Social Networking

Previously on...

In our last post, we discussed cloud computing. We will now explore Social Networking, which we've learned frequently exists in the cloud.

So what is social networking?

Social networking is using an online community to communicate informally with a group of people who share a common interest.

The use of blogs, wikis, and accounts on various social media websites has become a popular way for organizations and individuals to communicate with others. Information in a variety of formats can be shared quickly and easily, and individuals can decide which organizations they want to follow.

How does this relate to special libraries?

A librarian's role is always evolving. Constantly confronted with the wealth of information available online, librarians need a way to stay relevant and at the forefront of patrons' minds. Social networking tools offer many possibilities. Here are a few options and some ways they can benefit your law library:

#1 - Blogs

A well-written and well-marketed blog can be a useful way to communicate information and get user feedback. These days, people are increasingly using blogs to stay informed, for both personal and professional reasons. Sites such as Blogger or Wordpress provide libraries with an informal way to express opinions and discuss common themes. Blog posts can be discovered through search engines, so they provide a useful “contact point.” Librarians can blog about everything from book reviews to special collections to “behind the scenes” looks at the library itself. Legal research tips and links to relevant news articles could also be helpful. However, in order for a blog to be successful, it must be regularly updated and marketed. Some ways of getting the word out are linking to the RSS feed on the library’s home page or, for an academic library, mentioning it to the students during class.

#2 - Youtube

Here are a few example videos that show why Youtube can be valuable to a law library:

Promotional video for University of South Australia's Law Library

First in a series of videos meant to familiarize new law students with the Seattle University Library

Video teaching University at Buffalo law students how to establish legal research fundamentals in the law library

#3 - Professional networking sites

Many professional social networking sites exist in the legal world. Martindale-Hubbell Connected, LawLink, and LinkedIn provide ways for law librarians, law students, lawyers, and other members of the legal community to stay connected and get referrals. The Ning network allows users to create their own social website; one is already set up for law libraries, which allows blogging, chat, videos, forums and more.

#4 - Other useful sites

Del.icio.us lets users bookmark web pages for themselves and others, check out what others bookmark, and organize bookmarks in one place. Many libraries have been using this to their advantages, like with the University of Michigan’s page.

Many libraries use an organizational account on LibraryThing to improve access to their collections. Widgets available on LibraryThing let users add lists of books to a webpage and browse new books online. Books are browsable by user or tag, allowing users to see book ratings and recommendations for similar books. The site is so easy to use, some libraries even let LibraryThing function as their catalog.

Final thoughts

You might ask why a librarian would spend time blogging or messing around with various networking sites when they could be helping patrons. Well, the reality is that the amount of people a library can reach through social networking makes it worth the time spent. Social networking sites are here to stay, and they lower barriers for participation for both patrons of the library and the library’s staff. These sites allow the patrons easy access to information, and allow all staff members to be involved, rather than only one or two people updating a static website.

References

Rethlefsen, M.L. (2007, September 15). Social bookmarking and tagging boost participation. In Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6476403.html

Steele, J., & Greenlee, E. (2011). Thinking, writing, sharing, blogging: Lessons learned from implementing a law library blog. Law Library Journal, 103, 1, 113-123.