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[edit] About Social Networking

“Social Networking” is a broad term for online resources that allow users to make connections to other users through similar interests, groups, and communities. The library community has just begun to embrace these websites as a way to not only network with colleagues, but as a mechanism for outreach to students.

[edit] Popular social networking sites

• MySpace (widely popular, general purpose of making friends)
• facebook (widely popular, general purpose of making friends & joining groups, independent parties can create applications for use within Facebook)
• ning (allows users to create "networks" for shared interests. Participation revolves around networks more than other sites)
• linkedin (has more of a professional networking slant]
• friendster (widely popular, general purpose of making friends)

[edit] Book related social networking

• librarything (Lets you keep track of your book collection and share reviews and ratings with others)
• Good reads (Lets you keep track of your book collection, make friends, get book recommendations, and create groups)
• shelfari (Lets you keep track of your book collection and share reviews and ratings with others)

See also: Social Cataloging#Books

[edit] Social Networking Lists

• Wikipedia's List of social networking websites

[edit] Examples

[edit] Library related social networking groups

• MLibrary2 facebook group - University of Michigan's Library2.0 interest group
• Library2.0 Ning group
• Hatcher Graduate Library's Facebook page

[edit] Libraries Using Social Networking Sites

• www.myspace.com/brooklyncollegelibrary
  Brooklyn College seems to be everyone’s favorite example of advertising library services through MySpace. Their site has been up for over a year, so they’ve developed a decent idea of what works in this particular medium.
• University of Kentucky's Facebook page
• Ann Arbor District Library's myspace profile
  Links to blog entries about library events, direct search of library opac, etc.
• UM Librarian Eric Frierson's Facebook profile
  (requires account/login to view) Eric uses his profile for contact info, networking with friends and coworkers and the occasional reference question.
• UIUC Undergraduate Library on myspace
  Information about the library, search OPAC, link to Ask Us service.

[edit] Additional Resources, Articles, & Blogs

• MLibrary Labs List of facebook apps offered by the University of Michigan Library
• SirsiDynix: How Can MySpace Inform Library Portal Development?
  “How can MySpace inform library portal development?” Written by a VP at SirsiDynix, this essay takes a step back from the direct uses of social networking sites to ask what we can learn from their popularity.
• 7 Things You Should Know About Facebook (pdf)
  Produced by the Educause Learning Initiative, this is a great capsule introduction to Facebook, identifying both positive and negative aspects of the service and touching briefly on its uses in education.
• Friends:Social Networking Sites for Engaged Library Services
  A blog for discussing the use of various social networking sites in providing library services.
• Facebook Flyers
  Cheap advertising with facebook. Can select network to advertise to.
• User's Lib Blog posts about facebook (surveys, advertising, etc)]