Patron Wiki Additions

In some libraries patrons are not allowed to add information to library wikis, and a contributing factor to this trend may be an inability or a lack of willingness on the part of librarians to monitor the content patrons could add to a wiki.  Users can add almost anything to a wiki, and it is easy for someone to include the wrong information, forget to double check facts, or even spam a page on purpose. It takes effort to make sure the information added by the public is accurate, and different factors such as budget issues, staff shortages, or lack of time could determine if a librarian is able to stay current with edits that are being made to the site.

Another possible reason for libraries not allowing patrons to edit wikis is a simple lack of trust. Since the public can put up nearly anything they want on a wiki, the librarians may think it is easier to do it themselves than to constantly monitor and edit the content patrons add.

Finally, even if they are aware they can add information to a wiki, many people will never try to edit a page. In the library setting, it takes time to organize and implement a wiki. If it is a public wiki and no one ever edits it or adds information, the site may not be successful. Some librarians might feel it is better to complete a wiki themselves and then have access to a reliable resource instead of dealing with the issues that come with allowing patrons to edit a wiki. 

Exercise 5: Delicious Bookmarking

Until the completion of this exercise, I had never really used social bookmarking sites to search for resources on different subjects.  I enjoy bookmarking items for personal use, but I was never compelled to use the site like a search engine. This project provided me with the opportunity to explore past my normal comfort zone and gain a broader understanding of the capabilities of a bookmarking site like Delicious.

As I worked through the exercise it was interesting to discover the different tags people use for a resource. While many of the key ideas overlap or are tagged in the same way, a number of the labels cover a wide range of terms and topics. Everyone expresses thoughts or ideas differently, and through the tags it is obvious how many interpretations are present for one source.  It is also interesting to note the number of tags a person includes for an item. Some users post two or three basic tags, while others include every possible idea the article covers.

Another aspect I find noteworthy is the variety of bookmarks certain people post. When looking through one user’s bookmarks for additional resources on this week’s topic, it was a challenge to find someone who had actually posted more than one source about social bookmarking or tagging. The first couple of users’ lists that I browsed did not have more than one applicable link, but I finally found someone who did. Browsing by user does not appear to be a successful way to find resources on one topic, unless the person definitely focuses his bookmarks on a certain area. Even though searching through tags can be unorganized as well, this method provides more thorough results than hunting for articles by a user’s listings.  

Finally, I was able to browse the bookmarks my classmates had selected, and I found that we have bookmarked some of the same links. It was also interesting to view the different topics and subjects of interest that emerged as I compared chosen tags and sites.

While searching a bookmarking site like Delicious seems unorganized at first, I am beginning to see the benefits of using it as a search tool. It acts similar to a search engine, and in addition to just bringing up search results, extra information such as how many users have bookmarked the site is also provided. Knowing the popularity of an item that is bookmarked allows users to gain a sense of quality for the site. Many people seem comfortable searching in this manner because it gives them a sense of camaraderie with individuals who are on the same level they are.  

Knowledge Sharing and Organizational Culture

In today’s society, I think that the culture within a group or organization impacts the success of knowledge-sharing through social media interaction. There are many factors that affect the accomplishment of digital knowledge-sharing, and some of the core elements are the existence of a collaborative culture in an organization, technologically intelligent people, transparency, and a willingness to be flexible and use social software at home and at work. Without a foundation where members already work together to share thoughts and ideas, it is going to be difficult to create an environment where knowledge sharing thrives.

I think that effective knowledge-sharing requires a certain bond between group members, and the people need to be comfortable interacting and sharing information with each other in different environments. If workers are independent and desire to retain their “knowledge archipelagos” (Kelly, 2009), the collaborative culture does not exist and very few workers are going to participate in a digital knowledge-sharing effort.

I currently work in an environment where employees are constantly sharing experiences and openly interacting with one another. As of now we do not share knowledge digitally, but after reflecting on the work environment, I think it would be successful if the social software tools were implemented.  The culture of the organization contains many of the elements required to maintain collaboration and succeed in sharing knowledge. Workers are primarily open, interactive, transparent, and technologically savvy, and it seems like this would be a good base for successfully sharing knowledge digitally.  

Marketing Critique: Contra Costa County Library

          In today’s society, the use of online social media in the library setting is a growing trend. While the library world is still in the first stages of building a solid online presence, many libraries and library systems are taking the plunge into new areas of technology and marketing themselves in unique ways. What started out as hosting basic websites for libraries has expanded into the use of numerous social media tools which encourage interaction with patrons on a new level. One of the library systems actively utilizing social media tools to expand its online presence is the Contra Costa County Library System. Containing twenty-seven branches spread throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, the Contra Costa County Library System has developed a strong online presence through the use of Facebook, Myspace, RSS feeds, a blog, and a Flickr photo stream, but they could still improve their outreach techniques by updating sites more frequently and by expanding their social media usage.

           

            The social media tool that the Contra Costa County Library System uses most actively is Facebook. A thumbnail link to the Facebook page is clearly displayed on the library’s website to provide for easy access. With about 1,450 users who “like” the page, the library is successfully connecting with people in this social networking environment. Updates about activities, interesting articles, information about new phone applications and more are posted on the wall every few days, and the posts often receive several comments from users. If a comment contains a question, the library responds quickly, sometimes within two hours. The Facebook page also maintains a note section where entries are posted several times a month. The notes often reflect information included in the updates, but they go into more depth. In addition, the location tab lists the branches in the library system and then links to additional information on the main library website.  This is one area where the Contra Costa County library is not taking full advantage of the impact Facebook can have in marketing because it requires an extra step to find the hours and contact information for the individual libraries.  Listing this information under the location tab would allow people who are not likely to click the link to see information that might be useful to them.

            In contrast to an active Facebook page, the library system’s Myspace site is not providing users with a successful, current connection to the library. The last update was nearly a year ago in April 2010. The page is titled “OurLibrary,” and the name “Contra Costa County Library” is not present until a user scrolls about half way down the page.

The page indicates only 186 friends, and the last wall comment was two years ago.

Some interesting videos and slide shows are incorporated into the page, and this could be a good marketing technique for young people, but several of the links are dead. A thumbnail to the page is not located on the library’s main website, showing this is not one of their primary marketing tools. The site either needs to be revived or the use of video and slide shows should be incorporated into another social media tool that would be more useful in building the library’s online brand.

            The online brand of the Contra Costa County Library may not be reinforced by the Myspace page, but the numerous RSS feeds the library provides show the incorporation of solid social media outreach tools. A section of the library’s website clearly lists all the feeds a user can access, including individual feeds for different genres of new books, programs and events at specific libraries, library news, and podcasts. The feeds are updated regularly and remind patrons about library happenings. Maintaining RSS feeds goes a long way in developing a positive brand in the online environment.

            Another way reaching out in the online world can be successful is through blogs. The Contra Costa County Library maintains a Wordpress blog started in May 2008 that features short entries about different books or chapters of books, and sometimes it even links to audio versions of the story. This is a fun idea, but it is hard to tell how successful the blog is since few comments are left on the entries. Also the last post is from November 2010, so it appears the blog has not been updated for several months. With more in-depth posts and more successful marketing of the site, this could be a great start to a readers’ discussion blog. While it is not currently active, there is significant potential to draw users through an updated blog with a more visually appealing design.

                        

            Since visual appeal draws the attention of users, the library has begun a Flickr photostream, posting pictures and images from different library events, activities, books, and more. This brings library happenings to life and gives users an idea of what goes on at events. This is a great start to adding visual images to the library, however if these pictures were also incorporated in different library online social media tools it would create a more meaningful experience for patrons.

           

            The Contra Costa County Library has created a fairly strong online brand with the success of the Facebook page, RSS feeds and Flickr, but there is room for improvement in several areas. The library is making a significant effort to interact with people through social media tools, and the overall response shows that customers are willing to connect. However, if the library hired me as a social media marketing consultant I would make several major suggestions to boost their online presence. First, the current social media tools that are unsuccessful should be refined. The Myspace page needs updating and a more obvious connection to the Contra Costa County Library. While this may not be a prime area for marketing since it is less popular than other social media tools, keeping it current, including basic information, posting activities that pertain to teens, and then promoting it in the library or on the website could benefit the library system and give younger patrons an opportunity to interact with the library virtually. In addition, updating the blog would be an area that I would recommend.  Posting regularly and writing more in-depth entries about books, asking readers opinions, promoting it as a book discussion blog, and creating a more appealing visual design could improve the interest of viewers and encourage them to participate in a lively environment. Finally, a major step the library should take is to make a Twitter account and use it to engage users on a new and more personal level. There is no sign that the library currently uses Twitter, and this is one area where librarians could connect with young people and all types of users in their own environment. Instituting these improvements would help the library develop a presence in patrons’ lives on a daily basis, and they would build on the library’s strong social media foundation and take its online presence to a new level. 

Libraries Connected

Should libraries be building presence and providing services on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook? My instinctive response is, of course! We hear again and again that we can’t wait for the people to come to us; we have to go to the people. So the logical question to ask might be, why shouldn’t we connect with people where they are and in the world they are comfortable in? A business adapts and changes with the needs and desires of its customers, so in the same way, libraries have to move forward and gear their services to fit the lifestyle of their users.

As I’ve mentioned before, using social networking tools, especially sites like Myspace and Facebook, provide a way for libraries to connect with the younger generation and show teens and college students that the library is more than a room full of dusty books. The library is a place they can interact with from the comfort of their own home, and librarians can be accessed instantly through an email or Facebook message. When young people see librarians online, I think it helps them to realize there is a real person helping them find information, and this person is not old fashioned and boring, but can navigate computers and networking tools just like the rest of the population.

In addition, active library MySpace and Facebook pages often serve as a reminder to many people. When a user comes into the library and sees a posting about an event that interests him, most of the time the customer doesn’t write it down and ends up simply forgetting about it. I have done this numerous times myself, even when I worked at the library! If the user is connected to the library on Facebook or MySpace, when a post about the event is sent out, it often triggers the person’s memory and reminds him about his interest in the event. Social networking sites often provide the platform a library needs to remind people about all kinds of things, from events to new books in the collection. It is a great way to connect with people in the comfort of their home and give them the opportunity to discover the benefits and services a library can offer.