The first news article that I have read this morning was Queen Beatrix’s Christmas speech where she commented on internet and social networking.
And this afternoon I am on the internet exploring the world of social networking.
Social networking on the internet can be fun. I have been a member on Fotki, a photo hosting website for 6 years. I get visitors from all over the world and everyday I do some online “travelling” via the photos of other members. It provides an opportunity for people with similar interest to share photos and ideas on photography. It also provides the opportunity to share travel information or travel tips.
Other members share family photos with friends and family, or they are focussed on digital photography as art, or they share photos of their hobbies, varying from a to z!
Fotki is a combination between a photo hosting website and a social network. One can add friends, follow friends, add tags to photos, leave comments on photos or journal entries, leave messages in the guestbook, add to journals or a blog, update a world map with photo locations. It is up to the individual member to decide how much or how little they want to share with the general public.
For today’s exercise I had a look at Facebook, Hyves, 23Dingen Ning and Bibliotheek20Ning. I am also familiar with Linkedin, the business network. I found Facebook and Hyves very general. Lots of discussions about “nothing”. Lots of links to articles, photos and events.
I enjoyed the focussed discussions and links on 23Dingen Ning and Bibliotheek20 Ning. Lots of interesting information pertaining to the world of libraries and information.
The use of social networking in the library? Social networks can provide an updated way of communication between librarians and information specialists. Sharing ideas and offering solutions to common problems in service delivery.
Social networking between library and its users? Opinions from library directors across the world vary from positive to negative in this regard. It is a fact that most of today’s library users and non-users are active on the internet and participate in social networks. They use these networks as form of entertainment. If a library would become active on one of the social networks it would be in order to promote the additional services, events and new releases. A type of “Fun” marketing tool in other words.
Social networks are here to stay and whenever there is a message to be communicated, online sharing should be considered as an option.
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