This reflective statement evaluates my development as a social networker as a result of studying subject INF206, and considers the impact this development will have on my role as an information professional in a public library.
The first online learning journal (OLJ) entry ‘OLJ creation and first entry’ (McPherson, 2010), describes my previous level of understanding on social networking practices, theories and concepts. After immersing myself in social networking technologies including Facebook, Second Life, Delicious, YouTube, Blogger, RSS, Twitter, Nings, Wikis, LinkedIn and many more, I have since reflected upon and extended my definition of social networking to include multi user virtual environments (MUVE) and an acknowledgement of the advantages for organisations and education, not just individuals and groups.
The first evidence of my progression as a social networker came as I unknowingly extended what I was learning into my work environment. The OLJ entry ‘The Facebook experiment’ (McPherson, 2010), outlines how the social networker within applied skills and knowledge for the benefit and development of the organisation.
I regret not spending more time in second life (SL) and attending more SL events and learning sessions, as I greatly benefited from the collaborative learning experience, however time eluded me. Whilst I feel I have developed sufficient skills and knowledge to evaluate functions and features in what I have already experience, I feel SL has much more to offer. According to Boellstorff (2008 p.124) ‘Newbies’ in SL often lack the skills to take full advantage of the possibilities of their avatar and its embodiment and exploring subcultures and communities. In response I plan to spend more time in SL to overcome and master the initial problems I experienced with the interface.
Keeping an online learning journal using Blogger was a new experience that assisted me in identifying my learning progress and served as a reference tool. I have used Blogger prior to this session, but the subject of the blogs didn’t inspire me to add content. My online learning journal offered an opportunity to contribute and express my own ideas and theories. I intend to continue using my blog to document my professional, educational and social networking development and experiences in the future.
As an information professional I intend to use my knowledge of Library 2.0 as a model for constant and purposeful change to move library services forward. By further combing existing online information services with social networking technologies and environments, we can extend our reach to users, providing services in a place where they already exist. Library 2.o has facilitated my achievement in understanding my role of empowering our users through participatory, user driven services and will continue to challenge my thinking.
In response to ‘The Facebook experiment’ Tamworth Library is now investigating the implementation of a Facebook fan page for the library, with a meeting scheduled, through Eventbrite, for Tuesday 1st January, 2011. My development as a social networking information professional throughout this subject has prepared me for this meeting, arming me with knowledge on the key issues and likely concerns of management including privacy verses value, copyright and online behavior. Lauby (2009) acknowledges that social media is quickly moving from an emerging form of communication to the mainstream, a point I intend to discuss and use to support my thoughts on the importance and benefits of developing a social media/networking information policy for both staff and patrons.
As a children’s and youth services librarian, I intend to use my developed ability to critically examine features and functionality, to evaluate and explore social networking technologies for youth services online. I plan to evaluate and explore Teen Second Life (13 - 17 year olds) in a professional capacity and hope to discover potential for a virtual library environment that will offer e-learning, identity exploration and virtual socialisation, where homework help and information services for young people might be offered.
My first-hand experiences as a member of social networking communities have been significant to my development as a social networker and information professional. I look forward to furthering my experiences as a social networker through immersion in existing and future web 2.0 technologies, and in becoming a social networking producer, through the development and maintenance of a library Facebook fan page, whilst applying other social networking technologies the Tamworth Library.
Furthermore I look forward to fulfilling my role in raising the awareness of social networking technologies and applications amongst my colleagues at the Tamworth Library and promoting virtual resources and gathering place to the local community.
References:
Boellstorff, T. (2008). Coming of age in Second Life: An anthropologist explores the virtually human, New Jersey: Princeton University
Eventbrite. (2011), CNRL Social Networking Meeting. Retrieved 30 January, 2011 from http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1256585481?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=event_reminder&utm_term=event_title
Lauby, S. (2009). Should your company have a social media policy? Mashable. Retrieved 26 January, 2011, from http://mashable.com/2009/04/27/social-media-policy/
McPherson, K. (2010). OLJ creation and first entry. INF206 Online learning journal. Retrieved 22 November, 2010, from http://inf206olj.blogspot.com/
McPherson, K. (2010). The Facebook experiment. INF206 Online learning journal. Retrieved 26 January, 2011, from http://inf206olj.blogspot.com/
Monday, January 31, 2011
Part 2: Reflective Statement
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Part 1: Evaluative Statement
Web 2.0, social networking, library 2.0 and participatory library service – Concept theory and practice
Web 2.0 is an all-embracing term for anything from RSS, social networking, blogs, wikis, video, image sharing, folksonomies, open source software and a host of other tools and applications (Parkes & Walton, 2010 p xi.). This INF206 Online learning journal (OLJ) explores many of these technologies and their influence on library 2.0 and participatory library service models.
Experience three (3) The A to Z of social networking, provided an opportunity to practically consider exactly which web 2.0 technologies and attitudes would best create a library 2.0 ethos. Attitudes Active and Zeal, paramount to the nature of web 2.0, and a combination of mobile technology, social networking and multimedia, were selected with current user trends in mind, in order to align with the elements of Library 2.0, defined by Casey and Savastinuk (2007) as a participatory user driven service model, of constant and purposeful change, reaching out to current and potential library users.
Identifying the social networking functions of web-based services is demonstrated in experience one (1) Delicious, where features to collaborate, share and network with others are identified. This assessment of features is support by Boyd and Ellison’s (2007), as in Griffey (2010 p. 34), definition and criteria of social networking sites.
Web 2.0 technologies and social software – Types and functions
Library 2.0 services are about building change around the needs of users, identifying which web 2.0 tools best suit these needs requires critical examination and evaluation of their features and functions (Casey & Savastinuk 2007 p.24).
Experience one (1) examines the effectiveness of Delicious without the downloadable tool bar feature. The benefits of storing bookmarks online, providing access from any location, is reliant on the user tagging those items initially. The numerous steps involved for bookmarking manually were identified as a concern for effective usability.
Experience two (2): Second Life: a virtual world, documents a first-hand experience in using the functions and features of Second Life (SL). The SL interface was identified as difficult to manipulate and was found to be a set-back in effective usability, as was the hardware required for social interaction. However consideration should be given to the level of experience at which SL was evaluated, as the critical examination of features is drawn from judgements made at a novice experience level. Farkas (2007) identifies functions and feature yet to be experienced and evaluated, including online newspapers and virtual people selling virtual items.
Making Web 2.0 work for your organisation
Library 2.0 takes the tools of Web 2.0 and moves them into a library setting to support the informational and collaborative needs of workgroups, communities and organisations (Sodt & Summey, 2009 p.97).
Social networking technologies host many beneficial initiatives for workgroups and organisations, however ICT capacity and an evaluation of the social networking tools should be considered before implementation to ensure needs are met. Experiences one (1) and two (2), evaluate the usability and features of Delicious and SL against user needs and identify how these tools may be applied to a library environment. Experience one (1) suggests using delicious as a central bookmarking tool, as the evaluation identified current bookmarking methods as out dated in comparison. Experience two (2) recommends moving current methods used for conferencing, training and team building forward into the virtual world environment, as it is believed this will extend the current experiences in social networking.
User-centred experience is at the core of social networking technologies, therefore the application of Web2.0 library services will be ultimately determined by the community (Casey and Savastinuk, 2007). The OLJ experiences suggest how technologies can be applied for users such as bookgroups and conversation partners in SL, focus group bookmarking in delicious and a Facebook fan page. These recommendations are relevant to the current user community, however consistent evaluation of user needs and trends is recommended.
Social networking and information policy
Experience two (2) SL, identifies the issue of equal access, as users are required to have sufficient bandwidth and a compatible PC to run the software. Consideration of issues such the digital divide, are essential when implementing social networking services especially in regional areas.
Technical management issues are not always evident when implementing social networking services. In the case of Delicious (experience one), the issue of hosting services through third party open source software, and the potential for closure overnight, emerged when Yahoo! announced they were selling the property (Tsotsis, 2010).
Social media/networking policy can help to protect against and support these issues and more. Experience three (3) reports on library staff using their personal account to promote library services, here information policy would provide ground rules and guidelines for employees in their professional and personal online activity (Kroski, 2009). Information policy can also be used as a guide for users in the appropriate and acceptable use of the libraries online services such as a Facebook page.
References:
Brown, A., L. (2010). ‘A to Z of Social Networking for Libraries’. Retrieved 10 December, 2010, from http://socialnetworkinglibrarian.com/2010/01/22/a-to-z-of-social-networking-for-libraries/
Casey, M., E. & Savastinuk, L., C. (2007). Library 2.0: a guide to participatory library service. New Jersey: Information Today
Farkas, M., G. (2007). Social Software in Libraries. New Jersey: Information Today
Griffey, J. (2010). Chapter 5: Social networking and the library. Library Technology Reports, 46(8), 34-37.
Kroski, E. (2009). Should your library have a social media policy?. Retrieved 22 January, 2011, from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6699104.html
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Social networking at a local level!
The ‘TAMWORTH MUMMIES AND DADDIES :)’ Facebook page is the initiative of three (3) Tamworth mothers, who together created the ideal resource for discovering and sharing what the local community has to offer.
On this particular night I happened to be online when I started to receive numerous status updates from the page in my news feed. Curious as to what was going on I headed over to the page and found myself caught up in one the most amazing social networking experience I have encounterd so far (excluding the second life collaborative learning experiences!)The TAMWORTH MUMMIES AND DADDIES PAGE was hosting a games night (this may have not been a new concept, but I hadn’t heard let alone experienced it before). The administrators had even advertised for donations of the prizes for the night from local businesses through their facebook page.
How did it work and what games did they play? The games were delivered through status updates and players could respond in the comment bar. Some example of games included guessing how many pairs of shoes the manager of Mathers shoes had in her cupboard between 100 and 150! Name bingo with the first 5 letters of your name, letters were draw and updated to the status bar requiring players to continually click the refresh bar. Treasure hunts that lead to other Facebook pages and looking for photos ect, and trivia as well.
It is estimated through the feedback on the status updates that over a one hundred (100) were visiting the page that night. What great marketing for those business that dontated prizes. Of course it goes without saying I used the opportunity to spread the word about up and comingour school holiday activities!
Check them out at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/TAMWORTH-MUMMIES-DADDIES-/267816648631
The Facebook experiment
A few weeks ago while re-pondering the assignment I had just submitted, an idea popped into my head for a way to evaluate the need for a library presence on Facebook with a fan page in the local community.
We had just taken delivery of 8 rather large barrels FULL of Lego (on lend from Lego) for a school holiday program running in our regional branches and there was one barrel left over after redistribution.
Cutting a long story short it was decided to run a Lego activity for one hour on the Saturday morning of that week with no other advertising than through existing local fan pages on Facebook.
The experiment outlaid no cost as there was no expense spent on advertising the program only the time invested to post, the program ran during the regular story time hour that runs during the school term so staffing was already allocated and the equipment for the program was free of charge.
I promoted the event using my own profile through the TAMWORTH MUMMIES AND DADDIES PAGE :), the local radio station fan pages, through my own status and posting on various walls of friends.
The Saturday of the Lego activity also coincided with the start of the annual Country Music Festival which is notorious for causing parking problems in the CBD. Despite this we still has 13 children attend the session with 9 adults. A significant point however was that none of the people who attended where regular library user, we had actually attracted non user to the library quite possibly for the first time! There were also many expressions of interest through the comments functions from people who couldn’t make it to the session, but wondered if and when we would be running it again.
Our library does not yet have a Facebook page and I'm hoping to use this experiment to strengthen our case for establishing one.
Photo's of the fisihed product where taken and emailed out to families
