Mark Leggott: Weaving a Social Tapestry for Your Library

posted by Carol Cooke @ 12:25 PM

Mark engaged the audience in a thoughtful discussion on using social networking software in interesting, novel ways to create a community, provide access to information and engage in the creation of new knowledge. He made a very useful comparison between the process of creating a tapestry and using web 2.0 social networking software.

Social networking software to the uninitiated is a very confusing and intimidating mass of technology. Mark was able to use his tapestry analogy to make the subject more accessible and left the audience planning to go look into a Del.icio.us account, blogging software, considering Facebook and the value of open source software to say the least.

He emphasized the need to bring staff up to speed with social networking software so that this software can be used to encourage patrons to engage in the library community and contribute to the knowledge available in the online environment.

According to Mark libraries and librarians have a much more important role to play in the digital landscape than we had originally thought. Libraries are not just repositories of knowledge but they are creators of content and providers of access. Our role as librarians is changing to be more of a contributor and consumer to the world of knowledge.

At the last MLC conference two years ago in a number of sessions people where asked which social networking software they used and very few raised their hands. What is interesting is that when Mark asked who used each different tool discussed more hands were raised. While this software is still far from common in Manitoba libraries it is obvious that more and more librarians and staff are using it.

Mark used a variety of projects at University of Prince Edward Island (Campus Commons and Virtual Research Environment) and from his personal experiences to illustrate how social networking software can be used by libraries.

Mark emphasized that it’s not about the technology it’s about the people. You need to have an understanding of the technology but it’s the “message not the medium” (or knowledge) that is important. Give patrons the tools (social networking software) to contribute to our library community, engage them. Everyone has the potential to be a patron in your library and you need to find a way to bring them in.

Build the tools to share and new knowledge will come naturally.