How Social Are You? Social Media at the Whittemore

Library

LibLearn: Summer 2010 Librarians: Laura Wilson, Barbara Slavin, Millie Gonzalez

Social Media: definition• According to Brian Solis, “1 - social media

describes the online tools that people use to share content, profiles, opinions, insights, experiences, perspectives and media itself, thus facilitating conversations and interaction online between groups of people.”

• Related terms: Web 2.0, new media, user generated content, social networking

Social Media: definition“2 - Social Media is the democratization of content and the understanding of the role people play in the process of not only reading and disseminating information, but also how they share and create content for others to participate. It is the shift from a broadcast mechanism to a many-to-many model, rooted in a conversational format between authors and people.”

Social Media: Part of Curriculum• Promotes engagement, personal contact in a modern setting• Develops 21 century learning and employability skills:

communication, collaboration, creativity, and technology proficiency

• Develops information literacy; students can be exposed to the ethical use of content sharing and repurposing

• Offers the sense of being a contributing member of a learning community (undergrad/grad, part-time, online, life long learners and faculty)

• Supports active learning; helps students become self-directed and independent learners; group or project based work

Concerns or Barriers to Adoption• Lack of incentive for faculty to incorporate social

media into curriculum because is not valued in the promotion and tenure process

• Time consuming and hard to keep up with• Difficulty to assess• Unsure of efficacy of “e-pedagogy”• Can tax campus resources (streaming video)• Lack of skill set for both faculty and students

For Use in Public Relations• Builds the institution’s brand• Creates a sense of community• Enhance personal and professional reputation of students and

faculty• Able to go viral

Concerns• There is no “right way”• Social media campaigns can backfire• Can open up negative commentary• Participation, creation is constant• Yet another responsibility...

Social Media at Whittemore Library• Twitter: @whittemorelib• Library Blog (w/ Scribd, and SlideShare):

http://whittemorelibrary.wordpress.com/• Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/whittemorelibrary/• Foursquare• Facebook (Fall launch)• LinkedIn: for networking• YouTube/Vimeo: own channel someday!

Twitter: @whittemorelib• How we use Twitter:

– Advertise events (LibLearn, LibQual survey)– Link to interesting / relevant information

• Blog posts, web articles– Promote new books, databases, resources– “Word of the Day” – fun

• Limited by 140 characters – quick and simple• Update almost daily• Followers are students, professors, other libraries• Widgets allow us to embed our Twitter stream

– Homepage, blog

Henry Whittemore Library’s Blog• How we use the blog:

– Post handouts / PowerPoint presentations related to instructional sessions

• Embed material from Scribd, SlideShare and YouTube

– Promote events / announcements– Market new databases / books / resources

• More detailed than Twitter tweet

• Collaboration among librarians• Feedback from the readers

– Reach FSC community and beyond• Easy access from our homepage or Google search

LinkedIn for Professional Development• Connect and network with colleagues, classmates, groups• Look for jobs, advertise your expertise• Ask questions; gain reputation as expert by answering

questions• http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmgonzalez

POST Method for Social Strategy• People: assess your audiences’ social activities• Objective: Decide what you want to

accomplish• Strategy: Plan for how the relationship with

viewers will change. • Technology: Decide which technology to use.

(adapted from Forrester Research: http://tinyurl.com/ykaaj3k)

Resources and Recommendation• http://www.scribd.com/doc/31274691/Social-

Media-Higher-Education• http://www.slideshare.net/PearsonLearningSo

lutions/pearson-socialmediasurvey2010• Remember to add social media contact

information to your email signature. Market your social network sites.