Social Software in Libraries by Jessamyn West

Run don’t walk to this incredible presentation and list of resources.

http://www.librarian.net/stax/2244/social-software-in-libraries-a-presentation/ 

 I decided that part of really getting the idea of social software or technology generally is that many people confuse tools and brands and examples and I think people will feel more in charge of technology if they know how to explain it. From working with novice users, I know they use turns of phrases like “My Yahoo s broken” and don’t even realize that they’re not really speaking sensically to someone who understands the terms. On the other hand, I can understand how the idea of “a browser” can be pretty transparent and ethereal to someone who only knows that you click the blue E and you get the Internet. I had an Internet before web browsing, many people haven’t. 

One thing that Jessamyn and the commentors bring up is the fact that showing some sites live opens up privacy issues. I’m careful with my screenshots but sometimes I’ve caught some things that my Facebook friends might not want out there. Even a screenshot of Netflix tripped me up once!

Here’s a direct link to the presentation: http://www.librarian.net/talks/semls/