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.
