Recently I have noticed a trend. I use facebook quite a bit and quite often because I have listed in my profile that I am a librarian, I see ads promoting various library related services. They can be anything from a new database, to an ALA sponsored contest, to a new technology service aimed at libraries and librarians to ads from larger libraries promoting special exhibits or events. Many times I find these ads quite interesting and I have clicked on quite a few of them and found them to be quite useful to me as a librarian. So I am wondering, should libraries advertise on social networks? Now part of the answer to this question really depends on the size of the library. If you have a library that is quite small then it probably would just be a waste of money. But what about larger public or academic libraries? Could this be an effective way to increase your patron count and to increase awareness in your community about what you have to offer? I tend to think that it could. Do you have any experiences either positive or negative?

Sharing your library’s content can be a great way to promote your library as well as to generate publicity for your library. Here are the top 10 places where you can share your content.

1. Facebook fan page.
2. A Blog
3. Your Library Web site
4. Other library’s blogs.
5. Del.icio.us
6. Flickr
7. Youtube
8. Slide Share
9. Twitter
10. Stumble Upon

Have you ever used library elf? I recently discovered this online system via my local public library. How it works is this:

1. you create an account with a participating library
2. you manage your checkouts, overdues and holds online via email and RSS.

Although I have not used it, I have to say that it looks really neat.

If you have experience with this, then I would love to hear from you about how it has affected your circulation.

I have finally decided to take this blog to the next level by offering a social networking in libraries forum. You will see the link in the menu above. There’s not much there yet, since it is brand new, but I would love to see it grow and become the go to place online for discussing all about social networking in libraries, library technology and any other related topic. So register and start contributing today.

Does your library have a social media policy and do you need one? Some things to consider as far as a library social media policy include:

1. If we have a library wiki who can post and contribute?
2. Are we using facebook and if so, who are the admins of our page and can our patrons contribute?
3. If we have a blog what goes on it and how often?
4. How many sites are we going to use for our library?
5. Why are we involved with social networking and is it really contributing to our library’s mission?

There was an article posted in the library journal, Should your library have a social media policy recently which I think all librarians should read.

If you have a social media policy for your library, what does it say? Any thoughts about libraries and social media policies?

Breast Cancer Affects Millions of Women Each Year- Learn How You Can Help

Who do you know who has breast cancer?

Who do you know who has had breast cancer but is now in remission?

In order to beat this disease then we need millions in new research funding along with support for those who already have breast cancer.

The Susan G. Komen foundation is the United States largest breast cancer prevention and research charity.

I am proud to announce that I am now working to support this awesome and important cause.

To learn more about how you can help. Visit my breast cancer page.

Does your library have technology ebooks? If so, do your patrons use them. My library just recently acquired the Safari Technology Collection. and I have to say that I am quite impressed. They have most of the dummies series, the missing manual series, the hacks series and hundreds of other ebooks on business, computers and technology. We have had access to other ebooks via ebrary and netlibrary mostly on business, fiction, science, philosophy and politics and while our students are starting to use them, when you think about it, it makes more sense to offer technology related ebooks since well you are reading them on a computer. To reaffirm this, we had one of our computer instructors who has never had a librarian present in his classes request a presentation as soon as he found out about the computer and technology ebooks. Any thoughts?

Are you using your social networking skills to make money? I know that this may seem a bit off topic for this blog but the reality is that as librarians we are nearly all suffering. There are hiring freezes everywhere. Many of us don’t have jobs or we are underemployed and library school is expensive thus causing many of us to have a lot of debt. I am currently making quite a bit of extra income with social networking so I thought I would share some tips with the rest of you in hopes that I can help you.

1. Develop as many relationships as possible and network with new people.
2. Offer value to others. Give before you can receive.
3. Start some kind of an online business, whether you write and sell your own information products, offer some kind of a service or partner with a direct sales company does not matter but you need to have something to sell.
4. Blog and sell advertising to make money and promote your blog via social networking.
5. Sell your crafts or other items that you make.
6. Do affiliate marketing.
7. Get paid to write. One of my favorite places for this is Examiner.com You can then promote your writing on social networking sites to earn even more money.
8. Use social networking to find a job.

How can I help? I would happy to speak with you. Contact Me

The Google Book Project is hot news right now in the library world and for many good reasons? I read a post somewhere, I can’t remember where now by someone claiming that the Google Book Project will replace libraries. Does this worry you at all? What advantages and disadvantages do you see to having an increase in number of books, especially those out of print and rare available for access online?

Here are a few of the advantages in my opinion:

1. For college and research libraries, this opens up access and makes it so that our patrons as well as the staff has access to a large amount of rarer and harder to find materials. This can only be beneficial.

2. It reduces interlibrary loan costs involved in requesting and sending hard to find materials to patrons.

3. It saves money for anyone who needs access to rare materials.

4. Many out of print books that were previously unknown to large numbers of people will be rediscovered.

Disadvantages:

1. Patrons may think that they can access all books in Google and will not ask librarians for help as much in regards to finding and accessing rarer books.

2. A loss in income to anyone who may be profiting from rare and out of print books being unavailable to the general public.

What other advantages and disadvantages to the Google Book Project do you see?

Do you need some help with your library 2.0? If so, there is plenty of it available online. I came across this list of 100 free library 2.0 webinars. What is interesting about this list is that is includes not only webinars but also podcasts, articles, blog posts, wikis and other tutorials and covers all kinds of social networking in libraries and library 2.0 topics. A very useful tool for any library needing help with their social networking and technology projects.