We now have many new methods for connecting to our users.
There is a huge amount of reader enthusiasm happening at Amazon and LibraryThing, but we are not doing it in our own software. DaVinci Code has 3519 reviews at Amazon.
WorldCat has five reviews for The Davinci Code, but three say “Test.”
Weblogs: Immediacy. Informality.
The architecture of participation: blogs are tools. You don’t need to blog, but be the type of library that could be blogging.
Twitter: Why would you not use this in your library?
Tagging at Flickr: People in the community often know things we don’t.
Examples:
Great exploration of getting started with blogs: software, posting, writing policies (don’t take a year to do it!), training, finding your niche, scheduling posting, and “found content.” Content from other sources, link dumps, interesting facts about circulation, marketing materials from your library are all examples of found content.
For your authors: You want style, voice and authenticity. Find ways to make the human connection: use “you” or ask questions. A question pulls you in.
Comment Strategy: Allow comments, moderate them and do it quickly. Moderate not for grammar or prose but for comments slamming the library. Let everything else through and thank them for commenting.
Who is keep track of what people are saying about your library on the Web?
And then on to comments and questions! Thanks KGS!