This month we would like for you to learn about online communities and make new connections.
Take a look at the slideshow available on HPL's wiki: http://10.34.145.39/twiki/bin/view/HPL/TechClasses
Explore the Wikipedia list of social networking websites at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites
Write about your experiences! Become a fan of Houston Public Library on Facebook. Can you find other HPL staff in LinkedIn? Take a look at some of the hobby sites such as Ravelry or Bake Space. How is social networking important to you as a public library staff?
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from Pamela: Where is the slideshow available on HPL's wiki at http://10.34.145.39/twiki/bin/view/HPL/TechClasses
Write about your experiences! Become a fan of Houston Public Library on Facebook. Can you find other HPL staff in LinkedIn? Take a look at some of the hobby sites such as Ravelry or Bake Space. How is social networking important to you as a public library staff?
I went and signed up for Facebook. I requested to be a fan of HPL, but I am assuming I have to be accepted as a fan, because I was not immediately shown as a fan. I signed up for the LinkedIn. I had to verify my e-mail address before I could really do anything. Once I did that, I went to the advanced search and was able to find all of the HPL employees by searching for employer. Dr Lawson, Edward Melton, Regina Stemmer... There were several people signed up from HPL.
These sites are important for us to keep up with the latest trends. Even if we don't use them ourselves, it's important to keep up with the knowledge that these sites exist. We could steer some patrons towards the site that may be tailor made towards their personal likes.
I became a member of facebook under an assumed name "Lisa Raye" and found several HPL staff members. I was able to join two of the Houston Public Library groups. I had never joined facebook before because I am a little uncomfortable about personal information being over the internet. I did find out I could create my own privacy level and still meet people if I so desired. It was a fun and interesting experience and I learned a lot.
Social networking is important to me as a public library staff member because many of our patrons are very familiar with these sites. We should therefore, be able to help them maneuver through these websites and different databases by becoming familiar with the site ourselves. It all falls under excellent “Customer Service”. Knowing how to operate these sites helps us help our patrons.
There is something for everyone, and Ravelry and Bake Space reminded me of this.
I found LinkedIn designed for people on a career path, although the same path can be used to initiate soclal contacts. I wanted to contact former college classmates so I signed up for an account here and in FaceBook, and MySpace, as well.
Good to see what people have to go through to use these sites, although the only help sought from me, so far, has been from people needing to set up an e-mail account in order to apply for a job.
Nevertheless, knowing another database is one more towards the possibility for public service in these areas.
Laura said...
the slideshow is actually at http://10.34.145.39/twiki/bin/viewfile/HPL/TechClasses?rev=1
found in another group's posting. Pamela
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