In module 4 of LIBR 559 on social media is titled “creation creativity,” and there are several links contained in the document that is attached to this module. One of the links that caught my attention leads to a piece on the Huffington Post on “18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently.” I decided to review this list and find the connections between librarianship and/or the use of social media.
One item on the list, “[t]hey observe everything,” is a trait I associate with information professionals and with social media use. Having an awareness of one’s surroundings and what is going on in the world at large is important, but I also think that librarians need to go beyond simply observing. One negative stereotype that exists about librarians is that they sit behind their desks and stare disapprovingly at those who are not using the library ‘correctly’ (for instance, teenagers who are socializing with friends in the library may be considered by some as not using the library in an appropriate manner). I would like to challenge the stereotype I described above. The ‘modern’ librarian is one who engages his or her community (which often involves using social media as a tool for engagement) and the ‘modern’ library is one that should be welcoming for everyone, including those who want to socialize. I see libraries as places that foster creativity, and I think that this inherently involves interacting with others.
“They seek out new experiences” and “They take risks.”
For librarians who have been in the profession for years, social media may be a tool with which they have not had much experience. Even those of us who are library students and have used social media in our personal lives may find the idea of using it in a professional setting to be daunting. However, I believe that one of the most important things I have learned in LIBR 559 is that there is an enormous amount of untapped potential when it comes to social media use among librarians. When I think of librarians seeking out new experiences, I think of the ways in which they can use social media to reach out to communities that may shy away from the library, or the ways in which social media can be used among librarians to build professional networks and unite librarians whose work may be largely solitary. Of course, as with social media use among any type of professional, there needs to be a plan in place regarding how this tool will be used. However, with a little creativity, I think librarians can take full advantage of all that social media has to offer, and can ultimately make themselves a greater asset to the community by being more approachable and available, among other things.
“They get out of their own heads” and “They people-watch” and “They constantly shake things up.“
One of the phrases that stood out for me the most in this piece was the need for a “diversity of experience” in order to foster creativity. I think that this can be related to people-watching, and both are intrinsically connected to the use of social media and librarianship. Even individuals who do not fully engage with their social media networks and instead prefer to ‘lurk’ are placing themselves in a situation in which they can observe others (or at least they can observe how others chose to portray themselves online). I believe that there is much to be learned from both interacting and observing people online, and librarians can take this opportunity to learn more about the needs of their patrons or potential patrons. Librarians (and really, any users of social media) can become more aware of the life experiences of others, which can also lead to a greater understanding of how these life experiences may influence information needs and potentially create barriers to accessing information. By “taking another person’s perspective,” perhaps through information they receive through social media, librarians can come to view the library as others see it; unfortunately, others may have negative perceptions of the library that have been shaped by their experiences. On a more positive note, negative perceptions can potentially be altered. But in order to help people to overcome these negative perceptions, librarians must first be able and willing to view the library as others do. I believe that social media can be used as a tool to aid this process.