3 OLJ Experiences as Meeting Learning Objectives
Based on: Feeling Like a Complete Twit, What About My Perfectly Good First Life? & Yes, I Know 4.0!
As a new and formerly sceptical Twitter user, its power and utility have taken me by surprise this session, particularly in light of its use during natural disasters and political upheaval. Its potential for trouble also surprises me and causes me to think before I tweet. Courtney Love's defamation case, based on her tweeting that fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir is a "nasty, lying, hosebag thief" and accusing her of prostitution, assault and drug-taking (Hooton, 2011), reminds me that the adoption of social media by organisations such as libraries should also see these organisations adopting social media policies (Lauby, 2009). Libraries using Facebook, Twitter, delicious, flickr and the like will need to pay close attention to issues of intellectual property, privacy, equitable access and acceptable social media use and behaviour across all platforms. Social media policies are one way to set ground rules for its use and to remind its users that what is posted is not private and reflects positively or negatively on the organisation; it has a wide and growing audience.
Even if I personally do not use Second Life as much as Facebook or Twitter, I should care about Second Life as a librarian because, according to Frank (2008), our library users are increasingly using it. Librarians in Second Life are mimicking traditional library services such as answering reference questions and referring users to collections of information as well as providing programs such as book talks, story-telling, exhibitions and concerts (Frank, 2008). Professionally, Second Life can be used for networking and professional development meetings (Frank, 2008).
Overall, I am astounded by the ways in which social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, delicious, flickr and many others, have increased connectivity amongst information professionals and students by providing the tools and the space for us to engage in collaborative work based on shared professional interests and goals (Mallan & Giardina, 2009).
As the Did You Know 4.0 presentation correctly observes, "It’s easier than ever to reach a large audience, but harder than ever to really connect with it.” The scope and power of social networking carries with it enormous uptapped potential and tremendous pitfalls in the ways information organisations connect with their users and each other.
Me as a Social Networker
First of all, I used to think an iPhone was for overindulgent, self-important, social networking addicts. When my mobile phone was on life support and my husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I requested a replacement mobile that possibly provided access to Facebook, for educational purposes, of course. Since early December, I have been having a love affair with my iPhone. I have found there are many moments throughout the day – waiting for the toast to pop up or waiting in line - when I have a few spare seconds and can tap into Facebook and email updates to keep up with friends, classmates and the world so that I am not overloaded when I turn on my laptop at night.
For a borderline technophobe such as myself, I was surprisingly one of the earlier adopters of Facebook, having joined in mid-2007. I use it avidly to post status updates and photos of my family to my close and not-so-close friends and family overseas and in Australia. I have also joined groups, become a fan and “liked” the pages of organisations such as the State Library of New South Wales. I can appreciate the importance of an active Facebook presence for libraries in connecting with their patrons. What I hadn’t tapped into, however, was the utility of Facebook as an educational tool. Normally I would post on a Charles Sturt University subject forum twice per session: once to introduce myself and once to ask a question about an assignment. In INF506’s group page, I have posted numerous links and expressed my opinion on other links and topics, engaging in what felt like a long, enjoyable, educational conversation with my classmates. My enthusiasm for using Facebook instead of CSU forums has shown me the professional importance of communicating with users, in my case library users, on their terms and with the media with which they are most comfortable.
This Good Weekend quote sums up some of my reservation about social networking sites:
“The possibilities for offending others on Twitter are endless, since the whole point of the online social network is to connect you with as many people as you can electronically stand ... If hell is other people, Twitter is eternal damnation 21-st century style: instantaneous, universal and internet-enabled. Imagine the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever said: the thing that, even years later, brings a hot flush of shame to your entire being. Then imagine you said it (in 140 characters or less) to a cast of thousands or even millions. This is the Twitter nightmare” (Hooton, 2011).
I am that student who would carefully compose a question in her head before raising her hand in class, so the idea of spitting out whatever thoughts leap into my head, without putting them through a personal filter, or even accidentally publishing my thoughts, terrifies me. My personal social media policy is: If you don’t want your mother or employer to read it or see it, don’t publish it on the internet. My fear of committing a social faux pas, combined with my personal filters, make me an unlikely candidate for a Stephanie Rice or Catherine Deveney moment, but the potential for the misinterpretation of my words still exists. I feel vulnerable when I expose my thoughts on the internet, but at the same time, I want to join the masses in Facebook and Twitter: I want to be published, I want to communicate, and I want to be heard, and in turn I want to see what others have published and communicate and hear them.
Fear is perhaps the reason I have been a reluctant blogger. I composed rough drafts of my blog posts in Word and posted them only when I was absolutely certain they were “perfect”. Doesn’t that go against the nature of blogs (and what we were advised to do for this assignment!): write it, post it, then edit and revise it later? I can tweet and post on Facebook, albeit only after reviewing my words a few times, spell-checking in my head and passing the message through my own personal filters, but I am still not comfortable publishing a blog post on the fly with my name on it. My overly cautious nature, which I see as a fault, will hopefully serve me well and keep me within my organisation's social media policy framework if and when I contribute to my library’s social media presence as a professional librarian.
This subject has converted me into an intrepid armchair traveller. Well, a desk chair traveller armed with a laptop. As I mentioned in my earlier post on Second Life, I never, and I mean never, would have entered a virtual site of my own volition. To a lesser extent, the same is true of delicious and flickr. Now I want to know what else I’ve been missing out there in the social networking world. How can I use these sites personally and professionally? For example, AnnaLaura Brown (2011) writes in her blog about Powerpoint Twitter Tools which could be used for library presentations by allowing Twitter to provide interaction within Powerpoint presentations. I am also keen to check out Broadcastr and Diigo in the near future.
However, right about now, at the end of my formal social networking studies in INF506, I am experiencing a serious case of information overload! How do I decide what’s useful, what’s not and what to devote my valuable time to without ruling out tomorrow’s most popular and most useful social networking tools? How do I reconcile my deepening interest in social media with my limited time, emotional space and brain capacity? The answer for me for now is to continue to explore and keep abreast of how libraries and information professionals around the world are utilising new social media as professional tools. And most importantly, I need to switch off my laptop and iPhone when I’m approaching burnout and take a well-deserved holiday away from social media. If only my two young kids also came with on-off switches as well ...
References
Brown, A. (2011, January 29). Twitter and Powerpoint combine for powerful library
literacy sessions, [blog]. Retrieved from http://socialnetworkinglibrarian.com/2011/01/29/twitter-and-powerpoint-combine-for-powerful-library-literacy-sessions/
Frank, I. (2008). Librarians in virtual worlds: Why get a second life? First Monday, 13(8). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2222/2010
Hooton, A. (2011, January 22). “A little birdie told me ...” The Sydney Morning Herald.
Good Weekend, p. 11-15.
Lauby, S. (2009, April 27). Should your company have a social media policy? Mashable, [blog] http://mashable.com/2009/04/27/social-media-policy/
McLeod, S., Fisch, K., & Bestler, L. (2009). Did You Know 4.0. Viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
Mallan, K. & Giardina, N. (2009, June 1). Wikidentities: Young people collaborating on virtual identities in social network sites, First Monday, 14(6). Retrieved from
http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2445/2213
About Me
- Renee Fittler
- Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Librarian student, mum, wife, cafe crawler, yogi and vegetarian
Now I Know My A B Cs ... of Social Networking for Libraries
In her blog, Social Networking Librarian, AnnaLaura Brown discusses a range of relevant topics relating to how libraries can embrace, or have embraced, social media. One post, A to Z of Social Networking for Librarians (2010a), presents a list of 26 ideas for libraries to engage their patrons through social networking. Five of her suggestions in particular raised relevant issues for me:
“B- Blog, does your library have a blog. This is a great way for you to offer value and content for your library and it has become the standard for libraries to have one.” Newsletters, posters and emails still work as marketing tools, but a blog provides a continuous presence to a wider audience and allows the library to showcase its programs, services and strengths to a wider audience of current users and potential users.
“F-Facebook, having a presence on Facebook with a fan page or a group is a must. Facebook is so popular now that it is expected.” I agree that a Facebook is essential for a library. However, it is not enough to have a presence; the page must be updated, monitored and maintained regularly. The State Library of New South Wales, for example, has a Facebook page, but it uses the events tab to manage only some library events when it should in fact be scheduling and managing all of its events this way; it's all or nothing. A library's use of Facebook should be consistent and complete in order to gain its users' confidence and support and to benefit fully from this powerful social networking tool.
“H-Help- relying on only one or two people to build your library’s social networking presence will not work. It needs to be a whole team effort on behalf of your entire library staff.” Facebook and Twitter, among other social networking sites, and blogs, are important ways of communicating with library users in 2011. However, it is vital to spread the workload amongst staff so that the updating of these sites does not fall to one person who might switch jobs, fall ill or lose interest. Social networking sites must be updated consistently in order to create and maintain a strong relationship with the library’s users.
“T-Text messaging- Is your library using it yet?”
As I discussed in an earlier post entitled Yes, I Know 4.0!, mobile phones will become the main way for people to connect to the internet by 2020. Libraries could potentially use text messaging to answer reference questions and notify patrons about library fines and holds (Brown, 2010b).
Y- Youth- using social networking allows you to connect on a deeper level with young people. One fascinating real-life example of this relationship is the Eye4You Alliance on the Teen Grid within Second Life (Frank, 2008). The Teen Grid provides a virtual space for 13- to 17-year-olds, and Eye4You is a group of librarians which assists these teens in orchestrating events such as the “Festival of Authors” at which well-known authors made a personal, albeit virtual, appearance (Frank, 2008).
References
Brown, A. (2010a, January 22). A to Z of Social Networking for Librarians. Retrieved from
http://socialnetworkinglibrarian.com/2010/01/22/a-to-z-of-social-networking-for-libraries/
Brown, A. (2010b, September 20). Text a Librarian. Retrieved from
http://socialnetworkinglibrarian.com/2010/09/20/text-a-librarian/
Frank, I. (2008, August 4). Librarians in virtual worlds: Why get a second life? First Monday,
13(8). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2222/2010
McLeod, S., Fisch, K., & Bestler, L. (2009). Did You Know 4.0. Viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
“B- Blog, does your library have a blog. This is a great way for you to offer value and content for your library and it has become the standard for libraries to have one.” Newsletters, posters and emails still work as marketing tools, but a blog provides a continuous presence to a wider audience and allows the library to showcase its programs, services and strengths to a wider audience of current users and potential users.
“F-Facebook, having a presence on Facebook with a fan page or a group is a must. Facebook is so popular now that it is expected.” I agree that a Facebook is essential for a library. However, it is not enough to have a presence; the page must be updated, monitored and maintained regularly. The State Library of New South Wales, for example, has a Facebook page, but it uses the events tab to manage only some library events when it should in fact be scheduling and managing all of its events this way; it's all or nothing. A library's use of Facebook should be consistent and complete in order to gain its users' confidence and support and to benefit fully from this powerful social networking tool.
“H-Help- relying on only one or two people to build your library’s social networking presence will not work. It needs to be a whole team effort on behalf of your entire library staff.” Facebook and Twitter, among other social networking sites, and blogs, are important ways of communicating with library users in 2011. However, it is vital to spread the workload amongst staff so that the updating of these sites does not fall to one person who might switch jobs, fall ill or lose interest. Social networking sites must be updated consistently in order to create and maintain a strong relationship with the library’s users.
“T-Text messaging- Is your library using it yet?”
As I discussed in an earlier post entitled Yes, I Know 4.0!, mobile phones will become the main way for people to connect to the internet by 2020. Libraries could potentially use text messaging to answer reference questions and notify patrons about library fines and holds (Brown, 2010b).
Y- Youth- using social networking allows you to connect on a deeper level with young people. One fascinating real-life example of this relationship is the Eye4You Alliance on the Teen Grid within Second Life (Frank, 2008). The Teen Grid provides a virtual space for 13- to 17-year-olds, and Eye4You is a group of librarians which assists these teens in orchestrating events such as the “Festival of Authors” at which well-known authors made a personal, albeit virtual, appearance (Frank, 2008).
References
Brown, A. (2010a, January 22). A to Z of Social Networking for Librarians. Retrieved from
http://socialnetworkinglibrarian.com/2010/01/22/a-to-z-of-social-networking-for-libraries/
Brown, A. (2010b, September 20). Text a Librarian. Retrieved from
http://socialnetworkinglibrarian.com/2010/09/20/text-a-librarian/
Frank, I. (2008, August 4). Librarians in virtual worlds: Why get a second life? First Monday,
13(8). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2222/2010
McLeod, S., Fisch, K., & Bestler, L. (2009). Did You Know 4.0. Viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
Yes, I Know 4.0!
This fascinating and entertaining video synthesises a plethora of information I have always wanted to know about the power of the internet and social media and presents it in an approachable, engaging and thought-provoking way.
Of the many examples of shifts that can have an effect on how people's behaviour as digital citizens, here are my five top trends and a discussion of how these behaviours point to the need for, and development of, information policy in organisations to deal with these behaviours successfully.
1. “Convergence is everywhere. It’s easier than ever to reach a large audience, but harder than ever to really connect with it.” An organisation such as a library requires a clear social media strategy in order to cut through the crowded social media landscape and address how it plans to connect with the masses. Which social networking tools will it use? How can these tools be utilised to not only reach a large audience but also connect with it on a deep and meaningful level?
2. “Newspaper circulation is down 7 million in the last 25 years. But in the last 5 years, unique readers of online newspapers are up 30 million ... (T)raditional advertising is in steep decline. Meanwhile, digital advertising is growing rapidly.” This trend has implications for libraries in which media they subscribe to and what form these subscriptions take and the need for policies that govern these decisions. It also forces libraries to consider how they market themselves and their services: notice boards and newspaper ads of the past versus modern day Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and podcasts or a combination of both.
3. "Wikipedia launched in 2001. It now features over 13 million articles in more than 200 languages." The concept of authorship has radically changed with the emergence of wikis in general and Wikipedia in particular, with users contributing to, and no one person claiming ownership over, its content. The validity of its content, however, cannot be guaranteed, but can be reasonably assured over a period of time. Knowledge no longer necessarily sits at the top of the academic hierarchy but belongs within the group of users (Mallan & Giardina, 2009). Is Wikipedia to today's students what the multi-volume encyclopedia was to students 20 years ago? This has tremendous implications for collection development policies within libraries. It also points to a need for information professionals to help library patrons discern authority and truth from information sources.
4. “In February 2008, John McCain raised $11 million for his U.S. presidential bid. That same month, Barack Obama attended no campaign fundraisers. Instead, Obama leveraged online social networks to raise $55 million in those 29 days.” How can politicians most effectively engage with their electorate, convince them to vote for them and compel them to donate money to their campaign? The traditional door-knocking, telephone calls and fundraising parties are now conducted via Facebook, Twitter and potentially Second Life. Could libraries not also convert social networking relationships into donation opportunities and other opportunities for support?
5. "The mobile device will be the world’s primary connection tool to the Internet in 2020." Can libraries use information about what they know people are reading, have borrowed from the library and have purchased for their Kindle and send personalised recommendations and notices about recently acquired library books, relevant upcoming author talks and book talks? Furthermore, how can organisations connect with their users via mobile technology whilst respecting privacy laws?
References
McLeod, S., Fisch, K., & Bestler, L. (2009). Did You Know 4.0. Viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
Mallan, K. & Giardina, N. (2009). Wikidentities: Young people collaborating on virtual identities in social network sites, First Monday, 14(6), 1 June. Retrieved from
http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2445/2213
Of the many examples of shifts that can have an effect on how people's behaviour as digital citizens, here are my five top trends and a discussion of how these behaviours point to the need for, and development of, information policy in organisations to deal with these behaviours successfully.
1. “Convergence is everywhere. It’s easier than ever to reach a large audience, but harder than ever to really connect with it.” An organisation such as a library requires a clear social media strategy in order to cut through the crowded social media landscape and address how it plans to connect with the masses. Which social networking tools will it use? How can these tools be utilised to not only reach a large audience but also connect with it on a deep and meaningful level?
2. “Newspaper circulation is down 7 million in the last 25 years. But in the last 5 years, unique readers of online newspapers are up 30 million ... (T)raditional advertising is in steep decline. Meanwhile, digital advertising is growing rapidly.” This trend has implications for libraries in which media they subscribe to and what form these subscriptions take and the need for policies that govern these decisions. It also forces libraries to consider how they market themselves and their services: notice boards and newspaper ads of the past versus modern day Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and podcasts or a combination of both.
3. "Wikipedia launched in 2001. It now features over 13 million articles in more than 200 languages." The concept of authorship has radically changed with the emergence of wikis in general and Wikipedia in particular, with users contributing to, and no one person claiming ownership over, its content. The validity of its content, however, cannot be guaranteed, but can be reasonably assured over a period of time. Knowledge no longer necessarily sits at the top of the academic hierarchy but belongs within the group of users (Mallan & Giardina, 2009). Is Wikipedia to today's students what the multi-volume encyclopedia was to students 20 years ago? This has tremendous implications for collection development policies within libraries. It also points to a need for information professionals to help library patrons discern authority and truth from information sources.
4. “In February 2008, John McCain raised $11 million for his U.S. presidential bid. That same month, Barack Obama attended no campaign fundraisers. Instead, Obama leveraged online social networks to raise $55 million in those 29 days.” How can politicians most effectively engage with their electorate, convince them to vote for them and compel them to donate money to their campaign? The traditional door-knocking, telephone calls and fundraising parties are now conducted via Facebook, Twitter and potentially Second Life. Could libraries not also convert social networking relationships into donation opportunities and other opportunities for support?
5. "The mobile device will be the world’s primary connection tool to the Internet in 2020." Can libraries use information about what they know people are reading, have borrowed from the library and have purchased for their Kindle and send personalised recommendations and notices about recently acquired library books, relevant upcoming author talks and book talks? Furthermore, how can organisations connect with their users via mobile technology whilst respecting privacy laws?
References
McLeod, S., Fisch, K., & Bestler, L. (2009). Did You Know 4.0. Viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
Mallan, K. & Giardina, N. (2009). Wikidentities: Young people collaborating on virtual identities in social network sites, First Monday, 14(6), 1 June. Retrieved from
http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2445/2213
What About My Perfectly Good First Life?
The fact that I am recording my thoughts about, and experiences in, Second Life means that I have stepped completely out of my comfort zone. Growing up as an only child, I tried, but failed, to conjure up an imaginary friend to play with. I played video games such as Pac Man a couple of times until giving up, bored. Dungeons and Dragons? Nope. What was the point of a pretend world when I could play sport with my friends, read a good book (which, arguably, is a pretend world as well) and do real things with real people, or myself, and be completely content?
When I discovered we had to immerse ourselves in Second Life for INF506, I didn’t even give it a second thought because I quite honestly didn’t know what it was. When I found out, I then planned to immerse myself up to my ankles.
It was with great reluctance that I joined the introductory tutorial session for INF206/506 in early January. What do I call myself? I already like the name Renee Fittler. What do I wear? I could do with some new clothing, but I hate shopping. Why do I need a second life anyway when my first life is really quite lovely, if chaotic? So I ended up calling myself after my children, Piper & Harris, hence Piper Harris, and wearing the stock standard outfit, which is a close approximation to my real life uniform in the colder months.
Before I knew it, I was zooming in on people, dancing, taking photos, befriending classmates, chatting, instant messaging, flying, teleporting and learning in real time. I even caught myself actually (gasp!) having fun! The introductory session was followed by a virtual library tour the following week, for which I made the effort of changing my hair colour and shirt, and an Australia Day party. I never quite got the hang of changing my wardrobe, however, which I found to be just as laborious in Second Life as in my first life.
Whilst I am still firmly grounded in my first life, I have enjoyed immersing myself in Second Life for academic purposes and have been astounded by its capabilities. I even plan to go for a professional dip every once in a while. My Second Life sojourns kept me awake at night; my mind was swimming with ideas of how public libraries could utilise, to great benefit, virtual worlds in general, and Second Life in particular, to engage their young adult patrons, as well as patrons who do not live close enough to the library to visit in person, in activities such as library tours, social events, seminars and discussions.
References
Second Life. http://.secondlife.com/
When I discovered we had to immerse ourselves in Second Life for INF506, I didn’t even give it a second thought because I quite honestly didn’t know what it was. When I found out, I then planned to immerse myself up to my ankles.
It was with great reluctance that I joined the introductory tutorial session for INF206/506 in early January. What do I call myself? I already like the name Renee Fittler. What do I wear? I could do with some new clothing, but I hate shopping. Why do I need a second life anyway when my first life is really quite lovely, if chaotic? So I ended up calling myself after my children, Piper & Harris, hence Piper Harris, and wearing the stock standard outfit, which is a close approximation to my real life uniform in the colder months.
Before I knew it, I was zooming in on people, dancing, taking photos, befriending classmates, chatting, instant messaging, flying, teleporting and learning in real time. I even caught myself actually (gasp!) having fun! The introductory session was followed by a virtual library tour the following week, for which I made the effort of changing my hair colour and shirt, and an Australia Day party. I never quite got the hang of changing my wardrobe, however, which I found to be just as laborious in Second Life as in my first life.
Whilst I am still firmly grounded in my first life, I have enjoyed immersing myself in Second Life for academic purposes and have been astounded by its capabilities. I even plan to go for a professional dip every once in a while. My Second Life sojourns kept me awake at night; my mind was swimming with ideas of how public libraries could utilise, to great benefit, virtual worlds in general, and Second Life in particular, to engage their young adult patrons, as well as patrons who do not live close enough to the library to visit in person, in activities such as library tours, social events, seminars and discussions.
References
Second Life. http://.secondlife.com/
Feeling Like a Complete Twit
“Suck on that faggots!” tweeted swimmer Stephanie Rice in September 2010 after the Wallabies defeated South Africa (Hooton, 2011). Former columnist for Melbourne’s The Age, Catherine Deveney, commented from the Logies awards ceremony that same year, “I do so hope Bindi Irwin gets laid” (Hooton, 2011). I say “former” because Deveney was famously axed from the newspaper after her impressive tweeting frenzy that evening. Rice, meanwhile, lost a valuable sponsorship contract for her lapse in judgment.
With 160 million Twitter members worldwide, sending an estimated 50 million tweets per day, most tweets were found in a recent U.S. study not to be nearly as offensive or noteworthy as the examples above (Hooton, 2011). However, these tweets, and others of a similar insulting or amusing nature, were my only exposure to this social networking phenomenon until I signed up for an account in November 2010 as required by INF506, my social networking subject at Charles Sturt University. Do I really care what Ashton Kutcher ate for dinner? How could Twitter possibly be useful to libraries, this budding librarian and society?
And then came the floods. When Queensland was inundated in early January 2011, Twitter rose to the occasion and proved its value as a social networking tool to this former sceptic:
On Wednesday 12 January, Optus tweeted this helpful information at a time when connectedness could mean the difference between life or death: “#QLDFloods Update: If you are in an affected area & have a 3G handset, switching to 2G can help conserve the battery life on your handset.”
The Queensland Police Service turned to Twitter to spread information and correct misinformation about rising flood waters and public transport closures and to alert residents of impending danger (Dick, 2011). Its use of Twitter in a time of crisis and natural disaster undoubtedly become a case study for years to come on the benefits of social networking sites such as Twitter.
ABC News, my preferred news source, tweeted breaking news and streamed live broadcasts of Queensland Police media conferences.
Ordinary citizens even took to Twitter and Facebook to search for missing friends and family (Hearn, 2011).
Meanwhile in the country I called home for the first 20 years of my life, my American family and friends were snowed under in the first of a few blizzards during the Northern Hemisphere winter. Although the crisis was less severe and lives were not immediately at risk, Twitter was also used in a meaningful way to connect people with information and with each other. Major Cory Booker of Newark, New Jersey has been praised for responding to tweets by his constituents by sending snow plows to clear particular streets and, in one case, personally delivering much-needed nappies to one snowed-in home. Mayor Booker states, "I hope more elected officials discover the power of Twitter. It truly is an effective way to connect with the body politic” (Yuboco, 2010).
It seems that each week brings another example of the power of Twitter. As I am busily finishing up this subject and editing my blog, political chaos reigns in Egypt, and Cyclone Yasi is approaching Townsville, Cairns and Innisfail, as Twitter continues to inform, enlighten, infuriate and amuse the masses.
References
Dick, T. (2011, January 12). Police tweet themselves into city’s good books. The Age.
Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/environment/police-tweet-themselves-into-citys-good-books-20110111-19mp1.html
Hearn, L. (2011, January 13). Hunt for missing flood victims goes online. The Sydney
Morning Herald. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/hunt-for-missing-flood-victims-goes-online-20110113-19par.html
Hooton, A. (2011, January 22). “A little birdie told me ...” The Sydney Morning Herald.
Good Weekend, p. 11-15.
Queensland Police media conference. Viewed at http://bit.ly/abcnews24
Sky News. John Kerrison talks with SR7's Thomas Tudehope about the role social media has played in handling the Queensland floods. Viewed at http://www.skynews.com.au/video/?vId=2095006&cId=Programs&play=true
Yuboco, A. (2010, December 30). Mayors praised for communicating via Twitter during
blizzard. Retrieved from http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/301912
With 160 million Twitter members worldwide, sending an estimated 50 million tweets per day, most tweets were found in a recent U.S. study not to be nearly as offensive or noteworthy as the examples above (Hooton, 2011). However, these tweets, and others of a similar insulting or amusing nature, were my only exposure to this social networking phenomenon until I signed up for an account in November 2010 as required by INF506, my social networking subject at Charles Sturt University. Do I really care what Ashton Kutcher ate for dinner? How could Twitter possibly be useful to libraries, this budding librarian and society?
And then came the floods. When Queensland was inundated in early January 2011, Twitter rose to the occasion and proved its value as a social networking tool to this former sceptic:
On Wednesday 12 January, Optus tweeted this helpful information at a time when connectedness could mean the difference between life or death: “#QLDFloods Update: If you are in an affected area & have a 3G handset, switching to 2G can help conserve the battery life on your handset.”
The Queensland Police Service turned to Twitter to spread information and correct misinformation about rising flood waters and public transport closures and to alert residents of impending danger (Dick, 2011). Its use of Twitter in a time of crisis and natural disaster undoubtedly become a case study for years to come on the benefits of social networking sites such as Twitter.
ABC News, my preferred news source, tweeted breaking news and streamed live broadcasts of Queensland Police media conferences.
Ordinary citizens even took to Twitter and Facebook to search for missing friends and family (Hearn, 2011).
Meanwhile in the country I called home for the first 20 years of my life, my American family and friends were snowed under in the first of a few blizzards during the Northern Hemisphere winter. Although the crisis was less severe and lives were not immediately at risk, Twitter was also used in a meaningful way to connect people with information and with each other. Major Cory Booker of Newark, New Jersey has been praised for responding to tweets by his constituents by sending snow plows to clear particular streets and, in one case, personally delivering much-needed nappies to one snowed-in home. Mayor Booker states, "I hope more elected officials discover the power of Twitter. It truly is an effective way to connect with the body politic” (Yuboco, 2010).
It seems that each week brings another example of the power of Twitter. As I am busily finishing up this subject and editing my blog, political chaos reigns in Egypt, and Cyclone Yasi is approaching Townsville, Cairns and Innisfail, as Twitter continues to inform, enlighten, infuriate and amuse the masses.
References
Dick, T. (2011, January 12). Police tweet themselves into city’s good books. The Age.
Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/environment/police-tweet-themselves-into-citys-good-books-20110111-19mp1.html
Hearn, L. (2011, January 13). Hunt for missing flood victims goes online. The Sydney
Morning Herald. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/hunt-for-missing-flood-victims-goes-online-20110113-19par.html
Hooton, A. (2011, January 22). “A little birdie told me ...” The Sydney Morning Herald.
Good Weekend, p. 11-15.
Queensland Police media conference. Viewed at http://bit.ly/abcnews24
Sky News. John Kerrison talks with SR7's Thomas Tudehope about the role social media has played in handling the Queensland floods. Viewed at http://www.skynews.com.au/video/?vId=2095006&cId=Programs&play=true
Yuboco, A. (2010, December 30). Mayors praised for communicating via Twitter during
blizzard. Retrieved from http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/301912
Let the Adventure Begin!
Social networking to me is about communicating with the people and organisations I want, when I want, where I want, in whatever format I want. It's about sharing information, collaborating with others and forming of a personal and/or professional community. I have always belonged to social networks, primarily involving face-to-face, phone or snail mail contact, but today my social networking experience embraces a wider online community via online social networking sites.
Before the subject INF506 Social Networking for Information Professionals commenced this week, I had only used Facebook (excessively, since mid-2007) and LinkedIn (sporadically, since 2006). This week I signed up with Twitter (potentially addictive), Delicious and Flickr. I am looking forward to exploring these social networking sites plus, later on this session, Second Life, and learning about how they can be used in a library setting.
I expect to gain hands-on knowledge about social networking sites and to learn how libraries can, via social networking sites, promote their services and maintain their position as a place people still want to visit, whether virtually or in person, in order to connect with people and ideas. I also hope to explore some of the complex social and ethical issues arising out of this brave new world of social networking.
Before the subject INF506 Social Networking for Information Professionals commenced this week, I had only used Facebook (excessively, since mid-2007) and LinkedIn (sporadically, since 2006). This week I signed up with Twitter (potentially addictive), Delicious and Flickr. I am looking forward to exploring these social networking sites plus, later on this session, Second Life, and learning about how they can be used in a library setting.
I expect to gain hands-on knowledge about social networking sites and to learn how libraries can, via social networking sites, promote their services and maintain their position as a place people still want to visit, whether virtually or in person, in order to connect with people and ideas. I also hope to explore some of the complex social and ethical issues arising out of this brave new world of social networking.
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