Week 4 Social networking

Week 4 This week we’ll be looking at social networking and how you can use it for more than managing your social life.

What is social networking?

Social networking links organisations and or individuals who have a shared interest. There are as many different social networking sites as there are social groups. Mumsnet, confetti, pinterest, ravelry, myspace, bebo  to name a few.  If you are joining these or any other public social network take a quick look at Emily’s guidance  via Upgrade on staying safe online  

Brian Solis Online - Social Map http://www.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=3907945&searchId=408b91ab61941684433bd4be3cd2e357&npos=12 )

We will be looking at two forms of social network.  Twitter enables everyone to post short snappy pieces of information to a wide audience and LinkedIn which is a professional version of Facebook.

Why should librarians and Libraries tweet?

Marketing  -  you can promote events, services, workshops

Updating –let people know any changes to services,  database downtime, opening hours

Information – very immediate you can see what is ‘trending’ before it hits the main news even if you don’t have an account

On the move – access twitter anytime, anywhere there is a phone or wi fi signal.

Communicating with students – students engage with Twitter http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2010.00387.x/abstract

Have a look at how Emily uses Twitter in

Rise of the twegals

Phil Bradley lists lots more reasons and ways in which Librarians can use twitter on his site, http://www.philb.com/twitter.htm and has hints and tips on getting started, if you are new to this medium.  

Thing 10 set up a Twitter account

How to do it

Go to  twitter.com enter your details in the ‘New to Twitter’ boxes to the right hand side of your screen. 

You’ll be able to see if your chosen user name is available at the next screen where you agree terms and conditions.

http://www.twitip.com/ contains a ‘beginners guide’

Lots of tools and gadgets are available to help you get the best from Twitter. Here are ten that save you time when tweeting  http://www.inspiredm.com/10-twitter-tools-to-save-more-time/?utm_source=feedburner

Thing 11 find some Library related accounts to follow. Hint: you could search for libraries or find city university library then see who we follow and who follows us

Thing 12 Set up a linkedIin account and add some city university contacts

Why should librarians and Libraries use LinkedIn?

Marketing – yourself by creating your e-portfolio  and your events by using the ‘events’ app.

Updating – catch up with colleagues who you’ve worked or studied with in the past

Information – Use the ‘poll’ app to survey others or the Amazon reading list to see what others are reading

How to do it

Go to http://www.linkedin.com/

You will be sent a confirmation email when setting up your account.

This article contains five tips on getting the most out of LinkedIn. http://www.law.com/jsp/lawtechnologynews/PubArticleLTN.jsp?id=1202497970555&slreturn=1&hbxlogin=1

Hint: Don't use 'anonymous' settings in your profile if you wish to see who has been looking at your profile.

Don't forget to share your social networking successes with us using the blog and tags.  

Verena

Cool Extra Thing - Facebook (You don't need to join to do this).

Although we haven't used Facebook in the main things this week it is the largest social networking site both in number of users and time spent on it so it would be amiss not to mention it. Many libraries have realised that Facebook is where a large number of their users are active online and so have created an online presence on Facebook.

The cool thing for this week is to have a look at some pages/groups and see if you can find any more and reflect on what you think works/doesn't work and what we could include in a City Facebook page.

Below is a sample of different libraries Facebook pages or groups. Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups are similar but do slightly different things. For example Groups allow mass mesaging of members but Pages don't and Pages allow for target posts into "fans" streams but Groups don't. There is more on this here.

All the links below are public and don't require a Facebook account to view.
SCHS Subject Librarians, City University  (You might recognise some faces here!)

British Library
Brunel University Library
City Business Library
Harvard University Library
Judge Business School Library
Keele University Library
Leeds Libraries
MIT Music Library
Orkney Library and Archives
University of Sussex Library

Not all university library sites are official as this one that comes up if you search for Keele University Library proves.

Helen