Define what social networking is (in your own words)
Social networking is the act of utilising social sites to interact, share, journal, display or self promote to a like-minded online community.
List what social networking technologies and sites you already use (for personal, work and study purposes)
I have yet to find a reason to use social networking technologies in my personal life. I keep in touch with my friends, most of whom don’t have an online presence by phone calls, visits and the occasional letter. The only online technologies that I use regularly are commercial sites and email. Work of course is different – I have been an internet user for over ten years, constantly use email, listservs, and databases, have been a participant in the now defunct Ask Now! Instant messaging service, and have used blogs, Flickr, and Historypin for project work as required. Study has provided a reason to use social networking sites, and since commencing my Masters I have used online forums, Wimba online meeting tool, YouTube, Skype and Second Life. Since enrolling in this subject, I have an additional email account, a Facebook page, Delicious account, Flickr account, Twitter account, and now this blog!
Describe what you expect to learn from completing INF506.
Firstly, I am expecting that this subject will provide an opportunity (which is not afforded at my workplace) for me to use, explore and gain confidence using a variety of social networking sites. Additionally, I hope be able to evaluate their usefulness to me personally and professionally, eg. will they save time, or make networking easier than my current methods. Secondly, I expect to develop an understanding of how social networking can be utilized more effectively by public libraries, including everything from staff training, to promoting services to the online community, to creating online library communities where librarians and users can collaboratively tell their community’s history and stories. Lastly, I hope to gain a sense of where social networking is going from here, what further skills I will need to develop, and have a sense of what will my workplace be like in the future.
