Week 8: Social Networking Software and Online Communities
March 12 - March 18, 2008
Learning Objectives
By the end of the week, you should:
1. Know how Facebook and MySpace work.
2. Understand why libraries would want to build presence in social networking software.
3. Understand how libraries can build other types of online communities for their parons.
4. Be able to develop a profile in Facebook and add applications to your profile.
5. Identify best practices for building a library presence in Facebook and MySpace
6. Identify best practices for developing online communities.
Lecture
Quicktime Movie (30 minutes)
Readings
Required
Farkas, Chapters 6-7 (skip the material about Flickr pp. 92-95)
Mack, D., et al. (2007, Summer). “Reaching Students with Facebook: Data and Best Practices.” Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship, 8.
Stutzman, F. (2006). “How University Administrators Should Approach the Facebook: Ten Rules.” Unit Structures.
Mitrano, T. (2006). “Thoughts on Facebook.” Cornell University IT Policy Office.
Farkas, M. (2006). “Libraries in Social Networking Software.” Information Wants to be Free.
Evans, B. (2006, October 15). “Your Space or MySpace?” Library Journal.
Porter, J. (2007). “Common Pitfalls of Building Social Web Applications and How to Avoid Them.” Bokardo. (be sure to read parts 2 and 3 as well).
Shinners, M. (2007). "Readergirlz: An Online Book Community Celebrating Gutsy Girls in Life and Lit." WebJunction.
Optional
Kroski, E. (2007). “Top Ten Facebook Apps for Librarians.” iLibrarian. (be sure to read parts 2 and 3 as well)
Examples
MySpace Profiles
University of Texas Libraries
Birmingham Public Libraries
Hennepin County Public Library
Ann Arbor District Library
Denver Public Library
Brooklyn College Library
University of Miami Libraries
Facebook Pages
Hennepin County Public Library
Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenberg County
UNC Davis Library
Online Communities Developed by Libraries
Bookspace
My Own Cafe
Things to Do
1. Play with all of the examples listed above.
2. Complete Exercise 6, due March 18.
3. Comment on at least two other people's blog posts.
4. Bookmark three additional resources about social networking software and online communities and tag them libr246-13.
