Libraries – Time to get onboard with social networking or find yourselves extinct!

 This paper will examine libraries and their importance in embracing the web 2.0 phenomenon of social networking.   This paper will examine the importance of using social networking sites like facebook,  twitter and youtube to enable libraries to “engage with students in the virtual environment”(Graham, Faix, & Hartman, 2009, p. 228) for the  promotion of the library, library events and services, teaching and learning and humanising the concept of the library and librarians.  This paper will also examine the importance that social networking sites have with improving professional relationships within the library profession and across the university therefore, resulting in an increase of information sharing that ensures libraries are on the forefront of changes in demands and needs of their students. If libraries fail to adopt this technology, they are in danger of finding themselves extinct. 

 Engaging with students in the virtual environment

 Libraries need to realise that in order to engage with their users they will need to reach them “in their preferred methods of communication” (Topper, 2007, p. 378).  This statement by Topper illustrates the need for libraries to ensure that they reach their students by utilising their preferred methods of communication. Since, the development of web 2.0 and the web becoming a place for sharing, collaboration and where the user becomes the creator, it has created different methods of communication including social networking sites.  These sites have allowed students to communicate and collaborate with fellow students, resulting in a change in the way that universities are delivering course material and teaching therefore, it is imperative that these changes are also reflected by libraries.   Mark Zuckerman the creator of facebook created the online network for college students, highlighting the shift in the way that students were looking to communicate and collaborate with other students and the university they attended (Mark Zuckerberg, 2010, facebook, para. 1).  It would be foolish for libraries to ignore a social networking site that was developed intentionally for the clients they are providing support and services for. The rise in popularity of facebook since 2006 to over “70 million active users” (Graham et al., 2009, p. 228)  also intensifies the reasoning behind why libraries need to become committed to using social networking in reaching their target audience since, this medium has becoming increasingly popular as a method of communication.   

 Social networking for the promotion of library events and services

Australian university libraries including Sydney University Library, Curtin University Library, University of Technology, Sydney Library (UTS) and Queensland University of Technology Library (QUT) are some of the university libraries who are employing social networking sites like facebook, YouTube and twitter to promote the libraries services and events.  The UTS library uses YouTube to provide instructional videos by librarians to demonstrate how to use services in the library.  These YouTube videos include instructions on how to use the “self service machines” to borrow their library books, how to print and copy with their student identification card, food and drink, booking rooms and learning commons (UTS Library, 2009). The UTS library also ran a competition called LibFlicks (UTS Library, 2010) asking the student population to make a video on “what makes the UTS library so great” (UTS Library, 2010) then promoted the entries on YouTube.  This competition highlights how UTS library are utilising social networking by including students to target other students in the promotion of the importance of a library in their university studies.  The UTS library also used facebook and twitter for the promotion of the library for new students starting university in 2010, by encouraging students to attend a “library fun day” (UTS Library, 2010).   This promotion using social networking media illustrates how the UTS library are aiming at encouraging the use of the library through popular social networking sites which enables the library to target large amounts of students and also to encourage students to become a fan of the UTS library so they receive constant updates on new events and services. 

Other universities using facebook to promote services and events to their student population include Sydney University Library use facebook to promote events and services including new books in the collect, “who loves Manga, we have lots of fantastic new Japanese Manga books”(University of Sydney Library, n.d.), QUT University has used their facebook page to promote other library catalogues like “Oxford’s English Faculty Library” and Curtin University Library, Kalgoorlie facebook page has information on how to “find e-journals” (Curtin University, Kalgoorlie Campus Library, n.d.).    These examples of how universities are using social networking to assist in engaging students in the virtual realm illustrate how libraries are beginning to understand the impact and importance that web 2.0 tools have on the way students are interacting and learning. 

 Libraries are also changing how students view the space and the staff by using social networking tools assisting in “humanising” (Graham et al., 2009, p. 230)  themselves to students.  The library and its profession have been fraught with stereotypes ranging from librarians that are strict and unfriendly, to the library building itself to be seen as a quiet, authoritarian space.  As technologies are changing and evolving so are the library spaces and the professionals within this environment and social networking tools are assisting in this process by personalising the service for students, breaking down stereotypes held about the library profession. (Graham et al., 2009, p. 230)  Social networking tools, especially tools like YouTube give the idea of “face to face instruction which is beneficial to students that attend campus and also those students who also study remotely giving that human touch to library instructions” (Fields & Diaz, 2008, p. 70) further illustrating how social networking can change the perception of libraries as bricks and mortar and move them into the virtual realm. 

 Social networking as a reference service

 Social networking tools are not only being used as a vehicle for promoting services, programs and new resources but also it is being used for its potential as a reference service. (Steiner, 2009, p. 4) Students are using tools like Ask a Librarian, meebo and twitter to ask questions in “real time”(Steiner, 2009, p. 5) and this is assisting in promoting the library as a relevant, efficient and helpful place.  The problem with older methods of communication is that they are not in real time, like email which can take time for an answer and is not answered instantaneously.  Social networking allows conversations so students can ask multiple questions until their information need is satisfied.  If questions are extensive and complicated and cannot be answered by instant messaging, librarians can suggest other options like appointments intensifying the ideal that libraries are there to assist students and provide them with the solutions to their difficulties increasing the ideal of the humanised librarian. Evans (2009) supports social networking tools as reference desk services as when questions and answers are posted on a social networking tool like facebook students can then share this information and it then has the potential to spread in viral fashion from one profile to another.  These social networking tools work most effectively if library staff are constantly monitoring the application and responding to questions in a timely and efficient manner.  For example, the UTS library uses Meebo as part of the reference services they offer to students.  This service is constantly monitored daily by Information Service Librarians are rostered to cover a Meebo shift.  Libraries still need to remember that social networking tools are only efficient and effective if they are constantly monitored and updated, are used as part of the other reference services and that social networking sites should not simply replace all the ways that students communicate with the library. (Joint, 2009, p. 170)  What makes a great student experience is a range of services and if all these services are assisting in satisfying the students information need then students are going to keep coming back

 Social networking developing professional relationships in the library profession and across institutions

 Implementing social networking tools into libraries has not only assisted in engaging students and promoting library services it also has numerous advantages for developing professional relationships within the Library and across the campus faculties. (Graham et al., 2009, p. 228)  Many librarians are getting onboard with facebook and twitter accounts with the UTS Library recently conducting a tweet up for staff to learn how twitter is used and how it can be assist in developing better relationships amongst the staff at the library, university campus and across other universities. (MissSophieMac, 2010)  During this tweet up staff were encouraged to post tweets using the tag #utslibtweetup and as the instructional session continued other librarians from different universities began to converse with the group, retweeting the posts further promoting, how the UTS library was encouraging staff to get onboard with social networking.  (Haikugirloz, 2010)  Library conferences are also encouraging conference participants to tweet as a way of networking and documenting the conference.  The annual conference VALA 2010 is a conference about new technologies that are emerging and how they are appropriate for libraries encouraged participates to tweet using the #vala2010 tag. (VALA, 2010)  This ensured that there was interactive between the delegates and the attendees highlighting Twitter becoming the “vehicle to connect with other library professionals in the area.” (Graham et al., 2009, p. 234)  Universities like UTS are also using twitter to document library planning days (elscobio79, 2010).  The UTS planning day for 2010 used the #libpd tag as a way of showing in real time ideas and concepts being developed between the different groups participating in the planning day.  Scribing information in this manner enables for key concepts to be captured and archived.  It also assists libraries in promoting new ideas and services to implement, encouraging other professionals to make comment and join the conversation.  The benefit of social networking tools providing this professional network is that it ensures that libraries are constantly updating their services to match student needs and are listening to other professionals who may have better ideas or services that any one library could implement. 

Conclusion

Social networking in libraries has a number of benefits for students and the library profession.  Social networking sites like facebook, twitter and YouTube can humanise and breakdown the stereotype of libraries and librarians, by creating an interactive and popular social medium to communicate with students.  This enables libraries to promote library events and services to a mass audience.  Library professionals also benefit by utilising this web 2.0 phenomenon to increase knowledge and network with other professionals in the library field.  If libraries fail to commit to the changes in the way that students are communicating by getting onboard with social networking they could be in danger of isolating themselves from the very population that they are required to provide services for. 

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