2009 ALISE Conference

Teaching the Use of Social Networks for Collaborative Library Activities – a study at the University of the West Indies, Dept of Library and Information Studies.

Fay Durrant

fdurrant2000@yahoo.com

Title
Teaching the Use of  Social Networks for Collaborative Library Activities – a study at the University of the West Indies, Dept of Library and Information Studies.

ABSTRACT

Among the large number of social networks which are developing, some social networking sites are dedicated to the needs of librarians or are meeting the needs of librarians.  These sites connect people based on the books which they share.

Research Problem
The popularity and intensive use of social networks, has encouraged librarians to establish presences on general sites such as Facebook, MySpace.  Others such as LibraryThing are designed to facilitate the execution of library activities.  As there is need to test the The Department of Library and Information Studies at the University of the West Indies has been studying the implications of the growing membership of social networks for libraries with a view to determining the best ways in which these applications can be incorporated into the regular activities of libraries.  This question is worth further study as libraries incorporate or consider incorporating Web 2.0 technologies for executing their functions and services.

Previous Scholarship
The literature on the topic of social networks and libraries has shown that  previous scholarship on the issue of social networking has placed emphasis on privacy and trust  and related concerns.  boyd and Ellison’s defining article identifies the main areas of research on as impression management, self presentation and friendship performance, networks and network structures, bridging online and offline networks, privacy, safety and trust. They also identified other research areas as race and ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality shaping of identity, and use of social networks in libraries, schools and universities.

Online social networking sites have attracted membership involving users or potential library users.  The experience in incorporating such large numbers provides indications that libraries can possibly use SNSs to interact with users and to support collaborative activities.

At  the Department of Library and Information Studies, we have recognized the potential value of social networks to libraries, and have been undertaking research into the exponential growth of these networks, and the perception of people including librarians who make up the communities served by the libraries.  Social networks are therefore an area of research for some staff and students. In the last semester second year LIS undergraduate students used social networks as the subject of their research proposals, and graduate students are also doing research including collection development and social networks in academic libraries.

Data sources
Sites on Facebook and on LibraryThing will be used by our students to assess the experience in sharing books and interacting with others with similar interests, and to provide implications for practice.

Implications for practice
In recognition of the successes of these sites in facilitating interaction among large geographically dispersed groups of users, sharing content, collaborating with peers, and linking communities, the presentation will examine and assess  library applications of social networking sites, and their contribution to the development of effective interactive information resources.