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Social Networking: never mind the students, what about us?  Use of Social Networking Softwares for professional

networking and development for library staff

Jennifer Creese,Jacky Cribb,Jo Spicer

The University of Queensland Library

What is Social Networking?

“Use of a website to connect with those sharing personal or professional interests…” – Webster’s dictionary (2006)

“Creating community, sharing content and collaborating with others” – OCLC (2007)

Purpose of the Project

Social networking for professional networking/development

“In students’ space” not a popular idea

Poor knowledge & confusion over SNSes among most staff

A few staff already actively using SNSes

SNSes in the Workplace

Widely used in business

Suit modern work styles/cultures

“Companies that do not embrace social networking are making a huge mistake” – Jeremy Burton, CEO, Serena Software

The Library Staff Survey

Conducted online. Three pages, 22 questions. Anonymous, no compulsory questions.

Surveyed from 6-20 December

60 respondents in total; 63% from direct customer-service departments, 37% “back of house”.

Results: Age groups

Only 1 respondent (<2%) identified as “Generation Y.”

Results: Users of SNSes

Personal vs Professional Use

Reasons for not using SNSes professionally included:

•Privacy concerns (identified by 33% of respondents)•Innapropriateness of technology for work (identified by 23% of respondents)

Results: Professional Networking

Main reasons for not participating outside regular work:•Lack of time (identified by 50% of respondents)•Activities not convenient times or locations (identified by 50% of respondents)•More comfortable with professional development internal to the workplace (identified by 30% of respondents)

Online Professional Networking

Benefits of professional development online included:•Reaches more people (identified by 60% of respondents)•No time/geography boundaries (identified by 60% of respondents)•Online communication ‘easier’ (identified by 21% of respondents)

Other major themes

Openness to potential

Information/technology overload

Comparison with face-to-face: auxilliary, not replacement

Confusion over what is and is not an SNS

The Training Program

Part of overall “UQL 2.0” program – based around ‘23 Things’ programs

Non-compulsory; flexible structure; basic level of Web 2.0 familiarity.

Uses Facebook as the SNS of choice

UQL Staff Facebook Group

Purpose of training in SNSes

Addressing barriers and concerns raised in the staff survey:

Privacy

Appropriateness for work

Time

“Tech Overload”

Guidelines for SNS Use

1. Monitor/limit private information shared

2. Careful outreach on an individual level

3. Limit ‘time-wasting’

4. Keep up-to-date; ‘Scrap and Run’ if necessary

Potential future developments

UQ Liaison Librarian “e-Forums”

Use by project groups & working parties

Potential outreach to academics, researchers and students

Facebook marketing – fan pages, applications etc

Conclusion

Potential in SNSes for professional use evident to staff AND management

Training can assist in overcoming barriers to use

Great potential for further development

Cautious use is necessary