Social networking provides opportunities for libraries to connect with users and promote their resources. It allows libraries to market themselves on platforms like Facebook and Twitter to reach younger users who may be less likely to visit physically. However, there are also challenges to consider, such as low participation rates, differing platform restrictions, and generating user enthusiasm for connecting with libraries socially. Overall, if used effectively while also addressing concerns, social networking can help libraries increase accessibility of resources and foster a sense of community, while maintaining the librarian's important role as an information expert.

1. Social Networking and Libraries
Kat Hughes

2. What is social networking?

Social networks are networks where users
create personal profiles and use them to
connect to friends and engage with their
interests.
Examples: Facebook, Myspace, Twitter,
Tumblr

3. Outreach


Social networking can an effective tool for
outreach to the younger generation,
especially those who may be less prone to
physically visit libraries
With the rising importance of electronic
resources, the importance of student
familiarity with them is crucial

4. Web 2.0


Social networking is part of web 2.0, which
can be summarized as the modern
interconnected network of blogs, social
networks, and other user-generated and
user curated content.
This provides opportunities for the growth
of libraries in several ways:

5. Marketing

Libraries can create a “brand” for their
library through services such as Twitter or
Facebook (creating a fan page to “like”)
and increase outreach

6. Accesibility



Libraries can provide links to electronic
resources and guides on how to use them
They can also personally connect with
users that may have accessibility issues
Obviously the problem of users potentially
not having internet access remains,
however

7. Sense of community

Libraries can create blogs or wikis to speak
about content relevant to the community or
otherwise connect to the community at
large, communicating the library's place as
a member of that community as well as its
importance as a member

8. Constructive criticism/feedback

Through the use of comments and
feedback on postings and asking
connected users for feedback, libraries can
respond to patrons' concerns and correct
unseen issues hampering patrons' usage
of the library.

9. SOME DRAWBACKS TO SOCIAL
NETWORKING

10. Low rates of participation
The percentage of users that provide
feedback in comparison to the total
percentage of connected users is quite low.

11. Difference in platforms



Libraries can diversify to increase their
social media presence, but must establish
their brand on each service in accordance
with each service's restrictions
Twitter's 140 characters, for example.
Potential solution: tweeting links, using
facebook or blog as central information hub

12. Generating enthusiasm


There is great difficulty in giving users
incentive to connect with libraries, when
most use social networking as a means of
diversion or leisure, or to connect with
friends
Libraries and librarians must find ways to
connect in the same way with users

13. Malleability

Creating a wiki or blog that allows editing
from the larger community opens up the
possibility for destroying, altering, or
creating altogether inaccurate and
unsourced information

14. Librarian's role in Social Media
education



Younger people are more prone to
oversharing
Copyright abuse and plagiarism is rampant
on social media
Librarians' educational role can act as a
counterbalancing force

15. Librarian's role in Social Media
education



Librarians can also educate those
conducting research about reliable sources
Malleability of information can lead to
inaccuracies and unreliability
Opportunity to promote library resources to
information seekers

16. Conclusion



Social Networking provides librarians with
new means for outreach
Concerns must be taken into account for
effective outreach
Librarians should articulate their
information expertise while in the same
moment increasing means of access

17. Conclusion




Social media and Web 2.0 can be
empowering, while still leaving room for
librarian's role as information expert
Social networking facilitates use
Social networking fosters a sense of
community
MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

18. Sources




Barnes, S. (2006). A privacy paradox: Social networking in the United States. First Monday, 11(9).
doi:10.5210/fm.v11i9.1394
Barsky, E., & Purdon, M. Introducing web 2.0: Social networking and social bookmarking for health
librarians. . Retrieved from https://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/id/1809/c06-024.pdf
Dickson, Andrea, and Robert P. Holley. "Social Networking in Academic Libraries: the Possibilities
and the Concerns." School of Library and Information Science Faculty Research Publications
(2010)
Rubin, R. E. (2010). Foundations of library and information science.