#8 Facebook, MySpace aka Friend Networks

What’s It All About?

Online social networks are about people.

In social network sites each person is in charge of their own record or personal page. Some examples of online social networks are: Facebook, MySpace, Orkut, LinkedIn and Ning.

Social Networking sites have become some of the most popular destinations on the Internet. The sites function as gathering places and are virtual hangouts for millions of users all over the world. Facebook alone reports more than 64 million active users.

There are two basic principles that account for their success:

• They make it easy for users to create a customized page of their own where they can express their personality. Users can share photos and personal details.
• Users can link their sites to their friends, allowing them to create a quantifiable manifestation of their social network.

Here is another Common Craft video explaination of Social Networking:

What’s In It For You?

These sits allow you to track long-lost friends and family, connect with colleagues inside or outside of Sno-Isle libraries, meet people who share common hobbies or interests, or find a soul mate!

Try It Out!

1. Visit one or more of the following social networking websites. If you already belong to one or more social networking sites, try visiting one you’re not familiar with.

• MySpace: The most popular social networking site on the planet, frequented by millions of teens and twentysomethings, and used by all sorts of groups, including libraries, as a marketing tool.
• Facebook: Originally designed for use on college campuses, the “social utility” appeals to a slightly older audience, and features customizable interface. Libraries are becoming more, and more involved with facebook as this site challenges MySpace for popularity.
• LinkedIn: Designed for professionals to post resumes and build contacts.
• Eons: Social networking and activity sharing geared toward the Baby Boomers generation, ages 50+

2. Chose one of the sites above and create an account.

3. Upload a photo (it doesn’t need to be you or even a person)

4. Once you’ve created your profile, explore the site a little more. Search for somebody– a friend, a co-worker, a former classmate, a famous author, or even one of the current presidential candidates. Add them to your friends list.

Post an entry in your blog about social networking sites:

• What features do you like or dislike about the site(s) you visited?
• What do you think makes them so popular?

More To Explore

Check out some library related sites. There are several social networking sites designed for book lovers. The two most notable sites are LibraryThing and GoodReads. Both of these sites allow members to create an online “bookshelf” where they can rate or review the titles they’ve read and share recommendations with their friends. If you set up a Facebook account, you can even add a Facebook application that links your GoodReads books to your friends on Facebook. Several libraries have even begun to integrate LibraryThing features into their online catalogs.

How are libraries using Facebook?

• To communicate with patrons
• To communicate with each other
• For work tools