Web 2.0 Training: Lesson 7 - Social Networking and Facebook

Finally! The Arlington Heights Memorial Library has added Lesson 7 of 13 on their Baker's Dozen Blog for staff training in Web 2.0 applications.

As you may recall, the last Web 2.0 lesson was on Web-based music programs such as Pandora. I have enjoyed my Pandora Radio stations where I can customize the kinds of music that I want to hear. I don't have to download, just listen. If a song comes along that I don't like, I just click a thumbs-down and it goes away! I'd sure like to do that on the radio in my car sometimes! I hope you have checked it out.

Lesson 7 is on Social Networking and specifically, Facebook as a social networking tool. Most of you realize that I have a Facebook account already. I joined about a year ago and today I have 183 folks I call my FB Friends. Some are my friends in real life that I see every day - like Wende and Curtis Holtzen. Some are old friends I knew in college, high school, or even junior high! I have some FB friends that I used to work with and some of my FB friends are family. I am FB friends with John Rowe, Gary Tiffin, and Tyrone Wells (and I'm a FB fan of his). I am also FB friends with a number of former Library employees like Caleb Acton, Hana Kim, John Davies, Krystal Harris, Solange Christmas, Kevin (& Ina) Thomas, Jason Hensley, Jennifer (Hensley) Prest, Dionne (Glenn) Sincire, Allison (White) Mangrum, Allison (Otey) Goldsworthy, and others.

Why? Well, truth be told, the first reason I wanted a Facebook account was to be friends with my daughter. I can see her friends and some of the interactions between them on FB. Then, I went to a workshop at Pepperdine last May where I heard a presentation on the use of Facebook by libraries and librarians -- including a history of FB and some tips & tricks, and dos & don'ts. I wanted to also keep up on the current generation of communication tools. As you know, our students come to us with a new set of communication technologies almost with every four years. Their expectations for access to information evolve quickly. I feel we need to be prepared and not caught off guard as we plan for future generations.

So, here's our Lessson 7 assignment:

1. Read AHML's Lesson 7: Social Networking and Facebook on their blog. (You do NOT have to create a Facebook account or become a fan of their library as they require of their staff, but see #4 and 5 below.)
2. Read at least the first page introduction to the article "How Facebook Works" by Jonathan Strickland on HowStuffWorks.com.
3. Watch the YouTube video on Social Networking in Plain English (It's 1:48 min. and SO easy to understand!)
4. If you have a Facebook account already, you must send me a message on Facebook telling me what you think of this lesson.
5. If you do not have a Facebook account, I will not require you to create one. But you must have someone who has one give you a five-minute tour of their account and then have them send me a message on Facebook telling me you have completed the tour... or you can take a tour of mine. Besides me, here are some people in the library who have a Facebook account: Nicky, Terri, Bethann, and probably every student Library Assistant.

Have fun. Let me know if you have any questions.