The document discusses social software and its potential uses and benefits for libraries. Social software is defined as tools that allow people to communicate, collaborate and build community online and/or facilitate syndication, sharing, and capitalizing on the knowledge of others. The document outlines how social software can help libraries disseminate information, get feedback from patrons, provide services to remote users, and capitalize on the collective intelligence of colleagues and users. It provides strategies for implementing social software, such as involving staff and IT in planning, testing the technology, learning from patrons, and considering maintenance and sustainability.

2. Building Collaboration
Communication and
Community Online
Meredith Farkas
Norwich University

3. What is social software?
My definition: To be defined as social software, a
tool must meet at least two of the following
conditions:
1. It allows people to communicate, collaborate
and build community online
2. It can be syndicated, shared, reused or remixed,
or it facilitates syndication
3. It allows people to easily learn from and
capitalize on the behavior or knowledge of others

4. Characteristics of Social
Software

5. Easy Content Creation
and Sharing

6. Online Collaboration

7. Conversations: Distributed

8. Conversations: Real Time

9. Capitalizing on the
Wisdom of Crowds

10. Capitalizing on the
Wisdom of Crowds

11. Transparency

12. Transparency

13. Personalization

14. Personalization

15. Portability

16. What Can Social
Software do for
Libraries?

17. Disseminate Information

18. Disseminate Information

19. Disseminate Information

20. Disseminate Information

21. Disseminate Information

22. Disseminate Information

23. Get Feedback! Start a
Conversation!

24. Get Feedback! Start a
Conversation!

25. Get Feedback! Start a
Conversation!

26. Get Feedback! Start a
Conversation!

27. Give the Library a
Human Face!

28. Give the Library a
Human Face!

29. Provide Services to
Remote Users

30. Provide Services to
Remote Users

31. Provide Services to
Remote Users

32. Provide Services Where
our Users Are

33. Provide Services Where
our Users Are

34. Provide Services Where
our Users Are

35. Provide Services Where
our Users Are

36. Provide Services Where
our Users Are

37. Provide Services Using
Tools Patrons Use

38. Provide Services Using
Tools Patrons Use

39. Capitalize on the
Collective Intelligence of
Colleagues & Users

40. Capitalize on the
Collective Intelligence of
Colleagues & Users

41. Capitalize on the
Collective Intelligence of
Colleagues & Users

42. Capitalize on the
Collective Intelligence of
Colleagues & Users

43. Strategies for
Implementing Social
Software

44. Avoid Technolust

45. Will it improve library
services? Will patrons use it?

46. Involve Staff at all Levels
in Planning

47. Involve IT in Planning

48. Play with Technology!
Kick the Tires!

49. Trust your patrons.
Learn from them.

50. Consider Maintenance
and Sustainability

51. Consider Maintenance
and Sustainability

52. Do you Need a Policy?

53. In Marketing Focus on
the Functionality

54. Social Software in
Libraries Alternative
Book Cover Contest
Winners...

55. ash966

56. Kelli / nomextra

57. Darren Chase

58. Questions? Just Ask!
mgfarkas@gmail.com
AIM: librarianmer
Links and presentation at
http://meredithfarkas.wetpaint.com