Social networking

Oh dear! I think I am going against the trend here.

It is quite astonishing to realize how many people are going on one or more of these social networking websites. I can clearly see the benefits when it comest to audience research, greater insight into what borrowers/consumers want or don't want. It is also amazing to see the technical side of it i.e. being able to track who referred who to the website.

Marketing opportunities are great for libraries. We can promote our services, and especially events and create "virtual communities of visitors", track their responses and get other users to comment on other users' comments or answer their questions.

It would probably be most useful when dealing with teens and attracting them to what we do. I might be mistaken, as there are obviously millions of older users as well who frequent the networks.

One of the articles mentions that "people meeting people is still the basic principle that drives networking, online or off". I have no problem whatsoever with marketing businesses (including libraries) or sharing professional information but I have very strong opposition to sharing personal information and that's what's behind the whole thing, isn't it? I can't possibly imagine wanting to share my interests with hundreds of other people or having virtual strangers (no pun intended) looking through my list of friends. I know you only publish what you want other people to see, but quite often it creates another personality. I suppose we all make our decisions and if great numbers of people love using the social networking websites, than the libraries should join in and make the most of it!