wtscils598x08

The main lesson that libraries can glean from the Boyd readings is the fact that libraries, like workplaces, are facing a new generation of workers who are active participants on social network sites (SNS). When this generation enters a new workplace, they expect to be able to use SNS to augment their their real-life personal and business connections.

In order to reach out to this group of users whose numbers are expected to increase, libraries will have to take a more proactive role in reaching out to them. Rather than remaining in their wall gardens, libraries have to maintain an active presence on these social networking sites and be where the users are.

However, as Boyd has pointed out, SNS are mostly used to "maintain existing offline relationships or solidify offline connections, as opposed to meeting new people". This means libraries should not merely provide a convenient way for users to search their collections within SNS as many libraries have done, they should also be genuine participants on these sites.

Creating Facebook and MySpace profiles, as well as widgets and catalog search application that users can add to their own profiles is the easiest part of the job. Being active and genuine participants and understanding how this new generation of information seekers work and play in the context of providing library services on these social networking sites is much harder to achieve.