Method 8

This was an interesting overview...except for the screencast which was barely audible.

How do I feel about social networking sites, in general? That they are, in theory, great for social people, those who want to connect, be recognized, believe that there are people out there who wait with bated breath, and bloodshot eyes staring at a screen, for their next important event. I have been amazed and appalled at the level of detail that I found with just a few minutes of searching a few names...without my having to sign up for an account. Definitely not my cup of tea, but perfectly fine for others.

Do I have security concerns? Absolutely. I am tempted to begin communicating only by smoke signal and hope it is a very windy day so all traces of messages dissipate. I won't go into all of the security concerns for there are many.

Do I see usefulness for a public library to use social networking? Surprisingly, yes. I see it more as a broadcast method, not so much interactive because of staff time necessary to respond to incoming comments. I looked at several library sites in our area and not many are using social media or you have to create an account to access (not helpful.) It was also interesting to look at three libraries' blogs, going back over a month and none of the posts received more than one comment.

I am not sure who wants to "friend" an institution or "follow" their favorite snack food on a social media site, but I suppose there are people out there who do. I see no harm in putting basic information out there for people who are unfamiliar with what the library has (announcing events) or even where it is, so it is something to be considered.