Gibsons Library now on Facebook

Well, the Gibsons & District Public library, which I regularly visit and happen to work at is now on Facebook. Set up by the Children’s Librarian, it already has a whopping 65 members! Actually, this is quite a lot considering the town itself only has about 5000 people (not including surrounding areas), and the page has only been up an running about a month or two. In my mind it’s about time! A lot of web users are on Facebook, and from my work experience it seems those users are not using the library’s web page. There is a high probability that library patrons with a Facebook account may be more likely to access the library’s Facebook page rather than the library’s web page. And in my opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, as a matter of fact, I think it is great! What better way to keep library patrons connected to the library all hours of the day! What if a patron hasn’t been in for a month and there is a workshop being offered they may like to attend? Without these social networking/Web 2.0 tools, how are we to inform our users? There is the old fashioned way, post an ad in the newspaper, etc., but how do we know a reader reading the newspaper actually saw that ad? Increasing numbers of libraries are on Facebook because they realize the value it has in reaching out to patrons. Libraries need to be proactive in their efforts to reach users, and utilizing social networking tools such as Facebook is a great place to begin

One of the problems I have with the library’s use of Facebook however, is that there is nothing on the library’s website telling anyone they are there! As a Facebook user myself, I rarely search for organizations. If I join a business or organization it is because someone invited me, or I somehow stumbled upon it. The library web page does mention their new book discussion blog, but yet, says nothing about Facebook. If a library is going to use social networking tools, there is two steps. First, set up the tool, and second, let people know it exists! Facebook is a pretty easy tool to use. You create an account, then it’s pretty simple, point and click. You can search the library’s name in the search box and it will return the group. You then click join, and there you go, you’re in!

One of the interesting things about the new Facebook page is who the person was that set it up. The children’s librarian is a young, on the edge, librarian. Not that the other librarians are not tech savvy or extremely skilled in their own areas, but this librarian is ‘with the times’, and likely knows what a “Tweet” is, and that delicious is not just an adjective anymore. A librarian like this is incredibly valuable and necessary to have, and it is becoming more and more important to have at least one staff member who knows what is going on in the social networking and Web 2.0 world. Without this, your library could fall behind. As professionals it is our responsibility to stay informed of changing technologies and new ways of distributing information. However, what if people don’t know where to look, or don’t know how to use these tools? It is not always our fault as professionals that we don’t know how to use Facebook. And for that matter, for many of us, who has the time to learn? I think it is important, as technologies and trends change, especially in the library world,  to have staff members, or at least one of them, that have an interest in technology and social networking. Not only does it benefit library users, but it can benefit other staff with impromptu learning opportunities, and could spark interests some didn’t even know they had. But without these tools being utilized within libraries, where is there room left to discover?