Social networking sites are web sites that offer connections between users based on shared interests, backgrounds and other associations. In most cases you have to create a profile to fully participate - these note basic details about yourself (screen name, etc.) and offer an opportunity to get more detailed (i.e. your favorite music, your background, photos of yourself, etc). It's truly a mix - some users keep it simple while others go all out, detailing their interests, their hopes and their dreams.
Friends, Connections
What really makes these sites tick is the connection between users - you can find people based on shared interests and traits. You also get to approach other users and invite them to declare an association with you. Some sites call your associations 'friends,' others call them 'contacts.'
Popular Social Networking Sites
The first was Friendster, back in 2003. Friendster developed a small following (and its still in use) but never caught on widely. The big problem was their restrictive participation policy - it was limited to individuals. Next came MySpace which, for all intents and purposes, copied the best parts of Friendster and then upped the ante by opening participation to non-individuals. Bands, clubs, community groups and even libraries were encouraged to create profiles that would improve the richness of the MySpace online community. And that was key - with the inclusion of these group entities, MySpace became a real life community where users logged in to do more than just connect with their friends. To this day, MySpace remains the most popular social networking site out there. Of course, the popular competitor Facebook, started as a college-oriented network but has since opened its doors to everyone else.
Then there's Second Life - a very different type of online community where users download software to their computers, create avatars (online versions of themselves) and interact with whomever they meet.
Twitter provides a quick and easy way to update people about what you're doing. Unlike a blog, Twitter is about short updates. For example, KCLS uses Twitter to highlight events, books and other resources available to patrons that they may not know about. The trick is to get people to "follow" your site, but once the word is out, you'll be surprised at how many followers you get. Why should libraries care?
It's all about relevance. Libraries need to be where our patrons are. If a library has a presence on MySpace or Facebook they have a better chance of finding patrons who don't often come into their buildings or go to their websites (especially teens) and promoting their fabulous services. Look at this list of libraries on MySpace from YALSA.
Discovery Exercise.
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Social Networking |