#19 Social Networking Tools

You may have been hearing a lot about social networking tools in conjunction with Web 2.0 and Library 2.0. What exactly is social networking? Well, you can read about it on Wikipedia or you can watch this Common Craft video:

For thing 19, we will take a look at social networking and libraries. There are two major social networking sites libraries are using: MySpace and Facebook. With both of these sites, users create a page about themselves listing interests, hobbies and news. The sites allow users to “friend” each other, creating networks. Many libraries are using these tools to reach their teen patrons.

Some of the other Web 2.0 sites we have looked at also have social networking components:

• Flickr allows users to tag photos and share them with groups and pools. Many of the Flickr groups have discussion forums for users to share ideas and stories.
• Library Thing allows users to see each other’s libraries and join discussion groups around common interests.
• Delicious users can create networks of bookmarks and even send tagged items to each other.

One of the newest social networking crazes is microblogging. One of the more popular resources for this is Twitter. Once again, we turn to a Common Craft video to find out more about Twitter:

Discovery Resources:

1. Library Success Wiki: MySpace and Teens (a list of libraries with MySpace pages for teens)
2. West Chester Public Library MySpace page: WCPL Teens
3. West Chester Public Library Facebook page: West Chester Public Library Teens
4. Library Success Wiki: Microblogging (a list of libraries who use microblogging and articles on libraries and microblogging)

Discovery Exercise:

1. Explore some library MySpace pages, including WCPL.
2. Explore some libraries using microblogging.
3. Write a blog post on social networking in libraries. What do you think about libraries having a presence on MySpace and Facebook? What do you think about microblogging?