A to Z of social networking

My current library website is a pretty sad thing to behold. It's a static page that is only a pathway to the catalog and the databases. It offers no content, does not create a sense of community or connect with the community in any way. Yes it works, does it offer anything other than a path? No. Obviously, this needs to change as soon as possible. I'm really lucky because the library and technology departments are integrated and I work with several savvy and creative tech guys. Redesigning the library web page is already in the pipe line, it's just a matter of time. This brings me to the first letter or the A to Z's - "H" - for help. The advice offered is to create the web page as a group. Create a team and work on the re-design collaboratively. I fully intend to follow that advice. I don't think I need to elucidate all the reasons its a good idea to work with a team. The 2nd letter I'd like to focus on as soon as possible is "B" for blog - starting a library blog would be a really easy and free way to make the library more relevant immediately. The blog can serve as an interface to share book reviews, interesting videos, school news and events, new materials in the library etc. A blog would allow the library team to create content really easily and also allow patrons to post content with the oversight of a librarian. A blog is a very immediate way to connect the library to the greater community and since we already have a community email , it would be extremely easy to advertise the blog and share new content with the entire community. The 3rd letter is "C" content, as I've already stated - the web page doesn't have any content currently so adding anything at all would be a huge improvement. The 4th letter is "G" for good reads. I think adding book reviews, patron and published, linking to book review websites, adding Library Thing, and advertising new materials in the library is an extremely important service for our community. With all the bells and whistles a library offers, one of out primary missions is still to connect a patron with a book.  My final letter is "R" for reference - I really like the idea of bringing reference services into the 21st century by utilizing "ask a librarian" service through text messaging, instant messaging, and Facebook. My students, being teenagers, spend most of their days with texting, IMing, and on Facebook it seems obvious that we should offer reference services through the venues they use.

ASU library website

The ASU library website is truly amazing. I'm still in library school and articles, podcasts etc. from ASU have been shown repeatedly as an example of good librarianship. I am continually impressed with the work they are doing. I think that the librarians at ASU have succeeded in creating a library catalog that is also a vibrant and data rich community. By utilizing most of the well-known forms of social technology, ie: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the like, the library has captured at least 2 of the 4 C's, conversation and community. They've created community by getting out of the library, and by bringing the rest of the school in by advertising school events, creating podcasts and videos to discuss and share other campus events, and by hosting school events. By engaging in the above activities the library has made themselves relevant to the community beyond just lending them books and providing information. I think the library does engage in some collaboration to a degree by enabling the creation of tag clouds, and working with other departments at the university via podcasts, etc. Aside from tag cloud creation I don't think that site really allows for content creation on the part of the users but I don't think it necessarily has to either. Content creation has its place within the school  community but I don't think the library website is the place for it except within strict parameters, such as patron reviews (podcast or video) and other things like that. The library website should be primarily controlled by the agreed upon department. Patrons should not be allowed to add content without the oversight of a librarian. It's important that the library catalog works efficiently for users and allowing people to muck about adding their own content, to me, is not a good idea. Overall, CSU's website is memorable and enviable - definitely something to work toward in my own library site.

Why RSS feeds are perfect for a library

When I think of RSS feeds I think of fresh up-to-date information and news that provides interesting content or information for the follower of the feed. I subscribe to several RSS feeds including blogs that I follow on a daily basis. I like that the feed lets me know when new information has been posted rather than having to go to each of those sites individually. I guess I'm typical of the Web 2.0 generation in that I love to have my news and pop culture information fed to me with a spoon. I enjoy information coming to me rather than having to make the effort to go out and find it. I know that sounds really lazy but I don't intend it to. I'm a librarian, I spend all day looking for obscure bits of specific information to satisfy whatever question my patrons may have so when it comes to news etc. it's a relief to not have to go looking for every bit of information. This is ultimately a long-winded way of saying that there is an incredible amount of information generated on the web every minute of every day. Subscribing to RSS feeds are a benefit to my patrons because I can analyze and select a few sources of information and then subscribe to their feed and have just that information provided for may patrons. If I've done my job, that information source will be dynamic, interesting, impartial, and informative and provide actual value to the library. When I think of useful sites for the library I think of book review sites and news sites.  Searching through the millions of useful RSS feeds, I've chosen BookBrowse.com NPR Headline News and CNN Headline News. I think its important to offer up-to-date news from a variety of sources and being a librarian I must include a site for book reviews so that my patrons can access new titles and information for their reading and information needs. The difficulty with providing RSS feeds, to me, is trying to balance my own personal view point with the bias free point of view that my patrons deserve. By choosing feeds that share news and information from a broad variety of sources I hope that I can provide them with quick efficient access to information that can enrich their day.