Thank you!

Thank you to all my fellow student-educators during this class on social networking. 

It has also been one of the most enjoyable classes I have taken.

I learned a lot from all of you, and wish you the best as you continue your studies!

Reflection

I always knew direct communication was my forte (go email! telephone! and especially.... in person!) and so it was with a little trepidation that I stuck my toes into the world of social networking this semester.  

I have to say, while I don't think I have become a convert, I do feel I have a greater understanding of social networking, a clearer picture of its' benefits and many uses, and my comfort zone around the use of Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media has expanded exponentially in these last few weeks of this short summer semester.

As I prepare to become a librarian, this knowledge is invaluable, especially I should think as I hope to work with youth, and in many instances, the way they communicate and receive news and information is primarily accomplished through use of various forms of social media.

Now, to work on my texting....

News: an observational post about the generational divide regarding news gathering

My daughter, who is 15 and gets virtually all her news and information from social media (or the John Stewart show) tells me the news practically the minute things are happening. She always knows the facts and is very up to the minute. I am shocked some times at how quickly the news finds her.

I, on the other hand generally use more traditional print and online newspaper sources combined with a little of "Morning Joe" and know less about immediate happenings, media and celebrity news, and less stories in general and have a more in depth view of the things I follow or am interested in, perhaps you could say I know more about fewer events and happenings.


I am curious as to how the news industry will respond over time in order to provide news rapidly, without sacrificing fact checking and background information and in a format appealing to her generation.

 

Academic Libraries, Facebook and MySpace, and Student Outreach: A Survey of Student Opinion Ruth Sara Connell

After reading this article I would be very wary about setting up a Facebook page for the library with this age group. There is a sizable minority who might eventually resent the communication and view it as an intrusion. 

I would be curious to see the comparison of these results if a similar study was replicated with a different age group--such as young adults/teens at a public library, adults, or senior adults. As a librarian I would most likely investigate the possibilities of other social networking sites such as the library fan page mentioned in this article or some other sort of interactive web page or blog.