Entering TheirSpace: Social Networking, Public Libraries, and Young Adults
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[edit] Introduction
Social networking sites “enable personal and group connections at levels never before seen in the history of telecommunications” (Online Computer Library Center 2007). As a natural evolution of the mailing lists and bulletin boards that dominated the Web in the mid- to late-1990s, many consider social networking software a feature of the “new” Internet that is here to stay. Still others consider social software a fad that will eventually fall out of fashion.
Either way, with over three hundred social networking sites available to Internet users in 2006 (Knowledge @ Wharton 2006), the sphere of social sites covers a variety of interests and activities, building and reinforcing connections across great distances. And following the explosive growth of these sites, some libraries are working to establish a presence in the digital commons that social networking software makes possible.
[edit] Social Networking Sites Defined
While a precise definition of the term "social networking site" can be difficult to settle on, almost all social networking sites share certain features and qualities that define them as such. Social both in essence and by function, “their backbone consists of visible profiles that display an articulated list of Friends who are also users of the system” (boyd and Ellison 2003). Virtually all social networking sites are built around these user profiles, which generally also include personal details such as name, gender, date of birth, location, interests, favorite movies, favorite books, and so on. Profiles can sometimes included limited contact information, such as a phone number or email address.
In addition to creating a profile as a personal statement of one's identity, users of social networking sites are also asked to identify other individuals on the same site with whom they are familiar or with whom they have a relationship, generally using a term such as "Contact" or "Friend" to identify these connections (boyd and Ellison 2003). In addition, most social networking sites will display the other people who have marked a particular user as a “friend,” as well as the various networks to which a user belongs. Almost all social networking sites also include some kind of messaging feature, generally allowing users to communicate either publicly (such as the wall on a Facebook profile) or privately (similar to webmail).
In creating a more elaborate understanding of social software, the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) in the report "Sharing, Privacy, and Trust in Our Networked World" makes an important distinction between between social networking sites and social media sites. While social networking sites are built around users who have similar interests or activities (such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Bebo), social media sites are intended for the more utilitarian goal of sharing user-created content (such as videos on YouTube or photographs on Flickr). In spite of this distinction, both categories of sites are by essence social, and without contributions by users, the sites would neither function as the dynamic social realms they are intended to be, nor would they even exist (OCLC 2007).
[edit] Popularity of Social Networking Sites
In recent years, social networking services have grown significantly in popularity. MySpace and Facebook are ranked sixth and seventh in terms of web traffic, respectively, by Alexa in November (Alexa, November 2007), rivaling the likes of Google and Yahoo.
Social networking sites are especially popular among young people, with “nine- to 17-year-olds… spending almost as much time using social networking services and Web sites as they spend watching television” (National School Boards Association, 2007). Social networking sites appeal to young people for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that “identity, particularly for young adults, can be a liquid concept, and the Web can be the ideal means for navigating the waters of self discovery” (Rapacki 2007). In addition to facilitating self-discovery, “social networking sites have become the virtual commons where teens go to hang out with their friends” (Rapacki 2007), providing a sense of community for many teens and young adults.
[edit] Concerns and Opportunities
While redefining the ways in which we interact online, the booming popularity of social networking sites also poses new questions about privacy on the World Wide Web. The boundaries of cyberspace are already difficult to define, and the application of the law -- especially in regard to privacy and the Fourth Amendment -- can be a murky area for citizens and jurists alike (Hodge 2007). On a similar note, social networking sites can also put people at greater risk for identity theft. In response to both privacy concerns and identity protection, caution and self-education are necessary responses, and “users... should be aware of the value of the data they are making available on-line – and of the ways it can potentially be used” (Donath and boyd 2004).
Another possible danger – and one that is often sensationalized – is the danger of sexual predators who target children and young adults via social networking sites. While some sexual predators indeed use social networking software to meet young people, much of the media coverage on this subject exaggerates the reality of the threat. As Amanda Lenhart of the Pew Internet & American Life project points out, “seven percent of all online teens have had some kind of stranger contact that made them feel uncomfortable or scared. It’s not that large of a number and I think not the number that [we] might have had in our minds from the media coverage of this topic” (Finkelhor, et al 2007). Furthermore, the anecdotal evidence in the media “doesn’t suggest that the Internet is any more unsafe than crossing the street” (Rapacki 2007). The rising prominence of social networking sites, in fact, opens a number of spaces where librarians and other media and information specialists can help their communities by educating young adults, parents, teachers, and even other librarians on ways to remain safe in a social networking environment, along with various ways to protect one's privacy and identity.
In spite of any dangers and risks, social networking sites present a number of new channels through which public libraries can reach out to their customers. Libraries can create profiles on MySpace or pages on Facebook to connect with their customers in a digital context. Users can “friend” the library, integrating the library more closely with their online social lives and making library resources (such as catalog search or subscription databases) more immediately accessible. Similar to a bookmobile or a library branch in a strip mall, “creating a presence in social networking software makes the library more visible and more convenient to access” (Farkas 2007).
The more specific benefits of establishing a social networking presence are made real by the features of the sites themselves. For example, the blog on a MySpace profile can be synced with a library blog on another platform, calendars can display upcoming events for teens, and walls and bulletin boards can be used to solicit suggestions for programming or materials. Some social networking sites even have features that allow for the coordination, arrangement, and hosting of online events, such as chat-based book discussions and virtual author visits.
Keeping in mind the benefits of these (comparatively) passive activities, libraries should try to avoid aggressive attempts to "friend" its customers. Many teens and young adults might perceive this kind of approach as "creepy," and the library will undo whatever benefits could be established by initiating this kind of digital presence. A more effective approach is to make teens and young adults aware that the library has a MySpace profile, and then accept whatever friend requests these teens extend to the library.
[edit] How Libraries can Participate
Two library systems (the Worthington Public Libraries in Ohio and the Hennepin County Library in Minnesota) have made excellent use of social networking sites by setting up MySpace profiles and integrating them with library services for teens. Very recently, the Hennepin County Library has also set up both a group and page on Facebook.
[edit] Worthington Public Libraries
The Worthington Public Libraries (WPL) MySpace profile, for example, has embedded posts from Worthingteens (the library’s teen blog), allowing teens to access information from the blog more quickly and immediately. Additionally, the WPL MySpace profile also has a series of links to various library resources (including an application for a library card, access to subscription databases, and links to services like virtual reference and homework help) and general information about teen programming and opportunities for teens to get involved with the library. Scrolling down, the WPL MySpace profile also includes links to the MySpace profiles of young adult authors and links to other teens who have friended the library via MySpace. The profile uses the same images and colors as the Worthingteens blog so that the library's MySpace would resemble the library's main website.
According to WPL's teen librarians in an email communication on 26 November 2007, "We want to be where the teens are," and their MySpace profile allows them to establish an unobtrusive presence among teens on at least one of the social networking sites that many of them frequent. While this approach has proved effective, however, the teen librarians report an interesting phenomenon regarding WPL's MySpace friend base: "The teens who I have the most contact with are not the MySpace users." According to the teen librarians, "The teens who come to the library on a day to day basis for library programs / reading / volunteering are pretty much teen blog readers, not MySpacers."
In general, though, the creation of the MySpace profile has proved effective. Not only has the library been able to reach many teens who might not otherwise visit the library, but since WPL launched its MySpace profile, the library has reported a significant increase in hits on the library's teen blog.
Both teen librarians provide excellent advice for libraries and media centers considering the move to a social networking site. "Even if it looks like they are not using the site doesn't mean you need to stop blogging or using MySpace," they say. "Teens are great at lurking but not posting." Additionally, they encourage librarians who are curious about social networking tools to sign up for an account on Facebook, MySpace, or another social networking site. "The only way to know how to use the social networking tools," they say," is to use them."
[edit] Hennepin County Library
The Hennepin County Library (HCL) in Minnesota has also attempted to establish a presence on MySpace as well. The HCL MySpace profile is designed to match the library's teen website in order to create a sense of continuity with the library's main site. Additionally, the profile image includes pictures of library staff in order to establish a "human connection." A catalog search module is also embedded in the profile, along with links to homework help, reader's advisory resources, subject guides, and e-reference. The library's MySpace profile averages about 500 hits per week.
According to teen librarian Jody Wurl in an email communication on 29 November 2007, "We want to be where our customers will find us." She is also very aware of how social capital works in a social networking environment. "In MySpace, it's all about your friends," she says, "and HCL's list includes some very popular YA authors who blog on MySpace as well as teens, teen advisory groups from other libraries and bands." She continues, "We have local teens who've 'friended' us. The Hennepin community has also reached out to us to 'friend' us. One fun mini-trend is the number of former Hennepin County residents who 'friend' us from across the country because of fond memories of our library system."
In response to concerns about online safety, HCL has created a Web Technology subject guide with a subtopic for Web Safety, including links with information to educate and empower teens about ways to stay safe online. Additionally, the library has also created a Parenting and Child Care subject guide with information on how parents can help their teens use the Internet safely. Similar information is also provided in a technology subject guide with a subtopic specific to social networking. The library also facilitated public discussion on various Web 2.0 applications (including blogs, wikis, and social networking) in order to describe what these technologies were and how the library could use them to reach out to their communities.
HCL has taken steps to extend its digital presence beyond MySpace and has established a Facebook group, where individuals can join, post messages to the library (or to other group members) on the group wall, and talk about library-related topics via discussion boards. As of December 1, 2007, the HCL Facebook group has 172 members.
Even more recently, following a decision by Facebook to allow organizations to create their own pages (similar to profiles, but with slightly different set of features, terminology, and layout), HCL has created their own Facebook page. Currently this page features an integrated catalog search application, advertises the library's coming chat-based reference service, and includes basic contact information (physical address, phone number, and website). As of December 1, 2007, HCL's Facebook profile has 72 fans.
[edit] Beyond MySpace
In the case of social networking and social media sites, "their central value is as a platform" (OCLC 2007). It is not surprising then that, rather than establishing a presence on existing and established social networking sites, some library systems have actually created their own. For example, the Southeastern Massachusetts Regional Library has created My Own Cafe, a social site open to 13- to 18-year olds who have a library card. While the site provides access to library databases, My Own Cafe also provides an online community for teens, where they can discuss "books, news and politics, poetry, anime, and gaming" (School Library Journal 2007).
As another example, the Hennepin County Library, in addition to their MySpace profile for young adults, has also created BookSpace, "a social space for book lovers who want to share information about what they're reading and find good reads from other people" (Needham 2007). BookSpace includes information about library events, themed booklists, reader's advisory resources, and information for and about book clubs. Readers can also post their own book lists and can share comments about books that they have read or want to read.
While phenomena like MyOwnCafe and Bookspace are relatively new, both sites represent the potential for library-built social networking sites in fostering a participatory culture and building a sense of community between libraries and their patrons. Both sites invite library users to fully contribute to and participate in an essentially social environment -- an empowering notion that reinterprets and almost reinvents traditional paradigms of library service.
[edit] Conclusion and Media Component
The decision to establish a library's digital presence via social networking software is not one that should be taken lightly. Public libraries should adequately equip themselves with the necessary tools and knowledge to educate both themselves and their patrons in the proper use of these innovative technologies. Considering the skepticism, misunderstanding, and sometimes outright hostility with which many people regard MySpace and other social networking sites, librarians should also be prepared to defend these technologies and to explain both the risks and the opportunities that these social platforms represent. The proper use of these technologies opens up many doors for library customers (especially young adults), and the ways in which social networking sites invite participation allow libraries to remain relevant to their users in ways that are becoming increasingly necessary.
For librarians and media specialists considering the shift to a social networking environment, I have created a MySpace profile called "The Social Library." This profile is intended as a clearinghouse of resources and information about how libraries can best utilize social networking software as both a complement and extension of their existing programming, outreach, and services. I have also included links to what are (in my opinion) excellent examples of libraries that have established an effective presence on these web sites.
[edit] Resources
Worthington Libraries on MySpace
Positive Uses of Social Networking (compiled by YALSA)
[edit] References
Alexa Internet, Inc. "Alexa Web Search: Top 500." [Internet] Available at http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_sites?ts_mode=global&lang=none [accessed 1 December 2007]
boyd, danah and Nicole Ellison. (2007). Social networking sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13 (1), article 11.
Donath, Judith and danah boyd. (2004). Public displays of connection. BT Technology Journal, 22 (4), p. 71-82.
Farkas, Meredith. (2007). Going where patrons are. American Libraries, 38 (4), p. 27.
Finkelhor, D., Ybarra, M., Lenhart, A., boyd, d., & Lordan, T. (3 May 2007). Just the facts about online youth victimization: Researchers present the facts and debunk myths. Internet Caucus Advisory Committee Event. [Internet]. http://www.netcaucus.org/events/2007/youth/20070503transcript.pdf [accessed 24 November 2007]
Hodge, Matthew J. (2006). The Fourth Amendment and privacy issues on the “new” internet: Facebook.com and MySpace.com. Southern Illinois University Law Review, 31, p. 95-123.
Knowledge @ Wharton. (2006). MySpace, Facebook, and other social networking sites: Hot today, gone tomorrow? [Internet]. Available at http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1463 [accessed 1 December 2007]
National School Boards Assocation. (2007). Creating and connecting: Research and guidelines on online social -- and educational -- networking. [Internet]. Available at http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/41400/41340.pdf [accessed 19 November 2007]
Needham, George. (2 November 2007). Why your library should care. WebJunction. [Internet]. Available at http://www.webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent;jsessionid=30F8443D1A067269615596CB63B22170?id=18613 [accessed 24 November 2007]
Online Computer Library Center. (2007). Sharing, privacy, and trust in our networked world. [Internet]. Available at http://www.oclc.org/reports/pdfs/sharing.pdf [accessed 19 November 2007]
Rapacki, Sean. Social networking sites: Why teens needs places like MySpace. Young Adult Library Services, 5 (2), p. 28-30.
School Library Journal. (1 September 2007). A safer MySpace? [Internet]. Available at http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6472913.html [Accessed 24 November 2007]
