social media musings

In module 4, we discussed content creation and creativity and the short aside about makerspaces caught my attention as I had done some research on the topic in my co-op last summer. Then Deodato (2014) was assigned in module 5 and I thought about exploring the connection between participatory culture and makerspaces.

makerspace: a creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. (See OEDB for more)

In light of continually evolving technology and the significant impact the Internet has and continues to have on communication and content creation, the dynamics of participatory culture have shifted dramatically. Traditionally, content creation and consumption followed a top-down model: experts created the content and disseminated it on terms they dictated, while users passively consumed the information provided. The current technological landscape governs a very much disrupted expert-learner dynamic which has led to a marked shift towards collaborative content creation and an increasingly level expert-learner power dynamic.  In fact, experts are no longer experts in the traditional sense. Prescriptive teaching is only a part of a 21st century librarian’s role.

Service delivery in public libraries now invites patron interaction, creation, and feedback more actively than it did in libraries of pre-Internet era. One of the manifestations of this change has been the emergence of makerspaces. Makerspaces evolved from maker faires, which were meant to be places to learn new skills, show off the product, and share knowledge. Inaugurated in 2006, Maker Faire is an annual event that takes places in the San Francisco Bay area. Here is a short video about Maker Faire:

Public libraries have used maker faires as a model and developed makerspaces for their patrons. Although the concept of makerspaces in relation to public libraries is fairly new, only around since approximately 2011, libraries across the country have embraced the idea and have built some incredible spaces for their patrons. One of them is in Inisfil, Ontario: the Inisfil Public Library Hacker Lab, where patrons can use a 3D printer, a laser cutter, raspberry pis, and much more. Closer to home, the VPL’s much-anticipated Inspiration Lab is set to open in May. Touted as a creative space to foster learning and experimentation, the Inspiration Lab provides access to digital media like recording studios and editing workstations for video and sound, and digitization tools for the preservation of ideas. While most makerspaces have some costs associated with using the technology, VPL’s Inspiration Lab will be free. The VPL is not the first of the local library systems to venture into the makerspace realm: Richmond Public Library has a 3D printer available to patrons at Brighouse, the main branch.

Here is a 3D printer in action:

https://youtu.be/zF-0w2g7S9w

Participatory culture is changing both the way libraries provide service to their patrons and patrons’ expectations of libraries. The information exchange occurring in libraries now has realigned the power dynamic between librarian and patron, as well as the definition of which party is the creator and which is the consumer. Makerspaces will continue to challenge traditional roles in libraries, including those of the librarians and the patrons, while providing valuable learning and exploration opportunities for everyone involved.

References

Bagley, C.A. (2012, December 20). What is a makerspace? Creativity in the library. Retrieved from http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2012/12/what-is-a-makerspace-creativity-in-the-library.html

Deodato, J. (2014). The patron as producer: Libraries, web 2.0, and participatory culture. Journal of Documentation, 70(5), 734-758. doi:10.1108/JD-10-2012-0127

Maker Media, Inc. (n.d.) Maker Faire, A bit of history. Retrieved from http://makerfaire.com/makerfairehistory/

The Editors. (2013, February 6). Manufacturing makerspaces. Retrieved from americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2013/02/06/manufacturing-makerspaces/

 

 

My academic and work experiences in library school constantly reaffirm how significant a role professional development will play in the trajectory of my career. Professional development for librarians takes many forms: conferences, webinars, literature searches, workshops, etc. and these elements are well-documented in literature. There is little research, however, on massive open online courses, or MOOCs, as a tool for professional development and I think there is massive opportunity for it.

Much of a librarian’s professional development is spent outside of regular working hours, attending conferences, doing coursework, doing workshops. In fact, LIS was host to what may be considered an early iteration of the MOOC: 23 things, an online program offering technology training to library staff starting in 2006.  23 mobile things came several years later and updated the focus of 23 things from a library 2.0 focus to a mobile one.

Librarians, then, are no strangers to the ideas associated with MOOCs. How then, do MOOCs, as they came to be known in 2008, fit into what is often a rigorous professional development schedule?

First, let’s start with a short video Dave Cormier, an educational activist, researcher, and online community advocate, made that describes MOOCs.

As Cormier says in the video, MOOCs are online courses that are:

• Open
• Participatory
• Distributed, and that
• Support life-long networked learning

Second, why are MOOCs suitable as a professional development tool for librarians?

• you can learn skills like design and coding
• you can learn about subject areas like finance to augment your library’s programming offerings
• many MOOCs are taught by academics who are experts in their fields
• the medium provides the flexibility to learn at your own pace within the timelines of the course
• they allow the learner to interact with classmates from around the world
• they are free!

Can you think of others to add to my list?

And finally, what MOOC platforms are there and what can I learn from each one?

Coursera: over 800 courses across many disciplines from 108 universities from around the world. Courses are available in the arts and humanities, social sciences, computer science, education, economics, and medicine.

EdX: 463 courses in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, computer science, economics and finance, statistics and more.

Khan Academy: over 6500 videos curated by content specialists and hosted on YouTube. Topics range from math, science, economics and finance, to arts and humanities and computing. The target audience is elementary and high school students, with some university-level offerings.

Udacity: the only one of the big four that focuses specifically on professional development, Udacity offers approximately 70 courses in data science, web development, software engineering, Android and OS development, and a few non-tech. It also offers nanodegrees for a fee.

References

Massis, B. E. (2013). MOOCs and the library. New Library World, 114(5), 267-270. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/03074801311326894

Hoy, M. B. (2014). MOOCs 101: An Introduction to Massive Open Online Courses. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 33(1), 85-91. doi:10.1080/02763869.2014.866490

Stephens, M., & Jones, K. L. (2014). MOOCs as LIS Professional Development Platforms: Evaluating and Refining SJSU’s First Not-for-Credit MOOC. Journal of Education for Library & Information Science, 55(4), 345-361.

 

Social media for business started out as many new ventures do: conservative, unregulated use, with a bit of making-it-up-as-we-go cautious optimism. As companies figure out how to leverage the power of social media to support their vision and business practices, the need for a standardized social media policy to guide their work becomes more pronounced. I’m interested in looking at how local public library systems are using social media and whether they have developed formal social media policies.

The lay of the land in Lower Mainland public library systems

A survey of local public library systems indicates that social media policy development has not yet become a standard practice. In my research, I found that all systems have a social media presence—Facebook and Twitter—but not all have a social media policy.

Large systems like Surrey Public Library and Vancouver Public Library have policies. The VPL’s appears in the form of terms of use, and is based on the City of Vancouver’s policy, while SPL follows the City of Surrey social media policy. Smaller systems—Richmond Public Library, West Vancouver Memorial Public Library—do not have a policy at all despite a social media presence. North Vancouver District Public Library seems to be the anomaly in this group: a small library system that has prioritized policy development and has included a comprehensive section on social media in its policy manual.

Why does a public library need a social media policy?

Nancy Flynn (2012) listed a host of advantages for developing a social media policy:

• combats risks associated with managing electronic records
• reputation management
• enables successful two-way communication with customers, and collaboration with coworkers
• employees’ personal use of social media can enhance workers’ overall satisfaction with and commitment to their jobs
• implementation of rules and policies, when supported by employee training and supported by effective tools, enables management of social media risks

What are the components of a social media policy?

• purpose
• key concepts and terms
• personal use component
• public use component
• appropriate actions
• risk management
• records retention and disposition
• compliance
• related and applicable policies

How do you write an effective social media policy?

Nancy Flynn (2012) identified the following elements as essential to writing an effective social media policy:

• Establish and focus on clear goals
• Create community guidelines for social media and blogs
• Use clear and specific language
• Include content rules in social media polices and community guidelines
• Define key concepts and terms
• Write policies and guidelines in plain English
• Support written policy with employee—and community—education

Who’s doing it right?

The Toronto Public Library’s comprehensive online and social media policy  includes all but one of the components of a social media policy outlined above. (The missing element is the retention and disposition of records.)

References

Burclaff, N., & Johnson, C. (2013). Making Social Media Meaningful: Connecting Missions and Policies. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/conferences/confsandpreconfs/2013/papers/JohnsonBurclaff_Making.pdf

Burclaff, N., & Johnson, C. (2014). Developing a social media strategy. College & Research Libraries News, 75(7), 366-369.

Campbell, C. (2013, July 18). The complete guide to developing a social media policy for your business. Retrieved from http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/complete-guide-developing-social-media-policy-your-business

Flynn, N. (2012). The Social Media Handbook : Rules, Policies, and Best Practices to Successfully Manage Your Organization’s Social Media Presence, Posts, and Potential. Retrieved from http://www.eblib.com

Harmon, C., Messina, M., & Ebooks Corporation. (2013). Using social media in libraries: Best practices. Lanham: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.

 

Since the first week of this course, when we were introduced to the Internet Memes issue of the Journal of Visual Culture, I’ve been following with great interest how varied, numerous, and thought-provoking the existing research on social media is. In the past few years, social media has become ubiquitous with Internet usage, identity formation, and increasingly, with marketing and PR, and academia is following suit by providing outlets for publishing research on these topics.

Here is a(n incomplete) list of academic journals that cover social media:

1. Journal of Visual Culture: Founded in 2002, the Journal of Visual Culture publishes research on visual culture, including film, media and television studies; art, design, fashion and architecture history; cultural studies and critical theory; philosophy and aesthetics; and social sciences. It is interdisciplinary and often publishes themed issues, like Internet Memes, Archives, and Science and Documentary.
2. International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments: Founded in 2013, this journal publishes four issues per year and covers social media and web 2.0 tools that support formal and informal teaching and learning. Its first issue explores topics like the connection between social media and online learning and educational technology in the developing world.
3. The Journal of Social Media in Society: Founded in 2012, this journal explores the connection between social media and its impact on society in a historical and social context.
4. Journal of Social Media for Organization: Founded in 2013, The Journal of Social Media for Organizations is an open access, peer reviewed journal that situates social media in the workplace. Its editorial mandate indicates a need for this type of scholarly journal but so far it appears that only one issue has been published.
5. International Journal of Virtual Communities and Social Networking: First published in 2009, IJVCSN publishes four issues per year and provides scholarship on social, cultural, organizational, human, and cognitive issues as they relate to virtual communities and social networking. Topics addressed include design, implementation, participation, and use of virtual communities and social networks.
6. International Journal of Social Network Mining: IJSNM published its first issue in 2012 with a mandate to provide researchers and practitioners with scholarship on using data mining techniques for social networking analysis.
7. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking: With the longest history of the journals included in this list, this peer reviewed journals offers scholarship on the social and psychological aspects affecting today’s social networking practices. Its website keeps a handy guide to notable media hits.
8. Social Media Studies: First published in September 2014, this peer reviewed journal publishes two issues per year in the areas of social media analyses and communication sciences.
9. Social Media + Society: An online, open-access, peer-reviewed scholarly journal, SM+S explores the relationship between social media and its effect on society. The call for submissions for its first issue has gone out. (Thanks to Dean for suggesting this journal for the list.)

I am considering fleshing out this topic in my final paper and will spend time browsing some additional resources related to the academic treatment of social media. I welcome others’ ideas about resources!

I’ve been a long-time user of social media though not social media as it exists in its current state, i.e. instant updating, constant connection to the internet, documenting the minutiae of one’s life. I am partial to Twitter because I enjoy connecting with people personally and professionally. I can follow accounts I find interesting, and can put as much or as little time and energy into maintaining my feed as I wish. Even so, I am very aware of privacy issues and am cautious about what I share and where.

The past

When I got my first computer and dial-up internet, I think it was in 1997 or 1998, MSN Messenger quickly became my go-to way of connecting with friends. Though it’s no longer around, MSN Messenger was the gateway to other platforms. I used ICQ for a few years too though not as much as Messenger (Fun fact: I can still remember my ICQ number.) Friendster came along and for a few years that was the social media platform of choice (and one of the only good ones). I didn’t make the jump to MySpace because I didn’t want to maintain another page and wasn’t interested in how picture-heavy it was. Instead, I kept a private LiveJournal that I stopped using a couple years ago, which was mostly my writing.

The present

I have accounts on many social media platforms but only actively maintain Twitter, and to a lesser extent Facebook and LinkedIn. Here’s a short list of my personal social media accounts ranked from most used to least.

Twitter – I use Twitter the most. My curated public lists, to which I add constantly, allow me to follow news, library things/people, books things/people, editing things/people, the Canucks, and food-related things/people. Some lists, like people I know, are private. I used Hootsuite to manage my feed but don’t anymore because the free account option doesn’t allow me to see who has retweeted my tweets.

Facebook – I opened up an account in March 2007 after a friend I was visiting in Australia a few months prior extolled its virtues of being able to connect its users with people from high school. This selling point was a positive affordance at the time that is less so now. It was so positive that I am convinced that my 10-year high school reunion didn’t happen because most had already caught up with anyone who they would’ve talked to at an in-person event. I spend time on Facebook but don’t post very much aside from some travel photos. I keep very tight privacy over my profile and don’t accept requests from people I don’t know personally.

LinkedIn – I opened an account about 4 years ago when I was laid off from a job. I don’t maintain much outside of simple job history and education but I expect once I start looking for full-time library work I will.

Tumblr – I opened an account when I started at SLAIS in September 2013 and had grand ideas of making it my library-related blog. Alas, I have posted a grand total of 3 times so far. I use the app to follow some Tumblrs that know how to do Tumblr really well: Powell’s and The New Yorker.

Goodreads – I finally signed up for an account a few days ago because I needed a better way to track what books I’ve read and what I want to read.

Pinterest – I had an account a couple years ago but found the interface too messy and difficult to navigate. I never figured out exactly what it was about and closed the account.

Professionally, I managed Twitter and Facebook feeds for New Star Books through TweetDeck when Twitter for business was considered an optional undertaking.

The future

In a few short years, we have reached a point where not having a social media presence is considered unusual. On a personal level, social media provides an alternative relationship-building tool and a free way of building one’s personal  brand. At a professional level, businesses have been presented with a golden opportunity to engage with customers and to provide a level of customer service that the your-calll-is-important-to-us era does not afford. I’m interested in leveraging the knowledge I acquire in this course in a professional environment. My personal experience with following library Twitter and Facebook feeds indicates that there is much left to tap into and I’d like to be the one to unlock the potential.