Friday 27 July 2012

ALIA Biennial- the value of discovery


It’s been a hectic couple of weeks. I recently attended the ALIA Biennial conference and I had a great time. It was a conference of firsts for me- I was on the social media committee, presented my first paper and I took part in the mentoring programme as a mentor for the first time. I also spoke at the First Timers’ Breakfast.
There was a great breadth of papers presented and some really wonderful keynote speakers. Some of the highlights were hearing Justice Kirby’s keynote address, as well as hearing the ideas put forward by Dr Tom Ruthven on data mining and Professor Mitchell Whitehall on the design of beautiful interfaces that encourage exploration and discovery.
Besides all of the ideas that I took away from listening to the keynotes and presentations, I also took away a lot of other valuable experiences with me, such as all of the new people I met and talked to, all of the people I started following on Twitter, participating and monitoring the social media streams (did you know that the #ALIA2012 tag actually trended in Australia at one stage?) and of course, experiencing presenting for the first time. In fact, I would have to say that the informal and incidental learning experiences and discoveries that came about from talking to people during breaks, meal times, at the informal Tweet up and after my presentation, were probably the most valuable to me personally. I made some wonderful new friends and acquaintances, who have expanded my professional learning network considerably, whom I hope to remain in contact with long after the heady rush of attending the conference itself fades away. 
Judging from the tweet traffic on Twitter, everyone seemed to enjoy joining in the conversation. And judging from the traffic still being tagged with the #ALIA2012 hash tag, as everyone is preparing to report back their discoveries to their colleagues, people are still abuzz with conference chatter, even three weeks after the conference. This really demonstrates the impact that the conference-going experience has had on the LIS community. And it's a great community to be a part of. From my experience, we're a generous and passionate bunch of people and it’s a pleasure to be a part of it. 
Did you attend the ALIA Binenial? What was the most valuable thing you took away from it? Even if you didn’t attend the conference, you can search for the Twitter hash tag #ALIA2012 and check out some of the archives of Tweets that were captured on the ALIA Biennial blog.  
- Crystal
Crystal is the convenor of the ALIA Sydney group and tweets @crystalibrary.

Sunday 22 July 2012

100 Best blogs for School Librarians

Carol Brown kindly shared this blogpost, the original can be found here 


100 best blogs school librarians 


We hope you find this of interest and thank Carol for sharing.


If there is a topic you would like to share, or know more about, let us know by email at aliasydneygroup@gmail.com


Vikki Bell, for ALIA Sydney Committee
Principal, Bellinform Research



100 Best Blogs for School Librarians (Updated)

School librarians have much more on their plates than just managing books, often spending a great deal of time educating students and teachers, learning about and implementing new technology, and reading up on the latest new releases for young adults and children. It can be a lot to keep up with, but luckily other librarians are sharing their wisdom, experience, and expertise via the web. We’ve brought together 100 excellent blogs written by teachers, librarians, tech experts, and book lovers that can act as amazing resources for any school librarian.
This is an update of our previous list, as technology has changed, new voices have emerged, and some previously great blogs have gone dormant, making it necessary to revise and re-curate our selections. Hopefully this list will be as useful to those in library and education fields as the first.
Librarian Blogs
Here you’ll find some amazing blogs written by librarians at all kinds of institutions.
  1. Free Range Librarian:
    Librarian K.G. Schneider blogs about librarianship, writing, nonfiction, and a host of other topics here.
  2. Walt at Random:
    Walt Crawford is semi-retired, but that hasn’t slowed his interest in libraries, leadership, and technology, all of which he blogs about on this site.
  3. Cozy Up and Read:
    Head to youth service librarian Valerie’s blog to learn more about early childhood education, children’s lit, and working as a librarian.
  4. Libraryman:
    With topics ranging from community to technology to censorship, any librarian is bound to find something of interest on librarian and PEZ enthusiast Michael’s blog.
  5. Musings about Librarianship:
    This blog tracks interesting ideas for libraries and a wide range of other library centered topics, all written by senior librarian Aaron Tay.
  6. GrahamLavender.com:
    Formerly the Inspired Library School Student, this blog changed its name due to the fact that its author is no longer a student. Now blogger Graham is a full-fledged librarian who shares his experiences here.
  7. From the Library Director’s Desk:
    Julie Milavec is the library director for the Plainfield Library District. Her blog gives you some insights into the trials and tribulations that go along with the position, as well as some ideas that could help to improve any library.
  8. Closed Stacks:
    A collaborative blog, this site draws on the experiences of different types of librarians from those working in the city to those in the ‘burbs to those specializing in medical texts, offering a unique look at all sides of being a librarian.
  9. Librarian by Day:
    Librarian Bobbi Newman shares her passion for libraries and technology on this blog, speaking passionately about issues like the digital divide and transliteracy.
  10. Abby the Librarian:
    Abby is a youth librarian in Southern Indiana, and on her site you’ll find great book recommendations as well as regular book challenges.
  11. In the Library with the Lead Pipe:
    This multi-author blog is written by a team of librarians who touch on issues like education, administration, community members, and much more.
  12. Hi Miss Julie!:
    Learn more about the work this Chicagoland children’s librarian does, with a special focus on getting the youngest kids, toddlers, and preschoolers loving books.
  13. School Librarian Blogs
    These blogs are ideal reading for school librarians who want to connect with others in the profession.
    1. School Library Journal Blogs:
      Head to this site to read a collection of blogs written by librarians, educators, and reading enthusiasts.
    2. The True Adventures of a High School Librarian:
      This high school librarian shares her experiences with work, learning, and growing as a professional.
    3. Wanderings:
      Former high school librarian Jacquie Henry talks about the future of libraries, learning, and reading on this blog.
    4. Venn Librarian:
      Librarian Laura Pearle explores the intersection of schools, libraries, and technology here.
    5. TLC = Tech + Library + Classroom:
      Head to this blog to hear from Tara, an ES librarian at the International School in Bangkok, as she discusses the ways new technologies can help teachers teach and students learn.
    6. School Librarian in Action:
      School librarian Zarah shares her experiences teaching, working with students, and embracing new developments in technology here.
    7. Mighty Little Librarian:
      On this blog, middle school librarian Tiffany Whitehead explores books, social media, technology, and more.
    8. Lucacept:
      Get a look at the library science world from down under, as information services professional Jenny Luca talks about tech and education.
    9. Library Advocate:
      Librarians Jackie and Tracy share the blogging duties here, sharing fun, often motivational content for school librarians.
    10. K-M the Librarian:
      This school librarian shares insights into her work at a high school, with pictures, fun activities, and relentless optimism.
    11. Archipelago:
      School librarians should head to this blog by Elisabeth Abarbanel, a librarian at a K-12 school in LA, as it’s full of ideas, resources, and book reviews that can be incredibly helpful.
    12. Eliterate Librarian:
      Middle school librarian Tamara Cox showcases her work at school as well as her passion for edtech on this blog.
    13. Heart of the School:
      Need a little inspiration? This site was created to showcase and celebrate the work of school librarians in the U.K.
    14. Teacher Librarians
      These bloggers are both teachers and librarians at their schools.
      1. Booked Inn:
        Teacher-librarian Ian McClean shares his heroic adventures as an Australian elementary school teacher-librarian on this blog.
      2. The Busy Librarian:
        Here you can learn more about Matthew Winner, an elementary teacher-librarian. The blog features book recommendations, professional commentary, and great ideas.
      3. Chad Lehman:
        Chad Lehman has spent a good deal of time working both as a teacher and a librarian. On his blog, you’ll get a chance to see a bit of both, with a heavy dose of tech-talk as well.
      4. Wendy on the Web:
        Wendy Stephens is a librarian and instructor for a high school in Alabama. Through her blog, you can read about her day-to-day life, books she loves, and more.
      5. The Unquiet Librarian:
        The Unquiet Librarian is Buffy Hamilton, a high school librarian and teacher in Canton, Ga. Visit her blog to read about a variety of professional issues in the library and education fields.
      6. Industry News
        Keep up with the latest news, views, and more in the work of library science with the help of these blogs.
        1. AASL Blog:
          The American Association of School Libraries shares news and information pertinent to those in the profession through their regularly updated blog.
        2. LOC Blog:
          Learn more about what’s going on at the Library of Congress by following their blog, full of updates about their collections, great authors, books, and much more.
        3. LISNews:
          Here you’ll find an excellent roundup of news on library and information science.
        4. ACRLog:
          The Association of College & Research Libraries maintains this blog, a great place to find updates about library practices, academia, and more.
        5. Pegasus Librarian:
          Check out this blog for some excellent commentary on current issues in librarianship, including takes on court cases, IT integration, and academic research on the topic.
        6. Peter Scott’s Library Blog:
          Peter Scott shares excellent articles about the latest news in LIS through his blog.
        7. Tech-Focused Library
          Librarians today have to master a whole host of technologies to keep their institutions running smoothly and at the cutting edge. These blogs offer insights into that techie side of library science.
          1. ALA Tech Source Blog:
            The ALA offers up a heaping serving of all things librarian tech on this blog, helping you make smart, informed decisions about the tools and gadgets you choose to use.
          2. Librarian.net:
            Jessamyn West writes one of the most popular library tech blogs on the web. It’s a must read for any librarian hoping to become more tech-savvy or just keep up with the latest trends.
          3. The Daring Librarian:
            This award-winning blog is penned by a middle school teacher-librarian, who also just happens to be pretty obsessed (and knowledgeable) about tech.
          4. The Shifted Librarian:
            The Shifted Librarian is another must-read site on ed-tech in libraries, with loads of great ideas on how libraries can use new technologies.
          5. Tech Tips & Timely Tidbits:
            This blog shares lots of tips for tech, information, books, education, and other issues from librarian Heather Loy.
          6. Not So Distant Future:
            Explore the future of libraries (and in many cases the present) with high school librarian Carolyn Foote.
          7. Information Literacy meets Library 2.0:
            Keep up with all the latest tech tools you can use for learning by following this helpful blog.
          8. Informania:
            Media specialist Fan Bullington shares her thoughts on libraries and digital technology here.
          9. 21st Century Collaborative:
            Head to this blog to read more about how educators can get and stay connected.
          10. Always Learning:
            Get an international perspective on teaching and tech from Kim Cofino on this site.
          11. Bib 2.0:
            Learn more about the role technology will play in the library of tomorrow and the way it’s already changing things today on this blog, with some additional commentary about the profession to boot.
          12. The Blue Skunk Blog:
            Doug Johnson, the Director of Media and Technology for the Mankato Public Schools, shares his expertise on librarianship, tech, and a wide range of other topics on this blog.
          13. Hey Jude:
            Librarian Judy O’Connell blogs about the leading edge of technology and Web 2.0 in library science.
          14. info-festishist:
            Visit this blog to read the thoughts of Anne-Marie Deitering, a professor working on undergraduate learning initiative at OSU libraries. She shares insights into the educational potential of the emerging web and much more.
          15. The Handheld Librarian:
            Use this blog to keep up with handheld computer news and to read ideas and opinion pieces geared toward librarians and educators.
          16. David Lee King:
            Keep yourself in the loop about the social web, emerging trends, and all things library-related by reading this blog.
          17. Tame the Web:
            Michael Stephens’ blog touches on topics related to libraries and librarians, technology, and education.
          18. What I Learned Today:
            This library technology enthusiasts shares tips and tools to help you become a programming and Web 2.0 whiz.
          19. No Shelf Required:
            Curious about the future of books? Head to this blog to read about e-books, audio books, and other digital content found in libraries.
          20. Children’s and Young Adult Lit
            Looking for some great reads for the students at your school? These blogs have tons of great suggestions.
            1. Welcome to My Tweendom:
              Looking for some great reads for tweens and teens? School librarian Stacy Dillon shares loads of the best children’s and YA fiction here.
            2. ALSC Blog:
              The Association for Library Service to Children maintains this blog (as well as a great podcast), which is full of ideas on how to improve your library, book recommendations, and much more.
            3. YA Books and More:
              This blog, from librarian Naomi Bates, focuses on reviewing young adult books.
            4. The YA YA YAs:
              Librarians Trisha, Gayle, and Jolene share their love of YA lit here, sharing loads of great reviews and recommendations.
            5. YALSA Blog:
              The official blog of the Young Adult Library Services Association is a great place to learn about techniques, books, and activities that will appeal to young readers.
            6. Watch. Connect. Read:
              K-12 teacher librarian Mr. Schu shares some of the best children’s lit through fun book trailers.
            7. Waking Brain Cells:
              Tasha Saeker, the assistant director of the Appleton Public Library, shares loads of insights into getting kids to read as well as providing a few great recommendations.
            8. Reading Rants!:
              If you’re looking for teen reads that are out of the ordinary, make sure to check out this blog for ideas.
            9. readergirlz:
              Created to spur on teen literacy, this blog focuses on recommending new YA books that are overlooked, appeal to a wide audience, and will get teens excited about reading.
            10. proseandkahn:
              You’ll find a great assortment of reviews of children’s and YA lit on this helpful blog.
            11. Oops.. Wrong Cookie:
              A number of Texas librarians (and their friends around the country) maintain this blog dedicated to reviewing young adult literature.
            12. Ms. Yingling Reads:
              Check out this blog to get some ideas on middle school-level reads, especially those that would appeal to young male readers.
            13. Literacy Launchpad:
              Emergent literacy teacher Amy shares some excellent recommendations for children’s titles that can help librarians find, acquire, and recommend some great new books.
            14. Kid Tested, Librarian Approved:
              Get some solid recommendations and reviews of picture books from a children’s librarian when you visit this blog.
            15. 100 Scope Notes:
              Keep up with children’s lit news and find some helpful reviews of new and popular titles here.
            16. A Book Dork:
              Head to A Book Dork to get teen book reviews from YA librarian Aimee.
            17. Professional Development and Learning
              Check out these blogs for ideas on how to build your career as a librarian and embrace lifelong learning.
              1. Lifelong Learning for School Librarians:
                Need some motivation to get you learning? This blog is full of ideas that will help you find new resources to keep you learning for life.
              2. School Library Learning:
                This blog can help you build your tech skills, even featuring a week-by-week program to get you on the web, blogging, and creating wikis.
              3. Library Grits:
                Lifelong learner and librarian Dianne McKenzie shares some of the ways she’s changing, evolving, and staying determined to be at the top of her profession.
              4. Cathy Nelson’s Professional Thoughts:
                Each Tuesday Cathy Nelson posts to this blog, sharing ideas on how librarians and teachers can integrate technology into their learning, something just about anyone can stand to learn more about.
              5. Information Wants to Be Free:
                Meredith Farkas offers her take on how libraries can embrace the wealth of 21st century technologies out there, as well as reflecting on the profession itself.
              6. Ed Tech
                You can never know too much about educational technologies, and these blogs will help to keep you in the loop.
                1. Geek Dad:
                  This Wired blog is written by a geeky dad who is always looking for ways to connect education to fun, tech-focused projects.
                2. Cool Cat Teacher Blog:
                  Teacher Vicki Davis shares resources and inspiration for teachers looking for new ways to embrace educational technology, but boasts a lot of content that can work well in a library setting, too.
                3. Kathy Schrock’s Kaffeeklatsch:
                  Get a great look as some of the latest edtech products and ideas on how to use them from instructional technology specialist Kathy Schrock.
                4. 2 Cents Worth:
                  Here you can learn how to adapt old methods of teaching and learning to the new information landscape that dominates 21st-century life.
                5. Free Technology for Teachers:
                  Even if you’re not a teacher, there’s still plenty of great free tech content to choose from on this site that’s ideal for helping kids learn and do research.
                6. The Innovative Educator:
                  Lisa Nielsen writes about cutting-edge innovations in education on this blog.
                7. Moving at the Speed of Creativity:
                  Digital learning consultant Wesley Fryer documents on this blog his own journey of learning, experimenting, and working with other educators using the latest technologists.
                8. Successful Teaching:
                  Part of being a librarian is helping to educate your students, so get some ideas on how to best do that from teacher Pat Hensely, here.
                9. Will Richardson:
                  Visit this site to learn a bit more about the web and its applications in the classroom from Will Richardson.
                10. teach42:
                  Blogger Steve Dembo explores the intersection of education and technology on this blog.
                11. Book Blogs
                  Whether you’re looking for a great read for yourself or new titles to add to your library collection, these blogs host some great recommendations.
                  1. Bookslut:
                    Head to this blog to read book reviews, feature columns, and learn about the latest and greatest literature that’s coming to a bookstore near you.
                  2. Ready Steady Book:
                    If you prefer to limit your book reviews to those that are highly academic, learned and perhaps not for the wider audience, then this is the place for you.
                  3. So Many Books:
                    Explore the agony and the ecstasy that is loving books in this excellent book review blog.
                  4. 3000 Books:
                    Blogger Estelle tries to read 50 books a year and documents her progress, as well as some useful reviews, on this blog.
                  5. Biblibio:
                    You’ll find book reviews aplenty on this blogger’s site, many of which may just help you select your own next read.
                  6. Red Room Library:
                    Find selections that represent some of the best of contemporary literature on this review-focused site.
                  7. Paper Cuts:
                    Use this New York Times blog to keep up with the latest releases.
                  8. Booklist Online Blog:
                    ALA experts share their reviews of thousands of books on this must-read blog (and accordant website) designed with librarians in mind.
                  9. The Book Smugglers:
                    Find reviews of young adult and science fiction on this regularly updated site.
                  10. London Review of Books:
                    Here you’ll find reviews of some of the best fiction and nonfiction to hit the market, including those from some pretty big names in literature, philosophy, and social science.
                  11. Miscellaneous
                    From librarian humor to the Dewey Decimal System, these blogs cover a range of library issues.
                    1. Designing Better Libraries:
                      Learn more about how design, innovation, and new media can work to create a better user experience in libraries.
                    2. Unshelved:
                      Get access to regular library-themed comic strips on this illustrated blog.
                    3. The Dewey Blog:
                      Visit this blog to learn everything you ever wanted to know about the Dewey Decimal system (and more).
                    4. A Librarian’s Guide to Etiquette:
                      If you’re looking for a laugh, head to this blog, with snarky takes on good librarian etiquette.




Monday 16 July 2012

Update: This event is now fully booked- Hallowed Ground: The Future of Reading

Due to poular demand, this event is now fully booked.

ALIA Sydney, in collaboration with the City of Sydney Library, presents an evening of thought-provoking discussion on how Australians will be reading in the next 20 years. 


A panel of four professionals from different reading-related backgrounds will share their vision of the future of reading and how the act of reading is changing (and it’s much more than just eReaders and eBooks).

Bring your own questions and opinions, as our panel will engage in a lively question-and-answer session.  

Panel includes:
  • Professor Anne Castles - ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Macquarie University. Anne’s research focus is in the "cognitive science of reading and language."
  • Queenie Chan - Illustrator of In Odd We Trust, a New York Times bestselling graphic novel series written by Dean Koontz. Queenie is currently working on “Small Shen,” the prequel to Kylie Chan’s best-selling “White Tiger” series.
  • Julie Heraghty - CEO, Macular Degeneration Foundation. Previous to her position with the Foundation, Julie spent over seven years as a Policy Advisor to NSW State Ministers across three major portfolios.  
  • Jon Page - Independent bookseller, Pages & Pages; President of the Australian Booksellers Association. Jon can also be heard regularly reviewing great books on 702 ABC.
The discussion will be facilitated by Mal Booth, University Librarian for the University of Technology, Sydney.

A National Year of Reading event

Hallowed Ground: The Future of Reading
Thursday 23 August
6.30-8.30pm (Doors open at 6)
Customs House Library Reading Room, Level 2

This is a free event.

Spaces are limited, reserve a place today. Email aliasydneygroup@gmail.com (note: limit 2 places per person)

Tuesday 10 July 2012

How to Live-Tweet from an event

Just in time for ALIA Biennial in Sydney, but hoping this might be a useful piece for other conferences, I would like to share this post I recently came across.

If you need somewhere to blog, contact me via aliasydneygroup@gmail.com

Enjoy!

Vikki Bell
Principal, Bellinform Research

 How to Live-Tweet from and event


As well as managing live event Twitter aggregations for our clients, we've been known to attend the odd conference ourselves, and - as @blaisegv someone once put it -  "tweet the cr*p out of it".   

More seriously though, live-tweeting is a skill - how to add to the experience for those within the event; inform non-attendees monitoring the event hastag; twapplaud good speakers; avoid typos - and (very importantly) not annoy your followers by flooding their stream with tweets which don't interest them or don't make sense. Intelligent live tweeting helps you make a positive impression up there on the big conference screen and may well make you make contacts and friendships.  Accidentally using the event hastag when asking your partner to order a curry tonight won't.

Here's the advice we give to those out to represent eModeration at an event.  Hope you find it useful too.

 Before you start


 1. Tweet out in the days preceding and try to link up with any of your followers who will be there.

2. Announce you will be tweeting from the conference. It’s a nice idea to offer people the option to mute your hashtagProxlet offers a solution for Google Chrome, and you can also filter out from Tweetdeck>settings.

3. Bring your charger(s). And charge your device(s) up beforehand. You’ll be pleased you did.

4. Find out if there is wi-fi access and the code if one is needed.

5. Research speakers’ Twitter usernames beforehand. Keep them on a piece of paper or notepad for easy reference.

6. Confirm the event hashtag. Find out what the official hashtag for the event is, and make sure you use that (watch out for typos). If there’s isn’t one, make a nice short one up (check it's not in use first).

7. Set up an automatically-updating search for your hashtag in your Twitter client. Since you are most likely on a mobile, an app like Hootsuite, Tweetdeck or Seeismic is really useful as they allow for you to save columns for individual searches.

8. Check whether your client allows you to automatically add a hashtag to tweets. It’ll save you some time and aches in your fingers.  I use the Twitter app on my iPhone, which does this when you tweet from the search screen.

9. Introduce the event to your followers so they know what’s coming. Here are some  examples:




 10.  If you need to hand over the keys to your company Twitter account to someone else for an event, Grouptweet is a good tool to use.  Other staff can tweet on the account (signed - see our pictures above) and you don't have to disclose the login.


During the event


 1. Find a spot where you won’t distract other people. Make sure you are close enough to hear clearly, but in a corner where your typing/tapping won’t bother anyone. And remember to turn any notifications sounds off on our device.

2. Quote speakers or other people at the event – people love to retweet good quotes. Use quotation marks and attribute the quote. (Twitter app gives you the choice of that) Here are a couple of examples:


3. Be discerning in what you tweet. Don’t go crazy posting everything the speakers say. As a rule of thumb, a tweet every 6-9mns is comfortable. You can do a bit more if you need to, but think of those following you. Stick to valuable content, and forget unimportant messages.

3. Cite your sources! Remember you looked up speakers’ Twitter usernames? When you post a quote, specify the Twitter handle; if you didn’t find one, then identify them by name.

4. Post other media if it’ll jazz things up. Don’t be shy about adding photos to your tweets.  But do respect others' privacy - no embarrassing shots of fellow delegates mid-sandwich.

5. Interact with other conference attendees on Twitter. Retweet other people’s posts if you see anything worthwhile which will save you typing something out. Do try to stick to a ratio of 3 tweets you create to every retweet though.

6. Watch out for replies and make conversation. Keep an eye on your replies tab and acknowledge and interact if necessary, especially if someone has asked you a question.

7. Watch out for any names/avatars you know, and if you get a chance try to meet them in the flesh: ”Hey @Blinking1 – didn’t know you’d be here. I’m third from left, back row ..”


After the event


 1. Be sure to thank the speakers, organizers and other attendees via Twitter as the event is winding down.

2. Write a blog post. Use your and others’ tweets to write a blog post as a permanent and readable review of the conference. Storify is great for this.



3. Look out for publications of slides etc (keep the hashtag open for a few days on your twitter client) and RT and/or add to your blog post.

4. Follow Twitter accounts who interested you and thank them for their contribution.



Saturday 7 July 2012

Libraries and Pinterest


(note: links within Pinterest site may require log in) 

What is Pinterest? Pinterest is an image based social bookmarking service. Users add or ‘pin’ links to their page which then can be shared, repined or liked. Think of it as a big virtual pin board

From Pinterest, 
 A pin is an image added to Pinterest. A pin can be added from a website using our bookmarklet or you can upload images from your computer. Each pin added using the bookmarklet links back to the site it came from. (Source)
Participating in online social networks has become an important part of many professional interactions. But keeping up with tweets, posts and status updates can become overwhelming. So why, when social media participation can prove to be a time black hole, should anyone sign up for yet another service?  The short answer is, well, you don’t have to. But for the curious, interested and brave here are 5 reasons any library should include Pinterest in their social media strategy.

1. In a short period of time Pinterest has become HUGE. Since its launch in 2010, Pinterest has become the ‘3rd most popular social network in the U.S. in terms of traffic after Facebook and Twitter’ (source). Pinterest has ’over 10.4 million registered users, 9 million monthly Facebook-connected users, and 2 million daily Facebook users’ (source).  Plus, there are hundreds of library services on Pinterest. Libraries public, private, education based, small and large from around the world are all using this service in new and creative ways

2. It is a visual medium which lends itself to scanning information. Think infographics. Pins can quickly convey information to readers

3.  Pinterest integrates with other social media Facebook and Twitter. Pins can instantly be added to a Facebook timeline and/or Tweeted
 


4. Messages can be tailored to the user. Unlike Facebook or Twitter where all messages go out to all users, on Pinterest information can be grouped into themed boards. Users can choose to follow all or just some boards. So if a library has boards about new additions, local history and upcoming events, users can pick those which interest them. 

5. Potential! Pinterest is being used by libraries in many ways. UNH Manchester Library highlights their new additions to their collection, Marywood University Library has created a list all time favourite books , Stanley Library has promoted their Edible Book Festival. Here are 20 ways libraries are using Pinterest, but as this article was written back in March that list would be much longer now.


Like all good social networking services, Pinterest it is free to join but be sure to read the terms of service before signing up. And to get started on the right foot here is an infographic about Pinterest marketing strategies and one about how to maximise pins and repins. (note that 'books' is one of the most pinned words)

Bre sure to keep an eye on the ALIA Biennial Sydney 2012 board next week, there are sure to be some great pins there.

Enjoy!

-Amy B. (who pins library related links at Unlikely Librarian)