This document discusses how librarians can use social networking and Web 2.0 tools to engage modern library users and extend readers services in the 21st century. It finds that a large portion of library users are active on social media platforms. The document then outlines various social networking sites and tools like blogs, wikis, Flickr, and video sharing and provides examples of how libraries have used these tools for activities like marketing, outreach, and reference services. It also discusses best practices and potential risks of using social media in libraries.

1. Social Networking
Literacy Skills:
Recasting the Readers Services
Librarians’ Competencies in the
21st Century
By Fe Angela M. Verzosa
Presented at PAARL’s Summer Seminar-Workshop on the theme “Librarians at
their Best: Envisioning and Realizing Multilevel and Progressive Readers Services”
Lyceum of Aparri, Cagayan Valley, April 29 – May 1, 2009

2. • “A huge number of the readers services
population are logging on to the internet for
the sole purpose of social networking.”
• In order for librarians to successfully extend
effective and efficient services to its modern
library users, engaging in social networking activities
is a must.
• This topic discusses various social networking
activities and develops strategic approaches for
integrating these activities to formulate a
productive and cutting-edge readers services.

3. • Internet usage increased from 23 percent
in 2007 to 28 percent in 2008, according
to a new survey conducted by Nielsen and
Yahoo on Filipino Internet habits study.
• Internet use is not restricted to the big
cities like Metro Manila. E.g. Cagayan de Oro
City – 35%
• 47% of all internet time are spent in
internet cafes.
• Social networking is a key online activity.

4. Overall popular online activities :
63% - Email/Instant messaging
58% - Searches
53% - Playing online games
51% - Download/upload of photos
51% - Social networking
24% - Reading news online
3% - Online banking/purchasing products

5. Profile of Internet users:
50% - 10 to 19 years old
41% - 20 to 29
19% - 30 to 39
12% - 40 to 49
3% - 50 + above

6. What is…

7. • Connecting with existing networks, making and
developing friendships /contacts
• Developing an online presence
• Viewing content and/or finding information
• Creating and customizing profiles
• Authoring and uploading your own content
• Adding and sharing third-party content
• Posting messages
• Collaborating
• For e-learning

9. What is Social Software?
• a range of web-enabled software programs that
allow users to interact and work collaboratively
with other users
• includes the ability to browse, search, invite
friends to connect and interact, share film
reviews, comments, blog entries, favorites,
discussions, events, videos, ratings, music,
classified ads, tag and classify information, etc.
• functions like an online community of internet
users

10. Social Networking Sites

13. General with 235,000,000 users
General with 253,145,404 users
mainly business for professionals
General, popular in ASEAN countries
Photo sharing, commenting, popular worldwide
Video-sharing, commenting, banned in some
for Music countries
for blogging
for Book lovers
Ning - Users create their own social websites/ networks
Wayn - Travel and lifestyle

14. Sosyalan.com is the 1st Pinoy video-sharing and
social networking site in one. With Sosyalan.com you will
be able to:
- Easily connect with friends, relatives,
classmates and other Filipinos from
all over the world
- Create your own webpage
- Share, blog, and watch videos, tagalog movies, and listen to
OPM music videos
Friendster - the Philippines now holds the record of
“having the most number of Friendster users
worldwide” with 87% of local Internet users

15. Types of social networking service
• Profile-based
organized around members’ profile
pages that mainly consist of
information about an individual
member, including the person’s
picture and details of interests, likes
and dislikes.
Users develop their spaces in various
ways, and can often contribute to each
other’s spaces, typically leaving text,
embedded content or links to external
content through message walls,
comment or evaluation tools.
- Best examples of profile-based
services: Facebook, Friendster,
MySpace, Multiply.com, Sosyalan.com

16. Types of social networking service
• Content-based
- the user’s profile remains an important way of
organizing connections, but plays a secondary role to
the posting of content.
- Best examples
Flickr - for photo-sharing
YouTube – for video-sharing
Last.fm – for music-sharing
LibraryThing – for sharing personal
library catalogs and book lists

17. Motivations
for Social Networking
• Anticipated Reciprocity
contribute valuable
information; expect that one will receive
useful help and information in return
• Increased Recognition - individuals want
recognition for their contributions
• Sense of efficacy – contributors believe
that they have had some effect on this
environment or community

18. Social Networks in Libraries
• Market library services
• Provide links and information
• Sharing – discussion topics
pictures/music/videos
• Participation - create a
dialog
• Get feedback
Great tools for:
Library Portals
Networking
Marketing & Promotion
Outreach
Branding

19. …as Library PUonrivterasitlys of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign Library Portal at MySpace
Library catalog
search box

20. mission

21. events
photos
discussion
board

23. guides
catalogs
web

24. Book reviews

25. Univ of Indiana

26. Photos
videos
Catalog
search
polls

29. …for Marketing/Promotion
University of Central Florida promotes their Ask a Librarian
service through their MySpace page

30. …for Marketing/Promotion

34. …for Library Networking

35. log entries

36. YouTube clips Instant messaging

38. messaging
blogging
profile
music

39. links
calenda

41. Using Ning as a tool…
…for Professional Networking
over 2,500 librarians who belong to the
Ning Library 2.0 social network

42. …for Library Outreach
Reaching out
to students…

43. …for Catalog Search
academic libraries have created Facebook applications to
enable their patrons to search their library catalogs

44. an online service to
help people catalog
their books easily
Also connects people with same books

45. Users create their own social websites/ networks

46. mainly business for professionals

48. Music community website

49. For travel and lifestyle

50. Social networking for UST

51. Blogs
• short for web logs, are like online journals wherein the
”blogger” (or owner) posts messages periodically, sharing
and focusing on a particular subject or issue,
allowing others to comment
• a venue for writing and peer editing and sharing, posting
articles, stories, illustrated books,
and opinions on current events,
personal experiences, etc.
• libraries use blogs as news vehicles,
venues for staff communication,
to support library instruction, and
as a forum for peers/colleagues to
express opinions on library issues
and concerns

52. Ideas for Library Blogs
• Online book discussion
• New releases – books,
video, electronic
resources
• Upcoming events
• Updating community –
building a new library
• Appeal to special
interest groups
• Reference Log
School Librarian in Action

53. Blogging Tools
• Blogger – free, with tutorials, templates
• Edublogs – free, great for students/teachers
• WordPress – free, over 60 themes and
integrated stats system
• Blog It – Facebook blogging application
• LiveJournal – free blog social network; most
distinctive feature is its “friends list”
• Snip Snap – Blog/wiki tool
• Vox – blogging and social networking tool

55. Enjoys a Google PageRank of 6

57. Blogs as Library News Vehicles

59. Blogs as Subject Resources
a business blog on which Binghampton University
library blog about electronic reference resources,
business database news, and statistical sources

60. Uses of Media-sharing tools
• For digital collections
management especially
for historical collections
• Online exhibits
• As training modules
•Teaching as
instructional aids
•Marketing and promotion
•Library and museum
tours

61. Video-sharing for Library Orientation

62. Video-sharing for Library Tours
an engaging way to introduce new students to
the campus library as well as to its librarians

63. For sharing photos of events …

64. More ideas for Flickr
• Highlight library events
• Hold a photo contest
• Upload a collection
• Library tour
• Ask people to post pictures
of themselves reading or
using the library
• Create a sense of community

65. Library News on Flickr

66. Photo-sharing for Historical Collections

67. Wikis
• a web page that is accessible to
anyone with a Web browser and
an Internet connection
• allows readers to collaborate with
others in writing it and add, edit,
and change the web page’s content,
• making it a tool for collaboration

68. Uses of Wikis in Libraries
• Library Websites
• Intranets
• Training tools or course instruction
• Event planning
• Subject Guides
• Reference Wiki
• Best Practices
• Encyclopedic works

69. Wikis as Library Web Sites

70. Wikis as Intranets

71. Wikis as Training Tools

72. Wikis for Event Planning

73. Wikis as Subject Guides

74. … as a Reference Wiki

75. Wikis for Best Practices

76. Wikis as encyclopedic works…

77. PAARLWiki as a Library 2.0 initiative

78. Benefits and Opportunities
• Literacy and communication skills
Using sites to communicate, collaborate and create
means learners use and can develop a wide range of
literacy skills.
• Collaboration encourages creativity
Using collaborative tools can develop
creative and entrepreneurial skills
• Being where learners are
Using social networking services
sends a clear message to learners
that you are aware of the types of
spaces they enjoy online.

79. Negative Views/Potential Risks
• Blocking and filtering sites because of
perceived inappropriate content
• Abuse and mismanagement of online
presence
• Misunderstanding the nature of online
environment
• Data protection and copyright concerns
• Learning about e-safety issues

80. Tips for Online Safety
• Do not publicly post your
personal address, phone
number, private info.
Remember, these are
public spaces.
• Change passwords often.
• Do not post anything that you don’t want
others to see or know.
• Harassment, hate speech and
inappropriate content should be reported

81. Tips for
Online Safety
• Beware of Phishing
(Phishing is a method
used by fraudsters to
try to get your personal
information, such as
your username and
password, by pretending to be a site you trust. )
• Always look at the URL of the page you are
directed to login to make sure that it stays in the
website, prior to login.
• People are not always who they say they are. Be
careful about adding strangers to your friends list;
remember, it is OK to deny a friend request.

82. Questions?
Contact fe.verzosa@dlsu.edu.ph