Facebook

I have a Facebook account, a legacy from my student days, and unfortunately because I have friends who only use Facebook, I can't delete it! (Though I would, if I could)

There are a lot of reasons why I don't like Facebook; I dislike the constant stream of invitations to such entertainments as 'Farmville' or 'Zombies', I hate how clogged up my email account gets with messages etc. from Facebook and I cannot bear the constant privacy changes that Facebook continually initiate with little warning. However, so long as I make sure my privacy settings are fully up to date, I'm ok with keeping my Facebook account open to stay in touch with my Facebook-loving friends. My Facebook account is only for friends, and I have a strict rule that no work colleagues or strangers are added as a friend. I think that at least keeps the account manageable, and less open to abuse.

By contrast, Facebook is a good thing for institutions to use, as it is such a widely used network. I'm sure that most students use or are aware of Facebook, probably much more so than Twitter, as the latter does seem to reach an older demographic. Having a Facebook page allows an institution to show a (slightly) less corporate face, and the informality of the site might mean that users would feel more comfortable contacting the library. In the case of libraries using Facebook, I think it is a good way to advertise events or special notices, and also to connect to their users, giving them an informal way to comment and feel part of their library. If an institution does decide to use Facebook, I believe it really is important to keep posting on the account, to keep the information fresh and current. An unused Facebook page is really no better than a website.

So I can see the benefits in using Facebook - just don't expect me to enjoy using it!

Image credit: Facebook by Skander