Periodically I like to share stories of libraries and other organizations doing a great job with marketing, communications, and community engagement. Here’s a really fun example from my fellow LMCC Board member Rachael Muszkiewicz, Associate Professor of Library Science for Valparaiso University’s Christopher Center Library — with an unexpected Jeopardy! twist.
The Video
Rachael and her team created “The Library Shining” — a playful parody video inspired by The Shining, filmed right in the Christopher Center Library. It’s clever, fun, and full of personality.
The Jeopardy! Connection
In July 2026, Grace Biermann — a 2021 Valparaiso University graduate and visiting professor at the time — appeared on Jeopardy! and made history as the first woman in three years to enter Final Jeopardy! with at least $30,000 banked in a regular-season game.
During her second episode, host Ken Jennings asked about her work, and Grace mentioned the “Library Shining” video she and her colleagues had filmed — a video she appeared in, playing the ghost twin on the left (right).
Why this is a success
When I teach social media strategies, I often talk about four types of content:
- Your Messaging — essential announcements and service info
- Trending Topics — content that taps into holidays, pop culture, or timely moments
- Engagement Prompts — posts designed to get comments, shares, and reactions
- Other Content of Interest — fun, humorous, and/or visually engaging material
“The Library Shining” fits squarely into the fourth category — fun, shareable, and full of personality. The Jeopardy! mention is the icing on the cake, but the video was great content even before that.
And here’s the thing — this kind of content has legs. My tip to libraries is always to work smarter, not harder. If you put real effort into a piece of content like “The Library Shining,” you can re-use it across formats, clip it for quick social posts, bring it back at seasonal moments like Halloween, and generally have fun with it — without feeling like you have to produce a brand-new viral video every month.
What you can learn from this
- Don’t be afraid to have fun — your audience wants to see the human side of your library.
- A short, well-executed video can outperform a dozen text posts.
- Shareworthy content can earn you unexpected national exposure.
Want to learn more social media strategies?
Check out my other blog posts and step-by-step social media tutorials on CAC Academy — I cover content planning, engagement tactics, analytics, and more. Whether you’re a solo librarian or part of a communications team, there’s something there to level up your strategy.
👉 Head over to CAC Academy and start exploring!
