Social networks - (where) do libraries fit in? Magnus Enger collib.info Helsinki 2008-04-17

Social networks

- (where) do libraries fit in?

Magnus Enger

collib.info

Helsinki 2008-04-17

Some questions to you How many of you have created a profile on Facebook? How many of you have been logged in to Facebook in the last week? How many of you have created a profile on a social network other than Facebook?

How many of you have created a profile on Facebook?

How many of you have been logged in to Facebook in the last week?

How many of you have created a profile on a social network other than Facebook?

Social - software or networks? Social software Social features, like the ability to define «friends» or «contacts», but the focus is on something else Example: Flickr Social networks Networking is the main focus Example: Facebook

Social software

Social features, like the ability to define «friends» or «contacts», but the focus is on something else

Example: Flickr

Social networks

Networking is the main focus

Example: Facebook

My focus Social networks in libraries Or Libraries in social networks Social networks for librarians Or Social networks «for patrons»

Social networks in libraries

Or

Libraries in social networks

Social networks for librarians

Or

Social networks «for patrons»

Something to remember Libraries should be present where the users are, right? But... «A big difference exists between being where our patrons are and being useful to our patrons where they are.» (Meredith Farkas, my emphasis.)

Libraries should be present where the users are, right?

But...

«A big difference exists between being where our patrons are and being useful to our patrons where they are.» (Meredith Farkas, my emphasis.)

Diversity of social networks

Ning.com Create your own social network http://yournetwork.ning.com 1.091 networks as of 2008-04-16, and growing... One «Ning ID» across networks

Create your own social network

http://yournetwork.ning.com

1.091 networks as of 2008-04-16, and growing...

One «Ning ID» across networks

Facebook

Why Facebook? It's the one I know best Pioneered the concept of a «platform» for «applications» Which is interesting in connection with «being useful to our patrons»...

It's the one I know best

Pioneered the concept of a «platform» for «applications»

Which is interesting in connection with «being useful to our patrons»...

Short history Launched in 2004, for students at Harvard Open to everyone from September 2006 «Facebook Platform» launched on May 24, 2007

Launched in 2004, for students at Harvard

Open to everyone from September 2006

«Facebook Platform» launched on May 24, 2007

Some numbers Norway - network 549.115 members 4.737.200 population 11,6 % Norway - ads 1.127.740 23,8 % Finland - network 395.703 members 5.255.580 population 7,5 % Finland - ads 458.200 8,7 %

Norway - network

549.115 members

4.737.200 population

11,6 %

Norway - ads

1.127.740

23,8 %

Finland - network

395.703 members

5.255.580 population

7,5 %

Finland - ads

458.200

8,7 %

Some more numbers for Finland Total: 458.200 Men: 138.600, women: 204.420 0-15: 2.200 16-20: 74.220 21-25: 157.060 26-30: 121.300 31-35: 58.820 36-45: 32.480 46- : 11.820

Total: 458.200

Men: 138.600, women: 204.420

0-15: 2.200

16-20: 74.220

21-25: 157.060

26-30: 121.300

31-35: 58.820

36-45: 32.480

46- : 11.820

Libraries in Facebook - options Profiles Groups Pages Applications

Types of presence

Facebook: groups

Facebook: pages Feature probably added because lots of organizations were creating profiles for themselves Works much the same way as a profile Users become «fans», not «friends» Pages can send notifications to fans Fans can choose to receive notifications from pages

Feature probably added because lots of organizations were creating profiles for themselves

Works much the same way as a profile

Users become «fans», not «friends»

Pages can send notifications to fans

Fans can choose to receive notifications from pages

Advantages to pages Applications can be added to pages, but not to groups

Applications can be added to pages, but not to groups

Facebook: applications («apps») In the beginning Pictures, The Wall Then came the Facebook Platform Made it possible for «third party developers» to create applications Can be added to pages, as well as profiles Examples JSTOR WorldCat

In the beginning

Pictures, The Wall

Then came the Facebook Platform

Made it possible for «third party developers» to create applications

Can be added to pages, as well as profiles

Examples

JSTOR

WorldCat

Anatomy of an application Facebook delivers most of the page The application delivers content in a «window» on the page To the user it looks like one, integrated page The application «talks» to Facebook in the background, to get information about the user looking at the page Friends, interests, favourite books – and information about the user's friends...

Facebook delivers most of the page

The application delivers content in a «window» on the page

To the user it looks like one, integrated page

The application «talks» to Facebook in the background, to get information about the user looking at the page

Friends, interests, favourite books – and information about the user's friends...

Successfull applications Spread «virally» «Word of mouth» Newsfeeds show new apps and interactions with apps Built-in methods for recommending apps to friends Emphasize social aspects Interactions among your circle of friends «Challenge your friends to take this quiz» «Tell your friends about this book»

Spread «virally»

«Word of mouth»

Newsfeeds show new apps and interactions with apps

Built-in methods for recommending apps to friends

Emphasize social aspects

Interactions among your circle of friends

«Challenge your friends to take this quiz»

«Tell your friends about this book»

Library as conversation (A lot of) people love to talk about books Reviews Discussions Tagging But they don't necessarily do it in the library The Web is rife with book-conversations: Blogs LibraryThing Facebook...

(A lot of) people love to talk about books

Reviews

Discussions

Tagging

But they don't necessarily do it in the library

The Web is rife with book-conversations:

Blogs

LibraryThing

Facebook...

Some ideas for applications New books from your library Add books to a bookshelf Tag books Comment, discuss, write reviews, rate «Others who liked this book also liked...» Tell others about a book Book-games And let's not forget journals, articles, DVDs, music...

New books from your library

Add books to a bookshelf

Tag books

Comment, discuss, write reviews, rate

«Others who liked this book also liked...»

Tell others about a book

Book-games

And let's not forget journals, articles, DVDs, music...

Not just one platform anymore... Alternative platform: OpenSocial Who's in? Google Yahoo! MySpace

Alternative platform: OpenSocial

Who's in?

Google

Yahoo!

MySpace

The war of the platforms? Source: http://www.programmableweb.com/social-platforms-scorecard

Focus on infrastructure We need to get our «metadata» out of our systems in a structured way. Feeds (e.g. RSS/Atom) APIs (e.g. SRU) And not just from our catalogues, but from all the services that make up our «collection» We need an abstract «social thing», that can interact with, and collect data from, all sorts of social networks (and other interesting places).

We need to get our «metadata» out of our systems in a structured way.

Feeds (e.g. RSS/Atom)

APIs (e.g. SRU)

And not just from our catalogues, but from all the services that make up our «collection»

We need an abstract «social thing», that can interact with, and collect data from, all sorts of social networks (and other interesting places).

Conclusion Social networks are interesting «places» for libraries to provide services. We need to experiment in order to determine what kinds of services can be built, and what our users will actually find useful. We need an infrastructure that will allow us to present our own data in new places with a minimum of effort.

Social networks are interesting «places» for libraries to provide services.

We need to experiment in order to determine what kinds of services can be built, and what our users will actually find useful.

We need an infrastructure that will allow us to present our own data in new places with a minimum of effort.

THE END

THE END

Kiitos! [email_address] collib.info www.enger.priv.no

Kiitos!

[email_address]

collib.info

www.enger.priv.no