Only a couple weeks left of the semester my fellow classmates ... and I will not lie. I am starting to lose it. I have given up all hopes of doing anything for the wedding until April 29th, when I'm done classes. I have 7 projects due in the next two weeks, and it isn't something I could have started earlier, I've been working on them all semester! Ah well, I know I'm not the only one. I just cannot. wait. for. it. to. be. over.
I will be honest - typing this up while at work, because not sure when else I would ever get to it. I started looking at this week's topics, but I cannot watch the video here, so I am exploring the Law Library blog instead. Oh, the goodies I have found there!
If you haven't checked it out yet, my favorite section is under "categories", on the left (the author has started tagging and is considering getting rid of the categories section, but it is still there for now), choose Library Crime. It is fascinating! Apparently someone is looking for videos of "those caught in the library", but it doesn't specify as to what they should have been caught doing. Yummy. Another post tells about a new high school librarian that sold his old unused National Geographic magazines to raise money to buy new computers (plus he put in his OWN money to buy the school computers), and was thereby fired for theft otherwise he would have been charged and lost his job anyway. Soon after this gem, we can read about the child molester that BLAMES THE LIBRARY for ALLOWING him to molest children. They should have prevented him from doing so! Because they did not stop him while he was casing the library, "an innocent boy was victimized as well as the State of Indiana, St. Joseph County, and myself Ladell Alexander," he claimed. Are you serious right now?
Anyway, this blog is definitely worth taking the time to go through because there are some very interesting tidbits along the way! I have a feeling we should be posting about the set up, the tagging, the use of the blog, but I am caught up in the content and having a ball. Forgive me.
As for the article presented to us on privacy in regards to social media, it is an eye-opening avenue of information for me. While I am obviously aware of ALA's stance on privacy for patrons, I have been so focused in most of my classes on using social media for marketing value and to move with the times I honestly haven't taken much consideration about the privacy and profitability aspect for these large corporations, and how it affects the patrons best interest.
Now, I think it is up to the library to establish guidelines when it comes to these prospective 2.0 tools, so how would you let your patrons know that what they contribute to your facebook site or twitter page is not considered "protected", or if, somehow, they are, then what? How do you even accomplish that? Do you assume because your patrons have a Facebook account this means they understand the privacy settings and how they work? Do we educate them if we are using these tools ourselves as librarians? This seems like a pretty sticky area that not many are looking at (at least, not as many as the advocates of use of social media in the library). Thoughts?
Oh Colleen, this was so refreshing! You have lightened my step as we all reel and totter and groan and sigh and gnash our teeth in the throes of WISHING it was all over painlessly!
ReplyDeleteI have watched the video and it's really good, but I couldn't BEAR to face anything so dry as a law blog. But wait... it sounds like milk and cookies when you describe it instead of the day old bread I was expecting! All for now. I'm off to read library crime!
Someone made an interesting point on my blog which is this: If the library isn't educating patrons about privacy issues and social media, who will? And if we do decide to educate them, it doesn't have to be anything extensive. how about a poster in the library or a blog entry? That's a start. I'd like to see a full seminar, but I'll take what I can get.
ReplyDeleteKristin, I wholeheartedly agree that we should be educating the patrons. Many libraries are not using social media because they are afraid of the repercussions; bullying, predators, lack of privacy. I think if we educate our patrons on the basics, they can make informed decisions about using these tools through the library, and we will be more successfull in emerging into modern technology!
ReplyDeleteJust an update ... starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel! My projects are completed that are due through the 22nd (today being the 17th, I am quite content with that). I am working on our final project for this class as we speak, and am hoping to have my project that is due on the 28th completed before the weekend :o) Wouldn't that be LOVELY? Then I will just have to put my PFE portfolio and online poster session together, and write a final paper for my academic librarianship class ... which isn't due until May 9th, though I would love for it to be done by the 30th so I can just be DONE!! :o)
ReplyDeleteGood luck to everyone finishing up the semester!