Considering Facebook in the Library - DLFConsidering Facebook in the Library Josh Boyer Joseph Ryan...
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Considering Facebook in the Library Josh Boyer Joseph Ryan NCSU Libraries DLF Spring Forum 2009 May 6, 2009
Transcript of Considering Facebook in the Library - DLFConsidering Facebook in the Library Josh Boyer Joseph Ryan...
ConsideringFacebookintheLibrary
JoshBoyerJosephRyanNCSULibraries
DLFSpringForum2009May6,2009
Outline
• Facebook– Whydopeopleuseit?
• LibrariesinFacebook– Whathavelibrariesdonesofar?– Howwellisitworking?
• CaseStudy:NCSULibrariesActivityWall– ProjectOverviewandHistory– StudentFeedback
Facebook?
• Onlinesocialnetworkwithmorethan175millionusers
• AverageFacebookuserisconnectedwith120otherFacebookusers(“friends”).
• 850millionphotosaddedtoFacebookeachmonth.
• 28millionlinkspostedeachmonth.
• 25millionactiveusergroups.
Facebook?
• Currentlyavailablein35languages(60additionalindevelopment)
• 70%ofusersoutsideoftheUnitedStates• Usersspend3billionminutesoftimeonFacebookeveryday.
http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
FacebookUseCases:Adults
• Common:– Professionalnetworking– Reconnectwithformerclassmates– Dating
• LessCommon:– Commentonfriends’activity
– Regularprofileedits– Addphotographs
FacebookUseCases:Teens
• Common:– Socializingwithfriends– Regularprofileedits– Commentonfriends’activity
• LessCommon:– Professionalnetworking
LibraryFacebookApps
• AsofMarch2009,approximately60publicandacademiclibrariesofferFacebookapplications
• TypicalFeatures– CatalogSearch– ArticleDatabaseSearch– Metasearch– LibraryNews– LibraryInformation(hours,contactinformation)
SomeUniqueApplications
• SwemTools(CollegeofWilliamandMary)Clickablemaptonotifyfriendsofyourphysicallocationinthe
library
• BoothLibraryAsk?Away(EasternIllinoisUniversity) LiveReferenceChat
Buthowpopulararethey?
• FacebookmeasuresapplicationpopularityusingametriccalledMonthlyActiveUsers‐amonthlyaverageofthenumberofpeoplewhoareusingtheapplication.
• LoughboroughUniversityLibrarymostpopularlibraryapp:139MAU.
• Causesmostpopularoverall:25.7millionMAU.
• Averagelibraryapp:15MAU.
Whyisusesolow?
UsermotivationsforFacebookuse,regardlessofdemographicgroup,donotoverlapwiththefunctionalityprovidedbyexistinglibraryFacebookapps.
Traditionallibrarywebusecase
Facebookusecase
Thesis
Focusingonhelpingpeopleconnectwitheachother,ratherthanonprovidinganotherentrypointtolibraryresources,maybeamoresuccessfuloutreachstrategyforlibrariesinFacebook.
NCSULibrariesActivityWall
• Goal:helpstudentswhoarethelibraryorplanningtocometothelibrarymeetupinaninformalway.
• Secondarily,providerelevantinformationintemporalcontext.
Screenshot
• Withdbpopulatedwithactivities!
March2009FocusGroup
Likes• Lovedideaoftooltoformstudygroupsinalow‐barrierway.
• “Alotofpeoplearebeggingforstudygroupsattheendofthesemester”‐‐especiallyinlargelecturecourses
• “Itdefinitelyhasalotofpotential.”
March2009FocusGroup
Dislikes• DoesithavetobeaFacebookapp?• AllparticipantsdislikedFacebookapps• Facebookappa“barrier”tosystemuse
• Facebooktoo“noisy”already• Stronginterestinorganizingactivitiesaroundcourses,notphysicallocation
Notanisolatedphenomenon
April2009FocusGroups
• Firstfocusgroup:facilitatinggroupstudyisthekillerfeature
• Procedure– Wheredostudentsdogroupstudy?– Howdotheysetupgroupstudysessions?– Whatproblemsexistwithcurrentpractices?– Reactionstoconceptpictures
April2009FocusGroupResults
• Where?– Primarilythelibrary
• How?– Exchangecontactinformationinclass– Phone(textandvoice),Facebook,email
• Problems?– Latearrivals– Location– Cellphonereceptioninlibrary
Whiteboard
• Potentialforabuse• Forciblerelocation• Repurposing• Obscenity• Removalofothers’events.
KioskSystem
• Wantedtobeabletoread/writesystemdatafromanywhere
• Didnotwanttowaitinlinetouse
• Wantedatouchscreeninterface
EboardVersionA
• Wantedtobeabletoread/writesystemdatafromanywhere
• Updateactivitiesiflocationchanges?
• Canotherpeopleeditmyactivity?
EboardVersionB
• ConcernedaboutwhetherornotitwilldisplayANYavailableroomsastheyarehighlyused
Summary
• Lookbeforeyouleap!• Facebookispopular...
• Librarieshaveoutstandinginformationresources...
• ...butmixingthemtogethercanbechallenging.ConnectwithyourpatronstoseehowtheyuseFacebooknowandwhetherornotyourlibrarycanfitin.
References• boyd,danah.(2008).TakenOutofContext:AmericanTeen
SocialityinNetworkedPublics.http://www.danah.org/papers/TakenOutOfContext.pdf
• FacebookapplicationusestatisticsretrievedonMarch27,2009
