THING 17!

Social networking (SN), love it!
I voyeuristically check out mate’s photos online and was absorbed by Facebook before it took over the world (now I’m no longer absorbed and am at times slightly irritated by it). SN is a great thing but like everything online it has it’s hassles; what is with people who want to befriend you simply because you have a mate in common? Sorry Joel in Canada, I don’t know you and don’t want to be your friend!

I actually have a Bebo page but I never use it. In my head Bebo is forever associated with teenagers and I am no longer a teenager. Maybe it’s age but I prefer Facebook, it's cleaner, easier to use and the layout is user friendly. That said Manix will have a Bebo presence next year, the teens have demanded it! And it’s because the teens want it that we are offering it. If they want it they’ll use it! If library staff wanted it the teens probably wouldn’t use it (I think Auckland’s Bebo page is illustrative of this). Obviously when it comes to library social networking pages, I'm in two minds

1. I think we'll eventually end up there as that's where the population is at, and I'm all for taking the library to the people not forcing the people into the library BUT
2. we have to be careful how we do this. Sometimes libraries try too hard to be cool, we try too hard to be everything to everybody. So let's use social networking sites as a way to communicate and connect with people but let's do it a manner and way that truly represents ourselves without trying to be something that's too cool for school (or the library) and is because we think there is true value in doing it. I hate it when we do things to keep up with the Jones (or with the Christchurchs). Let’s do things because our patrons want it or we think our patrons will use it!

And on a final thing 17 note, yah for Youtube and MySpace for reconnecting me with the best Canadian music has to offer, Danny Michel and The Weakerthans. Rock and roll mixed with a bit of folk, some storytelling and and the odd bit of pop.