Competency Description and Scope:

With support to cultivate the richness of information and resources at their disposal, librarians have the ability to influence people's lives in unexpected ways. To interact more with users seeking information, we now see information professionals starting to incorporate social networking applications and visual data display as part of the Library 2.0 movement (ALA, 2012). Despite a historical reluctance on the part of information institutions to integrate social media applications due to their possibly frivolous or informal titles (possibly out of fear, a lack of comfort with newer devices, or an unclear nature of the return on investment), thankfully, additional research revealed that web tools and social media have an enormous return on investment (of time and talents). These developing information and communication technologies enable libraries to communicate with their patrons via a number of channels. To finish explaining what this section is about and what it covers, I will define social media and data visualization and explain why their roles in analytics are important and why LIS students should care about them.

Social Media

One of the major benefits of social media marketing is that consumers may obtain information-related news from librarians anywhere. They need not be physically present at the library and this was especially solidified during the COVID-19 shutdown. Social media allows libraries and information professionals to be more proactive in their outreach efforts to users. In the same way that businesses use social media to keep customers coming back, libraries should use social media to cultivate user loyalty.

It is clear that social media posts influence consumer views and purchasing decisions in an increasing number of ways (Court et al., 2009; Edelman, 2010). The influence of these messages is "viral" in nature. According to a research done by Comscore (2011) of three successful companies', Facebook messages, has reached a ranged from 125% to 169% when friends of followers were added. As of 2022, the top 5 social media websites (Facebook, Instagra, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest) have over 5 billion active monthly users combined with Facebook still being #1 with 2.98 billion (West, C., Top 10 social media apps and sites in 2022). If organizations do not start listening to these social media discussions and using them to build competitive information, they will continue to lose any potential competitive advantage (Ramsay, 2010).

Data Visualization

Data visualization is the use of graphics to show abstract information for two reasons: to make sense of it (which is also called "data analysis") and to share it. There are important stories hidden in our data, and data visualization is a powerful way to find, understand, and share these stories. It is the use of graphs, charts, maps, and other visual elements to show data in a way that can be understood by everyone. Due to the fact that it discusses things that cannot be seen or touched, the information is abstract. Providing visual elements will draw viewers in and maintains their attention on the most crucial topic.

When evaluating huge datasets, information overload might be caused by a lack of design or display methods, rather than by an abundance of data. Statistics, being based on numbers, are inherently enigmatic. All informative organizations, however, should attempt to create a pictorial form of their data for decision-making and to let the public know the reasoning. Consequently, we utilize visual methods to give shape to an idea that may lack visual understanding due to numerical nature. That is to say, we need to use design concepts that are based on how people view things if we want to successfully portray data. Understanding how humans perceive and process visual information is necessary for this translation of the abstract into physical characteristics of vision (such as length, location, size, shape, and color, to mention a few).

In conclusion, I feel that social media is a significant, modern tool that may improve library outreach, and I believe that data visualization can help people understand the narrative to patterns, odd increase or decrease, or any other results that need to be examined. With these two topics in mind, I will show from my evidence below how I chose, appropriately used, and evaluated tools and technologies for future use as an MLIS graduate.

Importance to the Profession:

From the time of card catalogs to the time of digital catalogs, libraries have always been important for spreading knowledge as a social good. In competency G, I highlighted how computers automated the process of handling information; however, it is still up to the information professional to communicate its meaning to others. Therefore, it is clear that leveraging social media to learn why people purchase (or do or do not engage with) a company's goods or services is crucial to gaining a competitive edge. According to a recent study on the topic conducted by Comscore's whitepaper (2016), one out of every five minutes spent online is spent in a social networking environment. Libraries risk losing their competitive edge if they do not start paying attention to online dialogues and using the information they uncover to get an edge in the marketplace (Ramsay, 2010). More so, to connect data design to the importance of the profession, we need to take into account the user's perspective throughout the whole procedure of creating official access to data. Although social media is a relatively new medium for libraries, its application has significantly improved. Prior to SJSU, I was unaware of how return on investment (ROI) might apply to libraries; nonetheless, the most important lesson to remember is that social media and data visualization must have a strategy for significant changes. The objective of this competency was to enable students to become familiar with social media posting and administration, as well as provide visual analytics to gauge a mission's success. These skills are not innate; rather, they rely significantly on practice with the tools themselves and should be refined as an LIS student and eventually demonstrating a sense of mastery as a graduate.

Preparation to Understand Competency H

When it comes to data visualization and accessible technologies, it is essential for libraries to include trends in their outreach and know how to utilize the newer, more efficient technology. For this preparation, it was my intention to practice using different tools to get to the essence of responding to technological advancements. My goal with data visualizations has always been to write a message that is interesting, helpful, and convincing. For social media, it has always been a natural part of my life, and producing content takes consistent planning, teamwork, and research for the best social media practices. I wanted to say in particular that I had learned how to:

• Recognize the significance of context

• Determine the suitable graph type

• Identify and remove clutter

• Direct the audience's focus

• Consider design principles while displaying data.

• Utilize the power of narrative to help my audience connect with my message.

This means that every new technology provided to enhance services must be thoroughly tested to ensure that it is appropriate for consumers' ever-changing informational needs. Users' experience with old technology, their degree of comfort with the new platform, and how they intend to utilize it should all be included in evaluations. An information center should emphasize any interactive resources that may increase the quality of the user's search results in addition to the normal offerings. As someone who has participated in library outreach for both public and academic libraries, I am also acquainted with the search, application, and assessment procedures for social media. Being a part of a formal strategy plan to connect the community with library material and conversation has been gratifying.