This document provides an overview of social media tools, technologies, and platforms that libraries are currently using. It discusses opportunities and challenges of social media use, trends in how people access information, and examples of how some libraries are connecting with users through blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and mobile apps. The document also includes a list of useful social media tools and links for further research.

1. Social Media: an overview

2. Getting to grips… Introduction to Social Media Tools, technologies and platforms What libraries are currently doing Useful links and resources Developing a plan Flickr image Matt Hamm

3. “ Yes, it is important for libraries and librarians to be on social networks... it is equally important to remember why we are doing all of these things. We are providing a new medium for things we have always done . … we all need to be working together and not undermining the traditional work we still do, that is still overwhelmingly appreciated by the people we serve. There can be a balance to using new technology to promote, support and enhance traditional, as well as new , programming and resources Karen Klapperstock (2009) )

4. “ Many of the technologies we deal with are residential platforms , meaning that it’s hard to see their real benefits until you’ve lived there for a while… It’s simple to sign up for a new tool, but it takes time and effort to make good use of it.” JISC Web2Practice

5. Introduction 1

6. Social Media A collection of Tools, Technologies and Platforms for sharing, networking, updating, connecting, researching and creating content

7. Opportunities

8. Challenges (some of them)

9. Always connected… The technologies we use are increasingly cloud-based consumerised decentralised Storage in the cloud Access from any device … and any location … at any time

10. Trends People expect to be able to work, learn and study whenever and wherever they want to The world of work is increasingly collaborative Source: Horizon Report 2011

11. Change and more change New skills and competencies New scholarly models of communication are developing Publishing is decentralising Keeping pace with new devices , software and information sources is increasingly difficult

12. Years to adoption 1 eBooks and Mobiles 2-3 Augmented Reality Game Based Learning 4-5 Gesture Based Computing Learning Analytics Horizon Report 2011

13. “ There is a greater need than ever for effective tools and filters for finding, interpreting, organising and retrieving the data that is important to us .” Source: Horizon Report 2011

14. Barriers include… Management concerns about inappropriate use Technical issues around capacity and security

15. Public and private Social media can blur distinctions between public and private

16. Perceptions Hype

17. Time wasting… http://www.twitpic.com/19792p

18. Banal…. Some content is banal and inappropriate (just like other media) But some of it is really, really useful (just like other media) Flickr image Jeremy Brooks

19. “ The purpose … is not to argue that social media are an absolute good, but rather that they offer tools which, if used carefully, are likely to be beneficial … and to facilitate positive connections with other communities e.g. the industrial research and development and policy communities.” Social Media guide for researchers

20. “… using social media to bridge disciplinary boundaries , to engage in knowledge exchange with industry and policy makers, and to provide a channel for the public communication of their research ” Social Media: a guide for researchers

21. Tools, technologies and platforms 2

22. Social Media guide for researchers

23. Key characteristics Access to content updated in real time Access at a convenient time Access to contacts in r eal time

24. Top 10 tools for learning Twitter – micro-updating tool YouTube – video hosting and sharing tool GoogleDocs - online collaboration tool Delicious – social bookmarking tool Slideshare – presentation hosting and sharing tool Google Reader – RSS feed reader Wordpress – blogging tool Skype – instant messaging and VoIP call tool Moodle – course management system Facebook – social networking site Source: C4LPT

25. RSS feeds A format for regularly updating web content Users stay current by subscribing to feeds Updates are automatically delivered without having to visit websites.

26. Feeds … Content providers deliver content to feed subscribers by incorporating a feed burner into the web page

27. Managing feeds Many sites offer the option to subscribe by e-mail or via a free aggregator like Google Reader increasingly Twitter is used as a feed

28. Connections to…

29. Connections to … RSS feeds Aggregators Bookmarks Slideshare YouTube Podcasts Wikis

30. Twitter

31. Used for… Service updates Links News Alerts Marketing Promotion Research Disseminating Following people and organisations Following trends and events Finding information

32. An alternative to Twitter? Yammer is a social network that operates within an organisation’s secure network. It’s Twitter for internal use

33. Social Networks principally a personal network but used by organisations to reach a target audience used by many professionals for networking and discussion Groups can be closed or open

34. Used for… Status updates Service updates News Alerts Marketing Promotion Sharing Links Disseminating Discussions Campaigns Events Networking Discussions

35. Blogs Blogs are created by individuals, groups, organisations, institutions. They are chronologically organised and frequently updated Platforms include Blogger and Wordpress and can be hosted on organisational websites.

36. Used for… Sharing news and content Publishing Forums for discussion, reflection Delivering training

37. Wikis wiki |ˈwikē| WIKee noun a Web site that allows collaborative editing of its content and structure by its users. ORIGIN coined by programmer Ward Cunningham (1949- ), from Hawaiian wiki-wiki ‘quick-quick.’ Wikipedia

38. Used for… Sharing knowledge Aggregating content Peer review Supporting best practice Team working Reference queries

39. LibraryThing A networking site for readers with additional functionality for libraries Offering catalogue enhancement, new books content and other services Mobile access via the LibraryAnywhere app. CIG (Bowker, ProQuest etc) is a commercial partner

40. Photo Sharing

41. Used for… Sharing images Sourcing images Publicity Marketing Providing access to archives Event amplification

42. Slideshare Presentations from workshops and courses from around the world

43. Used for… Archiving training Accessing training Event amplification Accessing content Search engine

44. Bookmarks Diigo Delicious

45. Used for… Archiving content Accessing content Finding content Organising and sharing content Promoting resources

46. Video content Lectures, courses, tutorials, conferences, events from universities, organisations and individuals Biggest search engine after Google

47. Podcasts Audio and video to download - radio programmes from the archives, lectures, language courses, interviews… Via iTunes or other feeds

48. Personal Home Pages Everything in one place when you logon Netvibes and iGoogle

49. Used for… Bookmarking Accessing and organising content Aggregating content Remote access to home page

50. Library Apps “ Mobile devices today can run increasingly complex software, interact with cloud services, play rich multimedia content, and allow for advanced user interactivity” There's an App for that! Libraries and mobile technology

51. Used for… Access to catalogues Service information Content delivery Library induction Access to databases Ask a Librarian Library notifications

52. Costs and hidden costs There are no expensive licenses, set up is easy and many accounts are free to start with BUT There will be costs for staff time, technical support, evaluation and design and charges can kick in eventually

53. What libraries are currently doing 3

54. Desktop library Digital Library, Rijkswaterstaat Directorate of Public Works and Water Management (The Netherlands) has moved from a network of satellite libraries to a desktop library service.

55. Supporting users Fire Resources The Fire Sciences Library of the Office of the Fire Marshall (U.S.) has developed a Wiki to support staff studying for the Master of Engineering in Fire Safety

56. Connecting via social media Bodleian Libraries Social Media Directory University of Oxford libraries communicate with their users through a variety of social media including blogs, Facebook, Twitter and LibraryThing

57. Connecting 2 Follow, fan and connect with NLM The US National Library of Medicine provides access via Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds and e-mail lists. Based at the US National Institutes of Health, it is the world’s largest medical library.

58. Aggregating content Team Knowledge Update Information services from Shrewsbury and Telford Health Libraries via Netvibes Knowledge Source Regular blog with news, links and access to content

59. Aggregating content 2 HL Wiki Canada An open, freely-accessible wiki with entries about health librarianship, social media and current information technology topics relevant to the provision of health information.

60. Library Apps MIT Libraries Betas and Widgets Libraries at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are experimenting with apps to improve access for their users to content and services

61. Library Apps 2 Library Tools A guide to Cambridge University’s apps and other online tools for library users

62. Library portal Dublin PL portal Comprehensive access to library and other resources provided by Dublin City Public Libraries for people living and working in Dublin via Netvibes

63. Sharing research Research Information Network disseminates information on resources, events and news via its feeds and also uses Facebook, Twitter and Delicious

64. Accessing resources Cochrane Social Media Workshop Health Librarians in Canada can access workshop content via blog and Slideshare. Resources are available to participants and to a wider audience .

65. Useful links and resources 4

66. Bookmarks Government Libraries March 2011 A list of bookmarks on Diigo for this workshop Guides, articles, research, good practice, toolkits, advice, tutorials and other useful stuff

67. Planning for Social Media 5

69. Research

70. Implementation

71. Finally… Try things out Make use of it yourself Use what’s useful Dump what’s not Take it seriously Flickr image Matt Hamm

72. Attribution – Share Alike License This presentation is available to reuse or adapt as long as credit is given to the author. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/