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.
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