Second Circ: Library Marketing 2.0

The SirsiDynix Institute is offering the following webinar:

Maximizing the Power of the Web: Pew Internet & American Life Project’s 2007 Findings

April 18, 2008, 11 AM Eastern

Attendees will no doubt be interested in discussing one of Pew’s latest studies, which revealed just how much young adults and others in the U.S. continue to use public libraries for the Internet and also books.

It’s free!  Thought you might want to check it out!

Amanda 

These strange words are actually the names of some of today’s fastest growing social networking sites.  Learn more in this article from About.com:

The Top 5 Fastest Growing Social Networks

Has anyone used these sites? 

Amanda 

Polls make a great addition to your library blog.  Use them to engage your users.  Find out what they’re thinking.  It’s easy!  Here are some tools to help you:

• 99polls 
• blogpoll
• polldaddy

If you used Google’s Blogger to create your blog, you can add a poll using these simple instructions.  It’s part of the program.

Have you been using polls on your blog?  Did you use any of the above tools?  What question(s) did you ask?  What were the results?  Please share your experiences here.

Amanda 

Yes, Google has a blog just for librarians! 

It features the following:

• A newsletter with Google updates specifically for librarians
• Google teaching tools that you can print and use with your patrons
• Stories about using Google products from librarians just like you
• Videos providing more information about Google and libraries

What Google products are you using at your library?  They have some great ones that you can use for marketing and social networking.  Have you tried Blogger or Picasa?  What about Translate or YouTube?  Please share your experiences here!

Amanda 

What makes a great website?  Is it the look and style?  The format?  The functionality?  The usability?  Take a look at these best website lists…

• PC Magazine’s Best Websites
• Time’s 50 Best Websites
• Web Marketing Association’s WebAward
• World Best Websites

And for library websites, check out the Library Website Hall of Fame from Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki.  Is your library there?  Which do you like the best and why?

Amanda 

My Space Agrees to Social Networking Safetly Plan by Caroline McCarthy

According to this CNET News article…

A coalition of law enforcement authorities and representatives from social-networking site MySpace.com gathered Monday morning to unveil an extensive new plan for ensuring the safety of minors on the Internet.

Under the agreement, MySpace has pledged to work with the attorneys general on a set of principles to combat harmful material on social-networking sites (pornography, harassment, cyberbullying, and identity theft, among other issues), better educate parents and schools about online threats, cooperate with law enforcement officials around the country, as well as develop new technology for age and identity verification on social-networking sites.

I think this is great news.  Perhaps libraries could get involved with the education piece…?  I know some of you out there are already working to educate youth and parents about the online dangers mentioned above.  What do you think?  Please share here!

Amanda