I approached INF506 with a mixture of trepidation and
anticipation. If I am truly honest, I
felt a little bit like a child about take some nasty tasting medicine – I knew
I needed it, I knew it would be good for me, but I was sure I would hate every
minute of it! The reality, I am pleased
to say, was much more palatable. Four
months ago I had fairly limited exposure to social networking tools, a strong
bias against personal participation in social networking, and a fledgling
professional (i.e. as the voice of my library) presence in two social media
channels. I thought that I had a reasonable
understanding of the range of social networking tools available, but knew that
my skill level was limited. Further, I
did not perceive that there could be much personal value in these tools, and I had
only a cloudy vision of how they could present professional value to my
library.
I feel that I have had a truly valuable learning experience
over the course of this subject. I have
explored, evaluated and committed to using a number of social media tools, and
find myself “checking in” at least once a day.
My confidence has increased markedly, and whilst I am still only a
novice, I am now in a much better position to evaluate and use tools, and to
assist patrons. As an information professional,
and library manager, I have a much better understanding of how social media
tools can be used in my organisation, but, more importantly, the ability to
assess what tools I should use, and why.
Underpinning my attitude towards social media is the recognition that
these tools must be used if and when
they can enhance customer experience, not just
for the sake of using them.
Throughout the various discussions and readings that I have
been exposed to in the subject, I have distilled the following key “take home”
messages;
·
Using social media is a tool to meet goals, not
a goal in itself
·
Determine your goals, then find the tools to
meet them (not the other way round!)
·
One or two social media channels, done well, is
much better than lots of channels done poorly
·
Think about the “big picture” of social
networking, and establish a policy framework that supports your place in that
big picture
·
Don’t be afraid to “boldly go . . .”
This subject has certainly positively impacted my
development as an information professional, as I now have;
·
Better skills in social media use
·
A clearer understanding of the role of social
media in society
·
A better ability to contribute towards my organisations’
information policies
·
A willingness to drive exploration and learning
about social media in my workplace
In terms of my development as a social networker, my “personal”
use remains fairly limited, but I have engaged with several tools (notably
Instagram and Goodreads) that I will continue to utilise. My willingness to “play” has increased, and I
am currently trying out Zite and Google Currents as sources of news and
information (not strictly social media, but never-the-less reflective of my
changed attitude towards Web 2.0 style services). I have also experienced a “softening” of my attitude
against personal participation in social media: I can see how it can meet
individual needs, and in some instances provide valuable social and personal
connections amongst people with common needs.
As a student, I have found the group facility of Facebook to be very
useful, and the ability to share information quickly on Twitter also a
boon. I believe that these are great
tools to help distance education students feel more connected, and would be
very willing to use them again in future subjects.
To summarize my INF506 learning experience I would quote
Louisa May Alcott in Little Women “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning
how to sail my ship”. I’m no longer
afraid of social media, and I feel like I am learning to use it to me my needs,
and my patrons’ needs. That has made this
subject a valuable part of my professional growth.
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