LIBR 246 Post Wk 6

Write your own reflections on what you learned this week from the articles you read.

I read several interesting and enlightening articles this week on a variety of social networking tips and insights.  First, read Facebook Use in Libraries: And Exploration Analysis on a study determining different uses of Facebook between public and academic libraries.  The most interesting point I discovered, though I enjoyed the entire article especially since it is so up to date (2012), was on academic libraries use of Facebook.  Aharony shows evidence the academic libraries don’t use Facebook in the same ways as public libraries because they view Facebook as a social medium that may not be on par with the academic, professional, serious, reliable brand they are wanting their patrons to associate with them.  Just like wikipedia, Facebook may have a bad reputation of being unreliable or frivolous, which I can understand a library not necessarily wanting to promote.  Public libraries, or even school libraries, may be a better fit for Facebook pages so that all sections can be utilized like information, technology recommendations, wall posts, links, and photos.

Related to the ideas presented above was the article Sharing Your Library with Facebook Pages that is from the School Library Journal.  I work in a school library and I like how practically this article approaches creating a Facebook page.  I would need to be aware of the implications of having the page as mentioned above but balance it with the positives mentioned in both articles.  I especially like the part of this article that understands how busy school librarians are and how overwhelming it can be to add yet another addition to the “to-do” list.  I like the idea of setting goals for posts, encouraging parents to like the page, posting pictures of students, and even encouraging parent volunteers in an easy going medium. These recommendations make starting a Facebook page manageable.

Lastly, I read Social Networking Strategies for Professionals which had several helpful ideas on Twitter use.  I personally am not a fan of twitter, I am disinclined to share my personal feelings and do not feel the need to know my friend’s every move.  However, Breeding mentions this useless information and encourages Twitter use in a more professional manner.  He mentions that one should be selective on what and who is being followed, too many can be overwhelming and unhelpful.  Also, one should maintain a professional voice, avoid sounding like a teenager, and use links as a nice addition to tweets.  I had not thought about using links in twitter, but of course it is wise and professional.  Also, I think being selective is key, especially as I enter into using twitter so that I don’t get annoyed or burnt out on the feeds.

Aharony, N. (2012). Facebook use in libraries: An exploratory analysis. Aslib Proceedings, 64(4), 358-372.
Breeding, M. (2009). Social networking strategies for professionals. Computers in Libraries, 29(9), 29-31.
Fredrick, K. (2012). Sharing your library with facebook pages. School Library Monthly, 28(5), 24-26.

LIBR246 - Exercise 2

        The blog “In the Library with the Lead Pipe” is one of the best blogs I subscribed to because it provides an “In Brief” section to make it easier for their readers to choose to tune in to an article or not.  This makes RSS feeds even more enticing and useful.  This is especially important for this blog because the posts are long articles, rather than opinions, updates, etc.  The Blog articles provides a wide variety of insight into the work of being a librarian and ways to better practice.  The blog itself claims to lend itself better to academic librarians, but I think they do a good job of appealing to all, especially with the “In Brief” option when tuning in.
The blog “Librarian’s Commute” has a more personal update and conversation feel to it’s posts.  I enjoy the practical application feel, rather than discussing big picture ideas, this blog makes short and sweet posts on what is current and affecting a multitude of libraries.  
“The Distant Librarian” is a truly update or bust type of blog.  The blog is heavy with links to sites that help with distance education and the information professionals role within that capacity.  I personally cannot relate to this information nor this style of blog post.  While it is written in a “fellow colleague” voice, I have difficulty connecting to the all business style and bombardment of links.
“Librarian By Day” feels like a library advocacy blog that encourages librarians to explore new aspects of their profession with useful and unique links, hints, and personal anecdotes.  This blog does a great job of keeping the posts short and succinct on a plethora of subjects with a bit of an emphasis on the digital trend in libraries.
“David Lee King” is clearly an idea man and his blog reflects his creativity and insight into the future of libraries.  I like his short entries and limited but useful use of links.  He would be very helpful in the areas of marketing and customer service, but the blog appears to cover a good variety of library issues and ideas.
I enjoyed the “Librarian by Day” and “David Lee King” blogs the most and would be happy to tune into their posts via RSS feeds.  I enjoy the personality attached to the posts as well as the short length.  I feel that their creativity and ideas become accessible with their personal blog style and makes me want to tune in and try their suggestions.  Reading longer blog posts or following a million link would be boring and more like a chore than an interesting update.
One of the blogs I chose is the “ALSC” blog that focuses on children’s librarians and has a multitude of writers.  I enjoy this blogs short posts, different author inputs, and creative ideas for the children section and participation in libraries. I also subscribed to the “School Library Journal” blog which is basically a quick version of their magazine via RSS, very convenient.  I enjoy the short posts on book recommendations, and the well covered variety of topics like nonfiction, multicultural books, and more .  They also provide updates on interesting and useful webcasts which I enjoy.  The last blog I subscribed to was the “School Library Journal Monthly Blog” which is similar to the regular blog, but has more article-type posts.  I enjoy the subject matter of this post and knowing that I will only have to tune in monthly and not miss anything.  
After reading so many blogs and RSS updates I feel more than ever that blogging is necessary for libraries big and small.  I personally feel that blogs are most successful when the authors have personality, creativity, and relate their own musings on the profession to something all librarians can relate to.  Also, blogs should be updated regularly, but no so much that it becomes irritating and overwhelming to the reader.  Also, I think posts should contain links to interesting materials, past blogs, pictures, and more so long as they are on topic and not simply a list or random tangents.  And finally, lengths of blog posts are best kept short.  Succinct posts are not only more interesting, but also more engaging for readers and will encourage a more loyal following.  I look forward to using these insights in my future professional blogs.

LIBR 246 Blog Post Wk 5

Do you have an account on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google +? Describe your experience and your reason for choosing the one you are discussing.  Do you use it for personal or professional or both?  Do you think librarians should have an account on any of these for professional reasons? Do you think libraries should have a presence on these? Why or why not?

I have a Facebook account.  I use it for the personal aspect, keeping in touch with distant friends and old co-workers.  I personally can’t stand Facebook and use it rarely unless someone contacts me.  However, I can understand the beneficial aspect of Facebook as a social media tool and the connections it makes.  For example, the like button can lead to more networking and gives your brand more face time with like minded people.  I believe libraries should have a Facebook account, but the type of account matters.  There are corporate accounts, where people can like the page, and then there are personal accounts where people can be friends.  Depending on the size of one’s library and the brand one is trying to convey the type of page created should be carefully chosen.  I know my local public library has a personal page that local users can “friend” and make comments on, which perfectly fits the “small town” feel of the library.  The Denver Public Library on the other hand would look silly with a Facebook page meant for friends, it would not fit their brand.  Overall, these accounts help with branding, encourage patron awareness and potentially use, and overall demonstrate a social network presence online (a must in this society).  I personally hope I am never put in charge of its maintenance as I dislike Facebook for personal reasons, but I, by far, am in the minority and librarians as a whole should be on Facebook.

LIBR 246 Post Week 4

What are some of the things libraries should consider before starting a blog?

Libraries should embrace their blog whole heartedly, first of all.  I read several articles that demonstrated exactly what it takes to commit to a blog in a library setting.  I enjoyed the “20 Reasons a Business Should Not Blog” because it has the perfect list of positive aspects of a blog, but in a cheeky manner.  Libraries need to overcome many fears in order to run a successful blog and embrace it.  Like giving up the control over how people will interpret a message, engaging in controversy or damage control, or dealing with negative or harsh comments.  Also, librarians need to feel passion and interest for what they are writing.  Forcing certain topics or agendas on a blogging team is a sure way for a blog to sound insincere.  Furthermore, to encourage a passion (therefore success of a blog)

The article “Top Ten Tips for a Successful Team Blog” mentioned “meeting a need” with your blog.  I had never thought of a blog meeting a need...rather a blog meeting the need that everyone is supposed to have a blog.  But with the idea in mind to have a “vision” and a purpose in mind with each blog post, blogs become a dynamic part of a library.  They become less of a chore, and more of an outlet, educator, reference tool, or more.  Most importantly it is something to be proud of and be focused on as a toll in the library.

In addition to these “big picture” pieces when starting a blog, details like team blogger communication, topics, rotation, frequency, appropriateness, audience, and credible source standards must be addressed in detail.  This is especially true when attempting to demonstrate a positive image/brand of one’s library and have bloggers work together as a cohesive unit. I also like the idea mentioned in the Farkas text, staff should consider an inside blog to communicate with each other and become more comfortable with blogs.

Farkas, M. G. (2007). Social software in libraries: Building collaboration, communication, and community online. Medford, NJ: Information Today.
Library Garden. (2007). "Top Ten Tips for a Successful Team Blog."
Streight, S. E. (2007). “20 Reasons a Business Should NOT Blog.” Vaspers the Grate.

LIBR 246 Exercise 1

ModCloth is an online indie, retro style clothing and accessory store.  I found this site through a Facebook advertisement so I know they excel at social media marketing.  Being an online site, with no physical stores, I think the social media piece of their marketing and branding becomes vital and unavoidable.  Consumers have great things to say about the quality and variety provided by the company, plus a whole community of stylist advice and questions exist centered around ModCloth.

Their Facebook page is well liked and the ad appears often on random pages, likely because it is something I am interested in and mention on my own page.  The page is easily accessible from the advertisement and their website, plus every other social media page has a link to the other under an easily viewable tab “Follow us.”  The Facebook page does a great job of encouraging participation with pictures, questions, sale advertisements, and stylist suggestions.  Each post has anywhere from 20-100 comments and close to a 1000 “likes.”  Clearly this site is well viewed and a great place for people to be positive about the website in general, a must have for this small company’s branding.  Also, I can see which of my friends “like” this page thus encouraging my own participation and further markets the company name.  ModCloth has returned comments on every post, answering questions, concerns, or style advice.  The site is well loved by the company and it shows, they don’t just have the page because you’re supposed to these days, but rather embrace it as a way to reach their consumers and create a better company.

You can also find ModCloth on Flickr, with a photo thread “Outfit du Jour” that consumers can comment on.  This site is not commented on very frequently, but comments are generally positive.  They also have an account on Tumblr with photos, style ideas, interviews with stylists, and more.  Again, comments are positive and fairly regular.  Pintrest is another avenue ModCloth shares style ideas and advertisements.  I feel that these websites are all fairly similar, but may reach a different audience each time with positive reviews, and just as much care and attention from the ModCloth team.  With this company, no social media site is forgotten.  It doesn’t stop there, there is even a YouTube channel devoted to ModCloth with fashion tips, employee interviews, and more.  All really well done and well viewed., one video had 8,000 hits, who knew headband styling was so popular!  There is also a ModCloth blog that is well maintained and has a different blogger each month to keep the information and creativity fresh.  This is a great avenue for consumers to participate and describe any concerns they may have (though that is few and far between) and feel connected to the company.  Finally, Modcloth has a Twitter feed that can be followed and demonstrates the effectiveness of ModCloth’s communication with their consumers with an easy to search (hashtags) interface.

One of the effective ways ModCloth uses social media to connect with their consumers is by asking users to “Be the Buyer.”  Through these social media avenues consumers can comment on style choices, such as color, length, or whether or not the store should sell an item.  This allows consumers to participate in the store, fuel loyalty, and generally please a customer because it feels like their opinions matter and they are being heard.

All of these sites have well attached tags so when on the site and searching for clothes in general, vintage, indie, or ModCloth, this page will be provided.  As I mentioned before, the social media sites are important to the company, not just a chore, and it shows with their own participation and the frequent posts with much creativity and consumer interest.  This company is a great example of how social media can be used to brand and engage customers, especially gaining a following and consumer loyalty.  They also demonstrate how much positive feedback can come from these websites.

I had a lot of fun learning what other’s thought of this company and was impressed with how widespread their social network is.  This company is a great model for social media tools, and the monitoring tools, like RSS,came in handy while searching through their many sites.

LIBR 246 Post Week 3

What should an organization do when they find negative things being written about them online?

Respond immediately, honestly, and in a well viewed social forum. I read the article “10 of the Smartest Big Brands in Social Media” and while it focuses mostly on the positive attributes of social media it has good advice for negative occurrences as well. One of the examples they provided of how social media can work for a company was an incident Ford faced.  Ford had a negative rumor spread through social media so they were able to catch the information early on and diffuse all negative comments.  With immediate response and honest communication on company business to consumers, Ford was able to maintain their positive and safe reputation.  Libraries should take a cue from this and maintain transparency and address any negative situations or complaints quickly and directly.  Social media can mean spreading the negatives, but it also provides an avenue to diffuse them quicker and can help avoid being talked about to neighbors or friends where we have no opportunity to address the negativity.  I would recommend this article to everyone, useful and interesting!

    Another article discussed crowding out negative blog comments or news reports with positive social media pages, articles, and comments.  That way google searches bring up the positive rather than the negative.  This was mentioned in a personal branding context, but I think it can apply to libraries by pumping up the positivity around a brand and potentially diffuses negative accusations or abnormally disgruntled consumers.