Social Media: Is this for me?

Mary KellyLibrarian

Plymouth District LibraryLyon Township Public Library

What is Social Media?• More than just the

Internet• Includes interactive

websites, networks, or groups

• Just about anything connecting information and people

Who should be interested inSocial Media?

• Businesses looking to expand “presence”

• Non Profits • Hobbyists/Enthusiasts• Researchers/Genealogy• Collectors/Bargain hunters• Career Development/Job

Hunters

Personal Profile Basics

• Description of YOU!– Share what is appropriate

to the type of media– Be appropriate

• Only include that information that you feel comfortable sharing. – Just because someone

asks doesn’t mean you have to share!

Personal Profile Basics

• Limit descriptions that can identify you, specifically.

• Have a separate email account for online activities.

• Check with your employer about social networking policies

• Over 500 million users• Founded in 2004 by Harvard student Mark

Zuckerberg• Attempts to model how people socialize in

real life

• Newsfeed• Friends (contacts)• Groups/Community• Ability to share links, photos, video• Games/Applications

Privacy Settings

• Read and ask questions before committing to anything!

• Don’t share too much even if you have nothing to hide

• “opt out” what does THAT mean?

Facebook Privacy

• Career/Professional Recruiting• Resume building• Job searching• Networking• Expanded services are available for more $

• Create an online resume

• Join groups and discussions

• Find additional contacts

• Mini or Micro “blog”• Users share snippets in

140 characters or less each message is a “tweet”

• Personal profile is limited• Users can share links and

photos• Content is public

This is insane…why would anyone do this?

• Industry/Interests• Businesses should

pay attention!• Gossip hounds• Technology

• Profiles• Video sharing• Comments• Channels

• To view YouTube videos, you must have Macromedia Flash Player 7.0 or higher

• YouTube will allow upload various types of video

YouTube Basics

• Create a profile and an account (channel)

• Save videos or “favorites”

• Upload videos

Social Media Issues

• Privacy/Safety– No specific addresses/phone– Don’t share timetables– Any info that could be used to establish identity

(birth date, mother’s maiden name, etc)• Copyright Issues– Who owns the “content”?

I am READY!

• Create a limited profile

• Add friends or contacts that you know PERSONALLY

• Check and Read Privacy Policy

General Internet Safety• If it looks too good to be

true it probably is…• Anyone that wants

money/credit card info—be suspicious

• Separate your personal life from your work life

• Have separate emails for work, personal and shopping or “junk”

Contact Me!Mary Kelly

Lyon Township LibraryEmail: mkelly@lyon.lib.mi.us

Twitter: @librarymary40Practical Librarian

http://practicallibrarian.blogspot.comAwful Library Books

http://awfullibrarybooks.net