Thing 15 - Social Networking/Facebook
Personally I am a fan of social networking. I think if you are smart about the way you monitor your internet presence, it can be a very beneficial and fun thing to do. I have a Facebook page, and have found that I've re-connected with friends I have not seen in a long time, and it also brings distant family members a bit closer. I have cousins who I rarely had contact with that we now chat and can keep tabs on each other through Facebook, and I think for things like this it's a great tool. I'm a bit more cautious about my Facebook presence than I used to be, not that I really had anything to hide, but when I first started using it I used to post a lot more about trips, going out for dinners, etc. Now I'm a bit more cautious just because you're never 100% who is 'watching.' I think social networking is a great way for libraries to connect with their students, I would say the majority of students have a Facebook page, and if you can appeal to users this way then why not use any avenue possible?
Thing 16 - Twitter
I have had a Twitter account for awhile, and I think it's a fun site also. To be honest, I mostly 'follow' celebrities (I love my celeb gossip,) but I do follow a few friends and news pages as well. I think of Twitter almost as a mini-blog or text message to the masses. I mostly use it for fun, but I have helped friends in the past trying to spread the word about things by "re-tweeting" etc. Again, when used responsibly and with a bit of caution I think it can be a great tool to use.
Great analysis Rachel! I completely agree with you that social networking can be very useful and fun when you take the time to manage your settings. I think some of the skeptics may simply be ignorant of the amount of control that is possible. I've also really appreciated being able to connect with old friends and family via Facebook.
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