Social Software, Teens, and Libraries

1. Social Software, Teens, and Libraries Cheryl Becker & Shawn Brommer South Central Library System NEWIL, April 2007

2. Today’s Agenda • Definitions and examples • Statistics/Millennials • Benefits • Safety • Discussion and Demos • (somewhere—a break)

3. What is social software? • Social software enables people to rendezvous, connect or collaborate through computer-mediated communication and to form online communities.(from Wikipedia) • “Web 2.0”

4. Some Examples of Social Software: • Blogs / RSS • Wikis • Instant Messaging (IM) • Media sharing • Social Networking Services • Social Bookmarking • Social Cataloging • Virtual worlds and multiplayer online games

5. Blog • Short for “web log.” • User-generated website with entries in journal format. • Owner posts commentary, allowing others to comment. • Creates online discussion forum. • RSS (Really Simple Syndication) • Allows users to subscribe to blogs.

6. A Sampling of Blogs • Walking Paper • The Shifted Librarian • Tinfoil + Raccoon • librarian.net • TeenRead 07

7. Wiki • Collaborative resource creation • Allows users to add, edit, remove content • Examples • Wikipedia • Library Success • Citizendium

8. Instant Messaging • “IM” • Immediate, real-time chat (text) • Instantaneous • Point of need • AOL, MSN, Yahoo

10. Media Sharing • Organize, store, tag, share • Groups • Examples: • Flickr (photos) • SmugMug (photos) • YouTube (videos)

11. Social Networking Services • Places to meet and communicate • Shared interests or causes • Combines IM, blog, photo sharing, “Friending” • Examples: • MySpace • Facebook • Friendster

12. Example of a MySpace Account

13. Social Bookmarking • Putting bookmarks of your favorite websites in a web directory to share with others. • Or yourself! • Examples: • del.icio.us • Furl • Blue Dot

14. Social Cataloging • Allow users to tag items • Share catalogs with others • Interact with others based upon shared items • (How very “library like”!) • “MySpace for books” • Example: LibraryThing

15. “Virtual Worlds” • Massively-Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) • Online places to meet and interact with other people/avatars in a virtual world (which looks somewhat like reality). • Examples: • Second Life • Runescape • Club Penguin

16. Teens, Internet Use & Social Networking • Teen brain development • Millennials • Information seeking habits of teens • Some statistics • Benefits • What does this mean for libraries?

17. Teen Brain Development • Hormones vs. Brains! • Social development • Risk taking • Emotional response

18. Information seeking habits of teens • Successful methods to address: • Cognitive approaches • Affective approaches • Socio-cultural approaches • Physical approaches Valenza, Joyce Kasman, “They Might Be Gurus.” VOYA, April 2006.

19. Millennials (1982 – 2000) • Larger than the Baby Boom generation • 36% of the U.S. population. • 31% of this population are from diverse cultures —Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, Neil Howe & Bill Strauss

20. Distinct qualities of Millennials • They are special • They are sheltered • They are confident • They are team-oriented • They are achieving • They are pressured • They are conventional Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, Neil Howe & Bill Strauss

21. Millennials: Deal With Them! • Digital Natives • Multi-taskers • Delay choices = Need info now • Social = Large network of friends • Games • Reading doesn’t necessarily mean books • Diverse learning styles —Stephen Abram

22. Teens & Technology • 87% of American teens use the Internet on a regular basis. • 1 out of 2 teens lives in a home with a broadband connection. • Their world is wired: 83% say most of the people they know use the internet —Teens & Technology, PEW Internet & Life Project

23. How are they using the Internet? • 81% are playing games (over 17 million) • 76% are getting news (over 16 million) • 43% are making purchases (9 million) • 31% are seeking health information (6 million) • Use email, but prefer IM (75% of teens use IM) —Teens & Technology (PEW Internet & Life Project)

24. Where are they when they go online? • 89% - home • 75% - school • 70% - a friend or relative’s house • 50% - the library • 9% - a community center or house of worship —Web 2.0 and What it Means to Libraries (PEW Internet & Life Project)

25. Source: Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources, OCLC, 2005, question 1207.

26. Social software for kids in libraries because. . . • They live their lives online • They get their information from the Internet • They socialize online • They expect it

27. Additionally. . . • They are future tax-payers and future library supporters. • This is the way teens seek, share and recommend information • We want libraries to remain relevant • . . . Not to mention, there are benefits of social software!

28. Benefits of social software • Critical thinking • Reading and writing skills • 46% of teens read blogs • 39% of teens share their own creations (stories, poetry, artwork, photos, videos) • 28% of teens have created their own online journal or blog • Collaboration • 33% have worked together to create web pages (for school, clubs, friends or personal use)

29. Benefits (2) • Boundaries and expectations • Communicating with authors, experts, etc.—Social and cultural competence • Communication between those with special interests

30. Benefits (3) • Equalizing • Appearance, status, disabilities • Gaming: “Subversive Learning” • Learn skills • Form coalitions • Decision making • “Virtual malt shop”

31. Benefits (4) • See the YALSA articles (bibliography) • Social Networking and DOPA • Teens & Social Networking in School & Public Libraries

32. Libraries are using social software to: • Support informational, educational, entertainment needs • Attract and serve new users • Be where our users are—online • Satisfy user expectations for online service

33. Library Examples (“Library 2.0”)

34. Blogs • School: Mabryonline(Georgia) • Classroom: AP Calculus (Winnipeg) • Academic: UW Oshkosh • Public: Menasha Public Library • Special: St. Mary’s Health Sciences Library (Michigan)

35. Wikis • School: Pershing Middle (California) • Classroom: AP History (Pennsylvania) • Academic: Ohio University Libraries • Public: Stevens County Rural Library District (Washington)

36. Instant Messaging • School: Fremont High School (California) • Academic: UW Madison • Public: Stoughton Public Library • Special: Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries

37. Media Sharing • School: SmugMug example • Academic: Little Priest Tribal College (Nebraska) • Public: Thomas Ford Memorial Library (Illinois) • Special: Brooklyn Museum of Art

38. MySpace • Public: Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County(North Carolina) • Academic: University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign • Special: Brooklyn Museum(New York)

39. Del.icio.us • Public: Lansing Public Library (Illinois) • Academic: • Maui Community College Library(Hawaii) • Norwich University(Vermont)

40. LibraryThing • Public: Franklin Township Public Library(New Jersey) • Academic: Southwestern Community College (Iowa)

41. Gaming • Public: Beloit Public Library • Academic: Mohawk College(Ontario)

42. Is internet safety an issue? • It can be. • Not all information is accurate. • People online can be rude or exploitative. • (as in person!) • Anonymity can encourage bad behavior. • Potential for online scamming, identity theft, predation. • But, wait. . .

43. But wait. . . • Danger lurks in the “real world” too • Online networking isn’t going away • We don’t ban automobiles, or forbid children from walking alone • We teach them how to be safe • There are safety nets

44. Safety Nets • Education and Involvement • Tips for youth • Tips for parents • Library internet policies • Helpful sources

45. Problematic Safety Nets • Filters • DOPA (Deleting Online Predators Act)

46. Tips for Youth • Keep personal information private. • Never get together with anyone you “meet” online. • Don’t respond to inappropriate messages. • Tell your parents if someone online: • Asks for your personal information • Wants to meet you in person • Sends inappropriate messages • Don’t share passwords. • Follow rules/expectations.

47. Tips for Parents • Talk to kids! • Learn what they’re using: • Have them show/teach you • Spend time with them online • Get your own account(s) and explore • Keep computer in visible area in home. • Monitor computer time. • Set and enforce rules for internet use.

48. Sample Internet Policies (Schools) • Riverdale High School (OR) • Hattiesburg High School (MS) • Necedah Area Schools (WI) • Eau Claire Area School District (WI)

49. Sample Internet Policies (Public Libraries) • Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg (NC). • Hennepin County (MN). • Portage Public Library (WI) • Thomas Ford Memorial Library (Western Springs, IL). (See Policy #4)

50. Sample Internet Policies(Academic Libraries) • Rutgers (NJ) • University of Oregon • Marquette(WI)