Lee discussed Pew Internet's latest findings and why they suggest that libraries can play a role in people’s social networks in the future. He described the reasons that people rely more and more on their social networks as they share ideas, learn, solve problems, and seek social support. And he explored how libraries can act as "nodes" in people’s networks. 3/30/09
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Friending Libraries: Why libraries can become nodes in people’s social networks
1. FRIENDING LIBRARIES The newest nodes in people’s social networks Lee Rainie – Director Pew Internet Project Computers in Libraries – Arlington, VA March 30, 2009
2. 2000 46% of adults use internet 5% with broadband at home 50% own a cell phone 0% connect to internet wirelessly <10% use “cloud” = slow, stationary connections built around my computer The internet is the asteroid: Then and now 2008 75% of adults use internet 57% with broadband at home 82% own a cell phone 62% connect to internet wirelessly >53% use “cloud” = fast, mobile connections built around outside servers and storage
Title …. Friending Libraries: Why libraries can become nodes in people’s social networks Description: Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet & American Life Project, discusses his organization’s latest findings and why they suggest that libraries can play a role in people’s social networks in the future. He’s not going to describe how to set up a Facebook profile. Rather, he’s going to talk about the reasons that people rely more and more on their social networks as they share ideas, learn, solve problems, and seek social support. He’ll describe why the internet and cell phones have changed the way people construct and operate social networks and why libraries can act as “node” in people’s networks. Danah boyd stuff 1. Persistence. What you say sticks around. This is great for asynchronicity, not so great when everything you've ever said has gone down on your permanent record. The bits-wise nature of social media means that a great deal of content produced through social media is persistent by default. 2. Replicability. You can copy and paste a conversation from one medium to another, adding to the persistent nature of it. This is great for being able to share information, but it is also at the crux of rumor-spreading. Worse: while you can replicate a conversation, it's much easier to alter what's been said than to confirm that it's an accurate portrayal of the original conversation. 3. Searchability. My mother would've loved to scream search into the air and figure out where I'd run off with friends. She couldn't; I'm quite thankful. But with social media, it's quite easy to track someone down or to find someone as a result of searching for content. Search changes the landscape, making information available at our fingertips. This is great in some circumstances, but when trying to avoid those who hold power over you, it may be less than ideal. 4. Scalability. Social media scales things in new ways. Conversations that were intended for just a friend or two might spiral out of control and scale to the entire school or, if it is especially embarrassing, the whole world. Of course, just because something can scale doesn't mean that it will. Politicians and marketers have learned this one the hard way. 5. (de)locatability. With the mobile, you are dislocated from any particular point in space, but at the same time, location-based technologies make location much more relevant. This paradox means that we are simultaneously more and less connected to physical space.