Reflection

Introduction

Information professionals are observing an amazing change in the cycle of information thanks to the emergence of Web 2.0 technologies.  Spennemann notes that the internet has moved from an exclusive geek environment to a mainstream communication (2006, p. 101).  INF 206 has altered my opinion on the value of Web 2.0 tools both personally and professionally.  This conversion has developed as I immersed myself in social media applications and read about the applications and implications.  My blog, The Learning Curve, has documented my thoughts on various aspects as I progressed, and this final reflection recalls three points of discovery in my journey:  Sailing the 4Cs, Choose Just Five? and Five Key Points for Social Media Policy.  The discussion then focuses on my development as a social networking information professional, and concludes with an observation of the implications this has for my career.

Sailing the 4 Cs (19^th August 2011)

In this blog entry, I reflect on the four social media principals: conversation, community, collaboration and content creation.  Understanding the culture and purpose of social media enables information professionals to fully utilise Web 2.0 tools.  I examined Arizona State University (ASU) Library and their use of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, finding that they achieved most of the Web 2.0 objectives.  Of particular merit are the YouTube clips “The Library Minute” (ASU, 2011).  However, Facebook and Twitter are surprisingly unimpressive as far as engaging client interaction.  Reuben cites a similar observation noting that “we haven’t found a definitive way to use Twitter for marketing in higher education yet” (2008, p. 5).  I am keen to ensure that in my own organisation, Facebook and Twitter are used for more than marketing.  Achieving the four Cs of social media will require input which engages clients, not just preaches at them.

Choose just five? (19^th August 2011)

Meredith Farkas impressed me as one of the most inspirational figures in the library industry today.  The task of selecting just five pieces of advice from her keynote speech (University of California, 2007) was challenging but I distilled her advice down to the following five points:

1. Know your users
2. Don't just focus on technologies
3. Build participation
4. Build a learning culture
5. Create a risk-tolerant culture

In my daily work, I am often complimented on my customer focus, and so the first three points speak to that aspect of my style: they each focus on people and encourage conversation and collaboration. Organisations which have “harnessed the power of the web to harness collective intelligence … are making their mark on the web” (O’Reilly, 2009, p. 2).  If my social media work can engage clients in conversation and collaboration, then my organisation will benefit from better customer relations and the customers will benefit from our enhanced understanding of their needs.

The last two points are effectively a wish list for my workplace.  One of the most challenging aspects of this subject for me has been finding the time to dabble, play with and learn about the various social media tools on a deeper level.  I therefore advocate allowing all staff the time at work to explore these tools.  Furthermore, rather than risk-taking, my organisation tends to focus on minimising risk, to the point of being overly restrictive.  Whilst I acknowledge the need to protect certain information, I found the National Library of Australia (NLA) Social Media policy an enlightening document, which has been written to allow all staff to “find a voice in social media” (2010, Objective).  Similarly, the British Central Office of Information (COI) has prepared a guide for using social media which my organisation could use for inspiration: like the NLA Policy, this guide encourages engagement to provide “better user experiences” (2009, p. 4).

Five Key Points for Social Media Policy (9^th October 2011)

I have included this blog post as the final point in my journey thus far.  Boiling the subject down to five key points for policy demonstrates the level of understanding I now have of social media – the power of the tools and the traps.  Examining several policies developed by organisations, in particular NLA (2010) and COI (2009), I distilled these into the major points which appeared to prevail across all platforms, covering:

1. Online behaviour
2. Client needs
3. Copyright, confidentiality, privacy
4. Clear can do and can’t do guidelines
5. Using the 4 Web 2.0 principals (community, collaboration, conversation and content creation) to add value for the client

These five points transport my learning into real world activities.  Using social media professionally is one aspect, but having the knowledge to develop social media policy requires a deeper understanding of two cultures: the workplace, and the online world.

My development as a Social Networker

Looking back to when I first created The Learning Curve in July 2011, I was utilising Facebook, Yammer and YouTube.  My uptake of these tools was very recent and was in fact only in preparation for INF206.  I was somewhat sceptical of social media and of the supposed benefits to my workplace, and I was also a little shy, so more inclined to “lurk” rather than participate.  Three months later, I have added Twitter to my tools of choice, using this as a professional connection and personal learning network.  I contribute more often to my organisation’s Yammer network and Diigo will continue to be my choice for bookmarking, especially for future university studies. 

I am far more aware of the need to separate work and home life and this has happened naturally with Facebook being my “friends and family” tool, Twitter my work tool.  I have a Google+ account but have been unsuccessful in developing this as an effective tool thus far.

An honest appraisal of my progress as a social networker would be “developing”: I have a long way to go, but have made a good deal of headway.  The greatest change has been in my attitude to social media: scepticism has been replaced with knowledge and enthusiasm.  As a result, my participation will not cease once the subject is finished, in fact I will likely increase my usage. 

Implications for my career

Social researcher, Hugh Mackay makes an interesting observation’ “the more ‘wired’ and ‘linked’ we become, the more we crave compensatory human contact …  the library can be the nexus between both…” (2002, p. 306).  My own work style is significantly customer-focussed, and so Mackay’s words resonate.  Farkas concurs with this focus on the customer and not the technology (University of California, 2007).  It is for this reason that I am thrilled to be on the Social Media Committee.  I bring to the table sound knowledge of all aspects of social media, learnt throughout this semester and am therefore able to offer balanced, informed comments and suggestions. 

Wittenberg urges librarians to acknowledge their users as content creators and use Web 2.0 tools to curate digital information (2007, para 10).  In other words, Web 2.0 offers librarians an opportunity to become a pivot in the digital information cycle.  Like many higher education institutions, my organisation is cautious about the use of social media and a perceived loss of control (Reuben, 2008, p.7). I am keen to use my knowledge to minimise risk by contributing to policy creation, allay fears, and therefore open the doors to more collaboration with our clients.

As well as being part of my library’s Social Media Committee I am also developing a staff blog which will inform staff and aid in building relationships across the four campuses.  Furthermore, I am currently writing a proposal to transfer the work instructions to a wiki, with the aim of making this a living, collaborative document – easily updated, with the opportunity for staff to add notes and tips to enrich the information.  I note that wikis have enjoyed a certain amount of success with COI noting that their wiki is “heavily used” and has “improved efficiency and quality of briefings” (2009, p. 9). 

Conclusion

Social Networking for Information Professionals has been a most enjoyable subject: one that has truly achieved the principals of Web 2.0.  The interaction between teacher and students has been above and beyond any other subject I have studied so far, thus effectively demonstrating the value of these tools.  Most impressively, this subject has had a direct impact on my career, opening the door to using social media in the real world.  It is exciting to be a part of this new era in the information society: information professionals must ensure that they are part of Web 2.0, and not left behind.  We have an important role to play, and cannot simply rest on our laurels: our clients will not wait for us to catch up.  For me personally, this subject does not end here – this is just the beginning, and I am keen to not only continue using social media tools in the real world, but to continue learning and evolving my social media skills as old platforms evolve and new ones are developed.

References

Arizona State University (2011). The Library Minute [video file]. Retrieved August 19, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/user/librarychannel#p/a/CA6A813AA9C9A574/2/oh         yqXAhLgsM

Central Office of Information (2009). Engaging through social media: A guide for civil     servants. Retrieved September 20, 2011 from      http://coi.gov.uk/documents/Engaging_through_social_media.pdf

Mackay, H. (2002). Australia at a turning point. The Australian Library Journal 51(4) 303-306. Retrieved August 20, 2011 from Cengage          http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/gtx/publicationSearch.do?year=2002            &pageIdentity=searchResults&searchParamsString=R1^Locale%28en%2CUS%2C%29       %3AFQE%3D%28sp%2CNone%2C3%29303%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D%28iu%2CNone%2C         1%294%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D%28sn%2CNone%2C9%290004-          9670%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D%28vo%2CNone%2C2%2951%24^AdvancedSearchForm^D            ateDescend^T002^null^20^1^1&type=getIssues&serQuery=Locale%28en%2C%2C%2       9%3AFQE%3D%28JX%2CNone%2C28%29%22Australian+Library+Journal%22%24&se         archTerm=The%2BAustralian%2BLibrary%2BJournal&currentPosition=0&prodId=EAI          M&userGroupName=csu_au

National Library of Australia (2010). Social Media Policy Retrieved August 8 2011 from             http://www.nla.gov.au/policy-and-planning/social-media

O’Reilly, T. (2009). What is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next   Generation of Software. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website July 18, 2011         http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

Reuben, R. (2008). The use of social media in higher education for marketing and            communications: A guide for professionals in higher education.  Retrieved      September 20, 2011 from Google Scholar http://api.ning.com/files/B8JtjZRFNA4TdC8-z6IyshG4xLRmCpbN*xtJQO-  FZK*BxGvcjSx5PY5hMkqXy6Hjsoax1- SycWfO1yToIwK1ey1b6*LW3wXz/socialmediainhighereducation.pdf            

Spennemann, D.H.R. (2006). The internet and daily life in Australia: An exploration. The Information Society 22 101-110. doi: 10.1080/01972240600567204.

University of California Berkley Events (2007). Building academic library 2.0 [video file].             Retrieved August 15, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_uOKFhoznI&feature=player_embedded

Wittenberg, K. (2007). Credibility of content and the future of research, learning, and      publishing in the digital environment. The Journal of Electornic Publishing, 10(1).    Retrieved September 20, 2011 from  http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-       idx?c=jep;cc=jep;rgn=main;view=text;idno=3336451.0010.101              

Five Key Points for Social Media Policy

When developing a Social Media Policy for your organisation, consider the following:

1. Online behaviour does not need to be different from behaviour in any other arena: it is simply another form of organisation/client communication.  Staff should always exercise good judgement and act responsibly, just as they would with a phone call, letter or email.
2. The client needs should always prevail: policy should reflect an understanding of clients, their needs, and the online community or network.
3. The policy should address issues of copyright, client privacy and confidentiality, proprietary information.
4. Policy guidelines should empower staff: whilst social media policy should accentuate the can do, including clear instructions on what staff are cannot do actually enables staff to act with confidence and without fear.
5. The use of Social Media should do more than create another organisational billboard; it should add value to the client experience.  Being mindful of the principals of social media - community, conversation, collaboration and content creation - ensures that the client engages on a meaningful level with the organisation.

Finding Authentic Information in a Socially Networked World

Let's face the cold reality: in the socially networked world, digital natives no longer look to teachers or librarians to guide them.  Most rely on peer recommendations, or use other websites to validate the information they have found independently using Google or Wikipedia. Many are more adept at navigating the digital world than we are.  Even the way digital natives visually and mentally process digital information differs to previous generations (Lorenzo, 2007, p.3).


Does this make the information professional obsolete?  It does if we allow it to.  We can throw up our hands, retreat behind our dusty book stacks and bemoan the fact that we are no longer considered the white knights of the information society.


OR we can examine information seeking behaviour in our client base, enter their worlds (or networks), and adjust our methods of operation.  Web 2.0 is all about community and content creation - "doing it for themselves".  Who better to be the curators of content than information professionals?  If we are to call ourselves "information professionals" why would we avoid being part of the most fast-moving and exciting area of the information cycle - i.e. Web 2.0?


Information professionals are best placed to be finding authentic information on the web, and directing our clients to it.  Many worthy resources may have actually been sourced or curated by our clients.  In this case, we can both share and give credit where it is due - thus forging a better relationship with clients.  Our collections have not changed in substance - whether in print or digital form, we are still able to apply our principals of collection development: accuracy, currency and a balanced argument.


Being part of the network, and therefore involved in the online conversation also enables us to push out authentic information and the message of information literacy.


Finding Authentic Information in a Socially Networked World relies on 2 key responses to Web 2.0:


1) Information Professionals must become part of the community of information curators and creators.


2) Information Professionals must respect and capitalise on the value our users can add to the information cycle.


Lorenzo, G. (2007). Catalysts for change: Information fluency, Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and the new education culture. (March). Retrieved October 3, 2011 from Charles Sturt University website http://www.edpath.com/images/IFReport2.pdf

Spooked

I'll admit it - this week I got spooked about all that speculation and hype surrounding the modifications to Facebook and then the Delicious debacle.

Spectre de Brocken avec Gloire CC-by-3.0 

My Facebook friends were posting about charges for using Facebook, and there other dire warnings about the way Zuckerberg would basically steal my soul.  There was a curious decrease in the traffic on my news feed.  To add further fuel, news articles and bloggers were divided on the modifications:
There were those who painted Mark Zuckerberg as the evil king of the web.

Guillaume Paumier / Wikimedia Commons, CC-by-3.0

Adrian Short labelled Facebook as "a grotesque abuser of its position", positing that the network collects and uses its user data in such a way that most people would have no hope of keeping abreast of its power.

http://adrianshort.co.uk/2011/09/25/its-the-end-of-the-web-as-we-know-it/

Phil Bradley was similarly worried by the Facebook changes, in particular the instant tracking.  Bradley's concerns centre on this feature and his fear of losing privacy, warning that "it will get a whole lot worse."
http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/2011/09/facebook-taking-control.html

Finally, Judy O'Connell compares Delicious with Diigo and Pinboard, noting that whilst Delicious enjoyed the title of "best social bookmarking website", the changes are "a bitter disappoinment".  Since Delicious is a site used by many librarians I know and work with, this all came as quite a shock.
http://heyjude.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/social-bookmarking-not-so-delicious-anymore/

Being a Social Networking "Newbie", these changes were somewhat unsettling.  I have just spent a few months getting accustomed to these tools, and already, I'm having to re-educate myself, ensuring I understand the implications of the change.  I was annoyed as well as concerned.


However, I calmed down and then considered my position as both student and evolving librarian.  Where was the balance?


Aayush Arya appeared to swim against the tide of Zuckerberg criticism, reminding us that what we share is both within our control and actually our responsibility.
http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2011/09/26/why-i-am-not-paranoid-about-privacy-on-facebook-and-google/?awesm=tnw.to_1Azfp&utm_campaign&utm_medium=tnw.to-other&utm_source=t.co&utm_content=spreadus_master

Vadim Lavrusik can see the advantages for journalists who use Facebook to both disseminate and compile information. The Subscribe and Timeline features enable journalists to better collate newsfeeds, and Lavrusik praises the 5000 word limit on status updates.
http://www.niemanlab.org/2011/09/vadim-lavrusik-what-facebooks-latest-updates-mean-for-journalists/

How do I feel now?
I must admit, I still feel somewhat frustrated with having to sift through the hype, and also check all my Facebook privacy settings yet again.  I commiserate with those who committed to Delicious and who have been using the tool for years.  Personally, I preferred Diigo, and so can happily let my Delicious account go.


Despite threatening to, I have not closed my Facebook account.  It is after all a free application (and always will be!)  The brouhaha has simply served to make me more aware of keeping informed and also more considerate of what I may post.  As an information professional, that's how I should operate anyway.


Arya, A. (2011). Why I am not paranoid about privacy on Facebook and Google. Retrieved September 28, 2011 http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2011/09/26/why-i-am-not-paranoid-about-privacy-on-facebook-and-google/?awesm=tnw.to_1Azfp&utm_campaign&utm_medium=tnw.to-other&utm_source=t.co&utm_content=spreadus_master


Bradley, P. (2011). Facebook taking control. Retrieved September 28, 2011 http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/2011/09/facebook-taking-control.html

Lavrusik, V. (2011). What Facebook's latest updates mean for journalists. Retrieved September 28, 2011 http://www.niemanlab.org/2011/09/vadim-lavrusik-what-facebooks-latest-updates-mean-for-journalists/

O'Connell, J. (2011). Social bookmarking not so delicious anymore. Retrieved September 28, 2011 http://heyjude.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/social-bookmarking-not-so-delicious-anymore/

Short, A. (2011). It's the end of the web as we know it. Retrieved September 28, 2011 http://adrianshort.co.uk/2011/09/25/its-the-end-of-the-web-as-we-know-it/

The Privacy Trade-Off

The previous reading Cyber Crime 2.0 versus the Twittering classes (James, 2010) outlined the threats to online security and described the effort the Australian government is undertaking to prevent risks.  This report painted a somewhat alarming picture of Web 2.0.  It was therefore surprising to compare this with the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) report, Sharing privacy and trust in our networked world: A report to the OCLC membership (2007) which documents a relatively low personal experience of privacy breaches (11%) (p. 6), suggesting that most participants experience a safe online involvement.  These figures are mirrored in how safe users felt online with over 50% feeling that their information was more secure than previously(pp 2-5).  These findings are perhaps an indication of organisations responding to concerns by including privacy policies on their websites.


Whilst the desire to maintain control over personal information is high, this is not reflected in how people use social networking privacy controls (OCLC, 2007, p.20).  This indicates a possible complacency or ignorance, or perhaps the fact that trust grows with continued use (OCLC, 2007, P.29). Users are also are comfortable trading their privacy for a perceived benefit (goods, services or a connection to others) (Raynes-Goldie, 2010, para. 19, OCLC, 2007, p. 38).   Not surprisingly, youth are less concerned and more apt to trade privacy for benefit, although an interesting spike in the statistics is noted with the 50yrs+ group willing to trade privacy for connecting with others with a similar interest (OCLC, 2007, p. 39).  Another curious insight is the fact that retail websites rate highly in the trust stakes (OCLC, 2007, p.29) perhaps this is because of the exchange of money for goods: the reliability is easier to measure than for social networking websites.


How do we determine what we share, how we manage our online identities?


As Individuals
If librarians are to engage with social networking sites professionally, the issue of being honest about who they are and who they represent is crucial.  It is entirely up to the individual to determine exactly how much of your persona you share with clients, after all, your engagement online is not unlike an exchange at the circulation counter. 


Librarians who maintain personal accounts must be mindful of who could be monitoring their page.  It is imperative to take into account the fact that a client could see your comments, or perhaps more worryingly, your friends' comments, which of course you have little control over.  The best way to handle your accounts is to be continually aware of privacy settings (sometimes an onerous task with the many changes), and to also monitor your online presence using a tool such as Pipl http://www.pipl.com/ or Google Alerts http://www.google.com/alerts (Davis, 2009).


As an Organisation
Even though library activity did not rate as a particularly private activity, libraries still enjoy a high level of trust at 60% (OCLC, 2007, p. 22).  It is vital that the library maintains this trust, and this can be achieved by:

• Maintaining the traditional library culture of protecting our clients' details
• Developing policy regarding client information on social networking sites
• Making such policy visible
• Keep well-informed on privacy setting issues on social networking sites so that we can advise our clients 
• Maintain an engaging but respectful online presence
• Monitoring the library social networking accounts for any untoward activity - either by clients or by outsiders

Using Social Networking sites is a balancing act - balance between sharing too little and sharing too much; balance between allowing enough engagement and collaboration and allowing too much, thus creating chaos.  

The key for an individual is to have a clear vision of who you are, and what you want the world to see.  The key for an organisation is, well, about the same.

Davis, L. (2009). 8 tools to track your footprints on the Web, February 1. Retrieved September 25, 2011 from Charles Sturt University website http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/8_tools_to_track_your_footprin.php

De Rosa, C., Cantrell, J., Havens, A., Hawk, J. & Jenkins, L. (2007). Section 3: Privacy, Security and Trust. In Sharing privacy and trust in our networked world: A report to the OCLC membership. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC. [ebook] Retrieved September 25, 2011 from Charles Sturt University website http://www.oclc.org/reports/pdfs/sharing_part3.pdf

James, M. L. Cyber crime 2.0 versus the Twittering classes. Parliament of Australia, Department of Parliamentary Services, Parliamentary Library Information, analysis and advice for the Parliament. Science, Technology, Environment and Resources Section, 24 February 2010 (2009-10). Retrieved September 23, 2011 from http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/pubs/bn/sci/Cybercrime.pdf

Social Media Dilemmas

Thus far, INF 206 has exposed us to the wonderful world of Web 2.0: an exciting world of collaboration, community, conversation and content creation.  The educative possibilities are inspiring, the possibilities for business and other agencies are only just beginning.


However, there are very real concerns associated with our increasing engagement and reliance on Web 2.0 technologies.  Cyber Crime is well-documented throughout the media, and the Australian Government has enlisted a total of 14 agencies to assist in combating this criminal activity (James, 2010, pp. 19-22).


James notes that social networking sites are particularly vulnerable to cyber crime using social engineering techniques because the end user is the weakest link (2010, p.5).  Social engineering entices users to interact - downloading files without considering the source or possible implications.


As an information professional, I encourage the finding and legitimate sharing of information, staying mindful of copyright and intellectual property concerns.  Social networking tools aid in this process.  In my own library at Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE (MSIT), the very first steps have been taken towards using social media whereby the library now has a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MSITStudentConnect?sk=wall.


This page is in the developmental stage, with the Social Media team still establishing how we will use the page, and also the protocols for those staff selected to actually engage with students online.  James points to the blurring of personal and professional personas (2010, p.8) and this is an issue which is of concern to the team, but this can be managed by staff awareness and vigilance.  


More worrying is the risk of hacking, and whilst the security of the MSIT network is a matter for the ICT team, our team can minimise risk by being wary of the links we share and how we interact with the page.  We can also use the page to alert our clients to such issues, as well as keep them alert to privacy setting changes.


The issue of copyright, intellectual property and ethical use of websites falls under our mandate, and so educating our clients about these matters forms part of our function.  The Valenza blog made me somewhat uncomfortable.  Whilst I don't agree with blocking YouTube in schools, bypassing the block appears to be unethical, even more so when Valenza actively involves the children in such activity.  Since librarians have traditionally rallied against censorship, perhaps Valenza could enlist their help in releasing the site so that the valuable content can be used in the classroom.  Any perceived risk to students could be managed with a well-constructed social media policy and vigilance by teachers. 


James, M. L. Cyber crime 2.0 versus the Twittering classes. Parliament of Australia, Department of Parliamentary Services, Parliamentary Library Information, analysis and advice for the Parliament. Science, Technology, Environment and Resources Section, 24 February 2010 (2009-10). Retrieved from Charles Sturt University Website http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/pubs/bn/sci/Cybercrime.pdf

Digital Citizen Behaviour

Trends within the digital environment are changing at an extraordinary rate, not only by the masses using various social media, but by the organisations who own or control them: a timely example being the significant changes to Facebook announced this week.  How we as digital citizens interact with the online world, how we react to the constant changes has an impact on how organisations run their day to day business: how they write policy.  

So faced with behavioural shifts such as:

• The rapid growth of Social Media tools such as Facebook and Twitter
• Widespread digital piracy (with 95% of downloaded songs not paid for)
• The advertising market shifting rapidly away from print and broadcast to digital
• The political use of social media - and support from the public of this
• The emergence of mobile technologies and the expectation that this will be the tool of choice by 2020.

Organisations cannot afford to ignore the digital world: how they operate in this environment must be addressed: policy must be established to ensure that:

• The organisation projects an image consistent with its mission and culture
• The employees of the organisation are able to engage with social media in a manner which is acceptable to the organisation
• The organisation is able to respond rapidly and effectively to any complaints or negative activity within the digital environment
• The organisation engages with its clients in meaningful ways

The team writing policy must include:

• staff with a deep knowledge of organisational mission, aims and goals
• staff with a knowledge of operational procedures
• staff who are keen participants in social media

It is possible that staff with organisational and procedural knowledge may be older and more experienced.  Conversely, staff with social media experience may be younger and therefore have less organisational experience.  Nevertheless, all members of the team must be allowed input and be respected for their area of expertise.  Understanding the power (good and bad) and the culture of social media tools is a vital component when writing policy for the environment.  The organisation must accept the power of social media, and incorporate its use in its dealings: staff who are already active participants are best placed to be able to take the organisation into this arena.

"Future-oriented" and "evolving"  are the two areas of policy writing which can be difficult to achieve within some organisations, especially those with a "mature" or well-established culture.  It can also be disruptive within any workplace if the procedural goalposts are constantly moved.  Given the highly evolving nature of social media, employees must be given the freedom to be able to move with the trends.  Policy should therefore focus more on the culture of the organisation, rather than a micro-managing approach.  If employees are aware of mission, aims, and conventions of an organisation, they are best able to adapt to changes in social media whilst still maintaining the desired vision of the organisation.  The National Library of Australia's Social Media Policy advocates for all staff to be involved in social media:  the policy is written to enable participation rather than obstruct.

The issues of privacy, online security, intellectual property are of particular concern for the social media policy-makers.  Opening the doors too wide can result in online chaos, locking the medium up too tightly negates the purpose by shutting down collaboration and community, making it a pointless exercise.  Again, employees who are already conversant in the culture of social media can straddle these opposing sides and help other staff members comfortable with the medium.  More importantly, they can flag possible problem areas, therefore enabling policy to be written which pre-empts problems and has ready-made solutions built in.

Organisations must involve themselves in social media in some fashion or find themselves left behind and irrelevant to their clients.  Policy writing must involve staff from a variety of backgrounds, and must include staff who are already engaged in social media, even if they are relatively new to the organisation.  Policy must empower rather than cripple employees, and should also be fluid, allowing for the inevitable changes to the various social media platforms.

A Marketing Strategy for MSIT

Using AnnaLaura Brown's advice, the Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE's strategy must address the following:

• Set Goals
• Farkas warns against using technology for the sake of it, articulating our goals informs our decision on which platform(s) to use.
• Our goals need to be measurable and achievable.
• Set time
• Setting up the program at MSIT would be initially labour-intensive.
• Management must allow time to set up correctly to enable the best outcome and diminish the chances of mistakes.
• Time is needed to develop policies and to ensure that they align with institute and state government policies.
• Staff involved would need time to become conversant with all policies and behaviour expectations.
• Once the set-up was complete, there would be minimal time needed by individuals to maintain the online presence since this is a team effort.
• The Market
• The MSIT cohort is highly diversified by age, gender, cultural background, educational experience, method of course delivery.  Even the courses we offer range from the very basic of English language (for refugees) through to management and IT courses which prepare the student for university study.
• Our teachers vary greatly in their use of the library - some being regulars, others never engaging.
• Non-teaching staff are able to use the library, although many may not be aware of this - they are an untapped market segment.
• Even though our industry partners are not necessarily library clients, we must stay mindful of the image we project online given that the MSIT support services will be judged as part of the whole package and therefore will influence decisions companies make about partnerships.
• It is imperative that we are aware of which social media tools our clients are already using: no point in using Twitter if everyone is Facebooking.  Library observation would suggest that Facebook is where our students connect, but a simple survey would give a more accurate picture.

Examination of these factors will inform our decisions on 

• What to promote
• Which platforms we will use
• How we will use them
• Which staff are able to achieve results

Reasons why Libraries should be on Social Media

Created by Me using Wordle

National Library of Australia 
http://www.nla.gov.au/social-media
The NLA could sit in its lofty position in Canberra, focussing on its collection, but staff have chosen to use Social Media to engage the country in the collection. New
acquisitions, events, exhibitions are all advertised on Facebook and Twitter, and then many are broadcast using YouTube or Podcasts. Blogs add a behind the scenes look at the activities and functions of the library. Social Media enables all Australians to be part of the experience, no matter where they are in Australia.


State Library of Queensland 
http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/whats-on/news/social
The SLQ uses Facebook, Twitter and an extensive list of web feeds to keep clients informed of services, exhibitions, talks, events and acquisitions. Talks are podcast so that clients can experience events without having to attend. Like the NLA, the SLQ uses Social Media effectively, pushing its services out rather than hoarding the collection in a building.


Charles Sturt University Library
http://www.csu.edu.au/division/library/
CSU Library connects with its clients by Tweeting regularly, thus promoting services
and additions to the collection. Podcasts and online library tutorials assist clients, especially distance education students who are unable to visit the physical library. It is interesting to note that since the blogs do not appear to have generated any comments they act more as an advertising tool rather than a collaborative tool.


Why your library should engage with Social Media

• A proportion of your client base may never actually visit the physical space
• Using Social Media such as YouTube or podcasting is an inclusive practice - no client is left out of events due to an inability to attend
• Social Media gives clients a platform to comment on services
• Social Media, used correctly engages your audience and gives them a sense of belonging to "the club" and a sense of ownership
• Social Media allows you to "push out" information - thus elevating the library's position in the information chain
• Regular posts in social media is reminds clients of your presence as well as the services you offer

A Mid-Semester Observation

Before I continue with the Module exercises, I'd like to share my feelings and observations of this subject and the power of social media tools.  I admit that before starting this subject, I was skeptical of the real use of SM within libraries, feeling that it was gimmicky and of no "real" benefit to clients.  How times (and opinions) change with some education!


As a student I've found Inf206 to be the most inclusive and engaging of the BIS subjects I have studied.  Distance study can be an isolating experience.  Whilst it is often the only viable option for people such as myself who work full time and have a family to care for, it lacks the support system that on-campus delivery offers: the chance to interact with fellow student and toss ideas around freely, the opportunity of a quick chat with a teacher to clarify concepts.


Using Social Media as an educative tool has added what has been missing from Distance Education.  I have real friends in my class: people I interact with not only in a scholarly fashion, but in a social way too.  I also feel a far better connection with my course co-ordinator.  This has been enabled by the collaboration and sharing possible with Social Media engagement.  The CSU forums simply do not perform in this way.  There is a feeling that forum posts need to be scholarly and focussed - there is no room for real conversation, as this "clogs" the forum.  Social Media enables a natural flow of conversation, allowing for both scholarly sharing AND a certain amount of human "chit chat."


Whilst I realise that not all subjects lend themselves to delivery via Social Media, I'm mystified as to why CSU lecturers do not engage more with some of these tools.  A quick read of the student forums gives a clear picture of "dead forums", unanswered questions, misunderstandings and lack of engagement with fellow students and lecturers, resulting in many disillusioned DE students.   


As an Information Professional already my engagement with this subject has paid off in a professional sense for me, with my inclusion on the Social Media team at MSIT where I work.  Furthermore, a promotion last week I feel is a reflection of my new-found confidence and willingness to try out new technologies (thanks Inf206!)


Despite not being able physically network at conferences and meetings due to work and family commitments, social media has provided me with a very effective networking platform.  Having an online presence has raised my visibility in the workplace.


I find I am no longer fearful of new technologies or applications, but now eager to dive in and try, regardless of the outcome.

Utecht's Stages of PLN Adoption

I've always found it difficult to pigeon-hole myself - so many contradictions/changes of mind and attitude.  I prefer to describe this as flexibility, but perhaps I am just indecisive. So pinpointing which stage I am at in my "PLN adoption" is more challenging than it first appears.


I believe I'm spanning the first 3 stages simultaneously - immersion, evaluation and know-it-all.


I'm still in the process of entirely immersing myself - Twitter and Facebook are covered, I've dabbled in Second Life, Delicious is getting there, my blog is developing, and I'm even considering developing another unrelated blog.  However, Flickr, Linkedin and Diig have been sadly neglected since I first joined.  So I'm half-immersed with a desire to certainly swim out to deeper waters.


I'm evaluating all the time, so this is a continuum, not a stage that I've arrived at, or perhaps will ever arrive at.


I can certainly feel the beginnings of the "need to be connected" - the fear of "missing out" which qualifies me for the know-it-all stage too.

The Web 2.0 Information Professional

I believe that the successful Web 2.0 Information Professional requires attitude rather than skills.  Since Web 2.0 is still evolving, it is pointless to create a list of applications which the information professional needs to be proficient in.  Within a few years, such proficiency would possibly be defunct.  However, the Web 2.0 Information Professional does require the following attitudes:

• Willingness
• to try new things
• to listen (to colleagues and clients)
• An open mind
• to not dismiss new ideas
• to not dismiss old methods (i.e. avoid technolust!)
• Courage
• to go against the grain
• to be the first
• Patience
• with reluctant colleagues
• with self when learning
• with existing systems and cultures
• Care
• be aware of clients - ensure new ideas are really helpful and not just "shiny"
• be mindful of colleagues who are fearful
• Resilience
• to be able to recover after failure