David Lee King

social media | emerging trends | libraries

The Social Web and Libraries

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I was just doing some blog reading, and that triggered some ideas that I want to do some more thinking about. And YOU get to come along for the ride!

Here’s what I was reading:

First off – I think I like the term “Social Web” better than “Web 2.0.” Why? Web 2.0 is a vague, muddied term. It mixes the social with the uber-geek-techie in ways that is sometimes confusing.

But the Social Web? To me, by the time social web components are being used, the techie part has already been accomplished. The blog is built, the coding has been done, and the framework has been tidied up. It’s all ready to go – it’s ready for people to start connecting with people.

And that’s something that libraries do well – the social. When we’re working the reference desk, answering questions… we’re doing the social. When we’re in a meeting, discussing our programs… we’re doing the social. Having a social focus is a HUGE component of what we do as libraries.

So anyway…  I read the ReadWriteWeb article (which doesn’t really deal with the Social Web in a big way – but they used the term, thus the trigger for me), and then I remembered Sarah’s post on social networking tips. Some of her points touch on the need to be real/human/transparent with our library communities, and provide tips on how to do that.

So – how are you “being social” online? How do you “do” digital community? There’s really no easy answer to that question … but a lot of people are focused on figuring it out, at least in the commercial online world! I think there are some posts there, too. What do you think? What’s the social web all about? How do you connect with patrons online? Why would you even want to do that?

Let’s discuss…

[photo by Max’s Pixs’]

Go Go Gadget!?! Technology, Trends, and Children’s Services at CLA2008

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Walking around VancouverI presented Go Go Gadget!?! Technology, Trends, and Children’s Services at the Canadian Library Association’s annual conference (link goes to the pdf version of my slides).

What a blast! Vancouver is a fun city to explore, and the people who attended my session were great – lots of good questions and interaction.

Youth, kids, teens, and 2.0 stuff – amazing area to explore. Did you know there are elementary school classes that blog? They assign one child as the “reporter of the day” – that kid takes photos and blogs the entire day’s events for that class. What a cool way to learn writing, blogging, photography, and 2.0 technology!

Managers Pay Attention – a talk at MLA2008

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managers pay attention!I’ve been a bit slow to post some recent presentations (and people have been asking me to post them), so… here’s the first one.

I gave a talk in May at the Massachusetts Library Association’s annual conference titled Managers Pay Attention! Why Social Networking and Web 2.0 is Important for your Library (link goes to the pdf version of my slides). It was a fun talk (and a newer one for me, which is always fun, too).

Engaging in Many Ways

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Last post from my reading of Mobilizing Generation 2.0: A Practical Guide to Using Web 2.0 Technologies to Recruit, Organize, and Engage Youth, by Ben Rigby (you should go read it yourself – it’s a good book!). Rigby talks about George Miller, a Democratic congressman from California, on page 106. Miller used video-based conversation starters and other social networking tools in a fun way:

“In a two-minute YouTube video, [Miller] launched a campaign called “Ask George.” In this handheld video, Miller sat casually in his office chair and asked supporters to engage with him in a dialogue about the Iraq war. He invited participation via numerous avenues:

  • Shoot a video of your question and upload it to YouTube, SplashCat, Blip.tv, or Google video. Tag the video with the phrase “askgeorge.”
  • Post a question on your blog and tag it “askgeorge.”
  • Join the “Ask George” group on Facebook and post your question there.
  • E-mail a question to [email protected] with the subject “Ask George.” “

Nice use of tagging, multimedia, and other emerging services and tools. So – my question to you: Would this work in other settings? Would this work in libraries? What questions could you ask? I can definitely see it working in a YA/Teen setting. How about in grown-up settings?

Here’s an idea – have the library director talk (for a minute or less) about his/her favorite book. Then do what Miller did – ask for tagged responses, and see what happens…