Delving into Pinterest

I mentioned in my earlier post some of the social media sites that I use. Some of the sites that I use I don't feel that I use effectively.  For example Pinterest contains photos of images I like, and craft ideas.  These are images that I have found myself on the internet. I haven't 'repinned' anyone's images.  I may as well just have a file on my computer with these images as I am treating Pinterest as a storage area.
So this week I am going to make more of an effort to developed my networks, following people I know and repinning images to delve into the social networks of Pinterest.
ADDITION: August 28, 2012
I began using Pinterest in 2011 after an invite from a friend who was using it. It was a very visually appealing so I thought I would join up. I was one of those people who was always saving images from the internet on to my computer but this seemed like a really easy way to do it. I could see images that other people had pinned and if I liked it I could repin it. I started up two boards one for food and one for craft and happily repinned people's pins, and I found friends that were using Pinterest and followed them and in turn they followed me. After a few weeks of doing this, I realised that I didn't just have to repin other people's pins but I could find an image on the website and pin it myself using a bookmarklet called “pin it”. This added a whole new dimension to my pinning, now I was 'surfing the net' and pinning.
Starting this subject made me look more closely and my now favourite social networking site, and I discovered that it is actually a bookmarking site!!! I had no idea, I was just adding pretty pictures! It made me wonder how many others don't realize that when you pin an image that image is associated with a URL which directs you to the website that the image came from.
This knowledge changed my use of Pinterest and a further post will document the result and how I think libraries may be able to use Pinterest.  

Facebook is the new MySpace

I have been reading a report to the OCLC on people's use use of the internet and what has stuck out for me is that how quickly things can change in social media. The report was written in 2007 while MySpace was "THE" social networking site. Then in 2008 Facebook overtook MySpace. Now, according to Alexia Facebook is ranked 2nd in Alexia's top sites and MySpace is 164 (according to traffic rank).
It makes me realize how important it is to have the most up-to-date information on websites before deciding which sites to use professionally. Based on the 2007 MySpace would be where libraries would go to meet the most users, but in the space of a year all that changed. Of course, the largest audience is not the only basis for for evaluating a site, but having an on-line presence where people already are, is important.

My Social Networking World

This is my first blog for a new and exciting subject that I am doing as part of my Master of Information studies at Charles Sturt University . I am not new to the social networking world as I have been addicted to Facebook for a while now.  I have joined up to some social networking sites however many I haven't really used.

So....what is social networking 

Social networking is an on-line digital space where people can connect with others who share commonality.  This commonality may be because of geographic location, interests or shared histories.  It allows for enhancing existing relationships, renewing old relationships and creating new relationships.  It is facilitated by on-line platforms which use multiple media such as texts, images, audio and video.  Users can interact via journaling (blogging), texting, messaging, sharing, live chat (both text and voiced), and video.
Social networking sites use different media, such as Flickr for photos or Youtube for video.  They also attract different audiences such as Ravelry for crafty people. Experiences are greatly enhanced in these sites when connections, sharing and networking options are used effectively.

Social Networking technologies and sites I already use

Personal:
Facebook - for connecting with existing friends and reconnecting with old ones.
Pinterest - collecting images that I like from the internet - mostly as a storage for craft ideas and I rarely repin any images from others.
Blogger - I started to blog about books I had read in 2011.   It had a two fold purpose - I have a hopeless memory for books so I wanted a summary of the books that I really likes.  And I thought other people may be interested in what I had to say about books. It is rather haphazard I am afraid and this year have hardly posted anything.
Goodreads - Found this site this year as I wanted to keep track of the books that I have read and want to read (no more bits of paper with lists of recommendations) I also challenged myself to read   54 books this year. Have found it fun as some of my reading friends also use it and we can chat about books and make recommendations about what to read next.
Youtube - I would probably watch something on youtube everyday.  I have an account but only so I could subscribe to my 6 year olds son's minecraft videos.
Google+ - I was an early subscriber to this site, however since most of my networks are on Facebook by Google+ profile is very neglected.
Wikipedia - I use wikipedia regularly for fact finding information and also have contributed content to pages
Work: 
Wikis - we have used these at work to allow staff to give feedback about different aspects of the library when we were introducing a new Library Management System.
Delicious - The library I work at has a delicious page which bookmarks useful sites for helping with information queries,  and children's services resources. However few library staff actually use it.  I have used it a handful of times when it first began.
Study:
Blogger - I have used this as a presentation for an assessment of a university subject.
Google docs - Although not strictly categorized as social networking but can be used to create and share information.  We certainly created content together for a group assignment but we also used the chat function to discuss both academic and personal topics.

What I expect to learn from completing INF506

1. To become more familiar with social networking technologies and sites.
2. How to use these technologies effectively in a library setting to help in:

• marketing and promoting the library,
• enhancing users experiences of the library, and
• facilitating staff work-flow and relationships

     3. To develop skills that enable me to work in a Web 2.0 environment, to              become Librarian 2.0

A recent marketing strategy report for the library I work at recommended that the use of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook would not be useful for the library. However I have seen evidence of public libraries using these tools effectively and I would like to learn how this is done, so that I came make an argument to the library to consider these tools.