"We have lift off": the voyage into social space [slides]

National Library and Information Technicians' Symposium, 13-15 November 2019 Melbourne: Discover, Diversify, Dive In
 
This presentation (PowerPoint slides) accompanied the session which discussed expanding library services into social spaces, and the challenge of establishing a social presence for community building through Facebook.
 
Session description: We live in a networked society with billions of people connected to the Internet. This increasingly connected world has fundamentally changed the way we live, work and socialise. New forms of social connection have evolved and continue to do so with the emergence of Web 2.0 social media technologies. Social networking sites have fast become the preferred platforms for many types of activities both personal and business. It is essential for libraries to become increasingly more visual and participatory in the social spaces in which people frequent in order to make connections and facilitate more effective communication, collaboration and community building beyond the library's physical self.
 
Social media can be an effective information dissemination tool for libraries to promote resources, activities, services and events. If used correctly, internet-based social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter for example, become powerful platforms for library outreach and marketing. The key decision for libraries embarking on the journey into the social networking sphere is determining what social sites to implement; what will best fit the library's requirements in terms of functionality, features and most importantly the ability to reach and engage with patrons and potential patrons.