[OPLINLIST] Libraries in MySpace

[Georgiana]

Well said, Stephen.
Georgi Huizenga, Harris-Elmore Public Library
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen Hedges" <hedgesst at oplin.org>
To: <oplinlist at oplin.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 9:28 AM
Subject: [OPLINLIST] Libraries in MySpace


>> On Wed, January 2, 2008 9:57 am, Laura Thorne wrote:
>>> I am interested in how many libraries allow access to MySpace,
>>> Facebook, and other social networking sites.
> 
> On Wed, January 2, 2008 4:21 pm, Mann, James H. wrote:
>> Here is a pretty good list of libraries with MySpace pages:
>> http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=MySpace_%26_Teens
> 
> I've been thinking about Laura's and Jim's postings about MySpace in
> libraries, and I'd like to veer a little further off topic (sorry,
> Laura) and share a few thoughts about libraries in MySpace -- and
> other social networks.
> 
> Reading the OCLC "Sharing" report, various blogs, and library
> listserv postings has got me thinking that libraries which avoid
> social networks are making a big mistake. Almost all Ohio public
> libraries have web sites, but that is not enough to give them a web
> "presence."
> 
> We build our physical libraries in communities and places where
> people gather in the physical world. We don't build them in some
> isolated location and then expect people to come to them. The web
> world also has communities and gathering places. As the OCLC report
> notes, YouTube, MySpace, Orkut, Wikipedia and Facebook -- all social
> sites -- rank in the top 10 global web sites. 75% of US Internet
> users have used MySpace in the past year, and if my son is any
> indication, the vast majority of American college students use
> Facebook constantly. Social web sites are clearly the places where
> the web world gathers, yet most public libraries have no presence
> there. And then we wonder why people don't visit our web sites!
> 
> Building a web presence starts with an awareness on the part of a
> library's administration that ~not~ having a presence is a problem.
> Once a library has admitted that it has a problem, help is
> available. :-) Web presence was a topic of several programs at last
> year's Internet Librarian conference, and Laura Watkins shared some
> information from those programs in our last OPLIN podcast
> (http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?p=112). As you can see from
> the list Jim cited, several Ohio public libraries have embraced
> social web sites (and I know of several more that are not on that
> list); I'm sure they would be willing to share ideas and
> experiences.
> 
> Why not make a library New Year's Resolution to place your "virtual"
> library in the places where the web world gathers?
> 
> BTW, the OPLIN MySpace page is at http://www.myspace.com/ohoplin,
> and our Facebook page (if you have a Facebook login) is at
> http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=773479389
> 
> Stephen
> 
> -- 
> Stephen Hedges, Executive Director
> Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
> 2323 W. 5th Avenue, Suite 130
> Columbus, Ohio  43204
> 614-728-5250    AIM: hedgesst
> 
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