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

Sailing the Four Cs

Collaboration, Conversation, Community and Content Creation form the "4 Cs" of Social Media.





Arizona State University (ASU) Library has embraced social media, using a variety of tools to both promote library services and to better inform and serve clients.  The Library Minute YouTube clips are slick, trendy yet personable library messages, that truly reach out to younger students.  These clips certainly cover the "Content Creation" and "Conversation" facets of the 4 Cs since they are inventive and the presenter speaks straight at the camera in a conversational style which is highly engaging.


ASU Library also uses Facebook, Twitter, Flickr among other Web 2.0 tools, again as further avenues for informing library clients.  The Twitter account which is used to promote services and inform clients of closures, problems and alterations or improvements to library services, currently has 1434 followers. A good number of these are other libraries and librarians - heyjudeonline is both a follower and being followed by ASU. Reading through some of the tweets suggests that library clients are engaging somewhat with the conversation, but the response is not overly impressive.  


There is a similar trend on Facebook with the page scoring only 213 "likes" and limited conversations following the library posts.  That is not to say that there is no engagement - there certainly is activity on both Facebook and Twitter, and the YouTube clips have achieved many viewings.


The three platforms examined have achieved the 4 Cs of social media - Facebook and Twitter making a valiant effort at creating a community of followers, but in some respects it is a lukewarm result.  It is difficult to determine how much interaction is really from the target group - the clients, and how much is actually from others within the library industry.


ASU Libraries (2011). The library channel Retrieved August 19, 2011 from http://lib.asu.edu/librarychannel/


Facebook (2011). ASU Libraries Retrieved August 19, 2011 from http://www.facebook.com/ASULibraries


Twitter (2011). ASU Libraries Retrieved August 19, 2011 from http://twitter.com/#!/ASUlibraries

YouTube (2011). The Library Minute Retrieved August 19, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/user/librarychannel#p/a/CA6A813AA9C9A574/2/ohyqXAhLgsM