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Social Media, Libraries, and Web 2.0: How American Libraries are Using New Tools for Public Relations and to Attract new Users

Social Networking at Kent State University School of Library and Information Science

What is Second Life?

“Social media” could be one of the most intimidating catch-phrases of the decade (along with “Octomom,” which is only slightly less frightening).  We’ve heard success and horror stories, usually within minutes of each other.  For every one person who thanks social media for a lucrative connection, another gets fired for publicly badmouthing his boss.  So why risk jumping on the social media bandwagon?   Because social media and social networking are here to stay – it’s a wave you must learn to ride before you get washed away.

I’ll assume you’ve already accepted this phenomenon as relevant to you, your organization, and your career.  (If you haven’t, rest assured your patrons have – a quick search on this article’s featured site shows over 50 million members worldwide, with nearly 263,000 of them from Ohio.)  Yet when it comes to making social media work for you, you might feel like you’re wandering around in the dark.  That’s where this article comes in.  It presents three lessons that should help light your path when using one of social networking’s pioneer sites: LinkedIn.

Lesson 1: Learn about it

If my earlier assumption was incorrect and you really don’t see the value in social networking, consider taking a class on social media before going any further.  You’ll learn that LinkedIn is one of the earliest social networking sites to appear online in 2003, along with MySpace (’03), and Facebook (’04).  The main difference between LinkedIn and other social networking sites can be found in user demographics.  LinkedIn is not your teenager’s MySpace.  LinkedIn is not your great aunt’s Facebook.  LinkedIn means business - business connections, trends, news, and networks.

If my earlier assumption was correct, take 2 ½ minutes to learn a little more about LinkedIn here.  Then visit the actual site to create your professional profile.  It’s a good idea to have your resume handy, because your LinkedIn profile will end up looking a lot like a career portfolio.  At a minimum it should include your experience, education, and any professional recommendations you’ve received.  Don’t worry; the site will walk you through the process.  Once you’ve created your profile and learned what the site can do, it’s time to start building your network.  

Lesson 2: Link yourself to others

There is real and tangible benefit to knowing people – mentorships are formed, minds are engaged, questions are answered and asked, recommendations are made, and discussions are held.  These exciting opportunities are made possible by the “social networking” we already do in real life – LinkedIn just makes it a little bit easier.  Rather than collecting business cards at a conference, only to let them gather dust in your Rolodex, LinkedIn helps you remain actively connected to your network. 

Begin by searching for the people you know and trust and adding them to your professional network.  Because LinkedIn membership is booming– membership numbers that grew over 300% from 2006 to 2007 (according to Neilson, via Social Media Statistics) – your network will begin to grow faster than you can say, “Twitter.”

Once you’ve built a network, start participating.  Join discussion boards and offer your insight.   Search for other companies, agencies, organizations, or associations to learn about their needs.  Join a group that interests you (or that may be interested in you).

Remain active, encourage participation (including your own), and engage in dialogue –listen and, when appropriate, respond.  You’ll begin noticing that many users frequently ask questions or state needs – “I need people/products/ideas/resources” – a perfect opportunity for your library to take a more active role, and leverage this professional social networking site to its full potential.

Lesson 3: Leverage the tool

Once you’ve mastered the basics, consider learning about some more advanced techniques to help you engage other LinkedIn users – and don’t forget why you signed up in the first place – to network on behalf of yourself and your organization.

Do this by telling other users why you’re passionate about what you do.  Provide them with resources to promote access to your library.  Demonstrate your library’s relevance by reaching out to professionals and promoting the services you provide.  If you do this, and you do it well, you’ll be adding value to your organization, your career, your library, your community, your state, and ultimately, your relationships.  And really, that’s what networking is all about.