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The question of whether libraries should be building presence and providing services in MySpace and/or Facebook I think can be best answered by the library making the consideration. Every library is different, and so are the communities that they serve. Although it’s undeniable how popular MySpace and Facebook are as online social networks and forums, I think there are three basic considerations that may be helpful for libraries to initially evaluate when weighing their decision.
Three basic questions for libraries to consider that may be helpful in deciding whether to build presence and provide services in MySpace and/or Facebook:
- What is the library hoping to achieve in these forums?
- How will it be received by the community in which we serve?
- Is there enough staffing and time to commit to maintaining these forums?
That being said, my overall response to whether libraries should be building a presence in MySpace and/or Facebook leans towards yes. If a library has the capability to staff and utilize MySpace and/or Facebook as a positive extension to the services that they are able to provide, then they should most certainly establish their presence in those forums. Two important facets of libraries are to provide information services, and act as community centers. People are increasingly using forums such as MySpace and Facebook to share information and build communities, and thus libraries should be making themselves available in these realms. The more ways libraries can find to assist people with their information wants and needs, the more in line they become with their general mission to serve.
In terms of whether a library should establish themselves in either MySpace and/or Facebook, an examination of the differences between the two, and more importantly the user demographics between them should be considered. Mack states that “MySpace attracts more high school students and also appears to be more commercially based than Facebook” (Mack, D., 2007). The descriptive listing for MySpace on Google states, “MySpace is the leading social entertainment destination powered by the passion of fans. Music, movies, celebs, TV, and games made social” and the link is labeled “Myspace|Social Entertainment”. On the other hand, the listing description for Facebook on Google states, “Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them”.
As an aside, I can’t help but find the humor between libraries and Facebook, given their association to the term “book”.
Reference:
Mack, D., et al. (2007, Summer). “Reaching Students with Facebook: Data and Best Practices.”Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship, 8. Retrieved from:
Well said. I think libraries across the US are rapidly coming to the crossroads where if they don't have some kind of social media method, they risk being seen as defunct. What we're learning in this class though is how important it is that these services are implemented well and with careful consideration. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteAlphie G.
Hey Mercoledi
ReplyDeleteIt is a difficult decision to make. There are so many online media forums now (and new ones always on the horizon) that it's difficult to keep up and even decide which one to utilize. I think it's important though that institutions are asking themselves these types of questions, and having these types of conversations internally, because change seems to be a constant. Thanks!
Great points! I have to lean a little more toward Facebook as an appropriate marketing tool for libraries, though MySpace may be appropriate in some cases. In general, which social networking site do you think has more potential in this area?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cinden. I still think that each library or even department within a library needs to make their own assessments as to what will work for their clientele. Given user demographics and the fact that MySpace leans more toward being entertainment based, while Facebook tries to also encompass work and study, my personal preference sides with Facebook.
ReplyDelete