have a lot of fun with clips and have made many compilation and promotional videos.
Chat and Moderation
One unique aspect of Twitch streaming is the live-chat feature. Twitch chat is an important part of any channel because it allows viewers to communicate with the streamer and with each other. This helps build community, which is a big reason viewers keep coming back. Only viewers with a Twitch account can communicate in chat. We’ve found that viewers utilize chat in a variety of ways to communicate about the game being played or the book being read or even to ask questions about the library.
Twitch moderators (mods) are a critical part of any channel. They are trusted members of the community who help ensure that chat doesn’t violate any content or behavior standards set by the streamer or Twitch. Mods help police chat by removing offensive posts or spam and removing or blocking violators from chat. Mods ensure that chat runs smoothly, new chatters are greeted, and questions are answered. They are an integral part of any welcoming Twitch community and are identifiable by the large green sword icon next to their username.6
We have a designated mod account for our Twitch channel and do not use our personal accounts for safety and security reasons. A staff member logged in as our mod monitors the chat during streams and works with the broadcaster to ensure that all of the information we want posted in chat is included.7 Moderation is especially important during live streams and virtual programming that might be viewed as controversial. For those who are not already familiar with Twitch, we recommend spending some time watching other streams to learn more about the critical role moderators play in each community.
Streaming Challenges
As fun as it is to stream on Twitch, the process can present challenges requiring our planning and improvisation skills. Since we provide both prerecorded and live-streamed content, we need to be aware of the time required for filming, editing, streaming, and moderating. We use a poll to find times that align with our team’s monthly schedule. While streaming, we have to be mindful of what we say since we’re live on the internet and strive to be a family-friendly channel. Some team members are pretty competitive, which can inspire a plethora of colorful words. Self-censoring and mindfulness are key when emotions are heated during gameplay.
Technology issues can arise at a moment’s notice. Make sure to have a strong understanding of the technology you’re using to film so that you can troubleshoot problems. Coordinate with your IT department to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Looking Ahead
We’ve had a great deal of success with our Twitch channel so far, and there are several ways we’d like to expand and grow. We’ve been interested in streaming tabletop roleplaying games since we first started out. Our library also boasts an incredible makerspace with talented staffers, which we would love to showcase on our channel through live streams of machines like our 3D printer or laser cutter or via craft-along programs featuring staffers working on creative projects. We also want to stream more virtual programs to increase patron attendance and allow more patrons to access our offerings. We hope to continue collaborating with staffers from different departments as well as with patrons and other interested libraries.
Twitch is an excellent way to promote a library’s collections, programs, and services. It allows you to expand your programming reach and is a really fun way to show off your best asset—your staff and their unique personalities.
The variety of programs you can do on Twitch is only bound by your creativity and your collection. With Twitch, libraries have an amazing opportunity to provide a unique new source of content. Join us!
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