Brighten Your Day

The Milwaukee Public Library's TikTok Account Is Amazing

December 28, 2022

The Milwaukee public library account might be my new favorite account on TikTok.

The videos are fun and creative.

Its latest hit video shows a 90-year-old woman shrugging off the notion that she's too old for Japanese graphic novels.

@milwaukeepubliclibrary When you're around I got arrhythmia (literally). I'm on multiple medications for it. #Girlfriend #HemlockeSprings #OldPeople #Elderly #Manga #Comics #Anime #fyp #FlippingOff #Birdie #MiddleFinger #FlipTheBird ♬ girlfriend - Hemlocke Springs

In another video, "Wednesday Addams has a reference question" and the woman performs Jenna Ortega's dance famous dance from the popular Netflix series "Wednesday".

@milwaukeepubliclibrary I cruise though the city and I roam the street looking for this nice librarian. I need a book recommendation. #WednesdayAddams #Wednesday #TheAddamsFamily #JennaOrtega #WednesdayEdit #WednesdayVibes #TheRealPussinBoots#fypシシ#fyp ♬ Goo Goo Muck - The Cramps

The elderly woman in the first video is the grandmother of 38-year-old library employee Fawn Siemsen-Fuchs, who is in charge of the videos.

Siemsen-Fuchs writes the content for the videos and finds volunteers to appear in them.

She works with Derek Reilly, 32, a research and policy coordinator, who films and edits the TikToks.

@milwaukeepubliclibrary Replying to @qarabinnemsi ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Would poop here again. Didn't even have to buy anything. #BathroomTok #BathroomToks #Saweetie #SaweetieChallenge #LetsGo #fypシ #fyp ♬ LETS GO - LevitatingOnTheMoonWithDulaPee

According to the Wall Street Journal, visits to the library and library-card sign-ups have increased in recent months.

The library's TikTok account currently has nearly 3 million likes and 90,000 followers.