LITA & Social Media: Using Social Software to Connect with Members

Task:Determine the appropriate "social software" functionality to deploy to meet the needs of the membership

Team Unit Members: Chanitra Bishop:•Indiana University BloomingtonLigaya Ganster:•State University of New York at BuffaloTracy Sutherland:•Eastern Connecticut State University•Holly Tomren:•University of California, Irvine

Twitter Suggestions:•Retweet valuable messages•Monitor what is being said about LITA, then join the conversation•Respond to questions & comments •Share useful blog posts, websites, new tech tools•Start a discussion •Tell members how to get involved with LITA•Use Twitter Apps such as TweetDeck or HootSuite to manage your account•Share videos and pictures from Flickr & YouTube

ALA Connect Suggestions:•Use Flickr gadget to show photos from conferences•Use Delicious gadget to share LITA’s favorite websites•Share updates about conferences •Divisions and interest groups can share updates, meet with members and post documents for collaborating on projects

Emerging Leaders 2009 Team U

Recommended Tools:ALA Connect – Collaborating w/ALA members

Facebook – Social Networking w/ anyone

Flickr – Sharing photos

Twitter – Microblogging & social networking

YouTube – Sharing videos

YouTube Suggestions:•Create a channel for LITA with a URL that matches the LITA website•Post videos from conferences•Post tutorials from members that highlight new tech tools•Subscribe to other library related channels – will help increase the number of subscribers to LITA’s channel•Send "Friend Requests" on YouTube •Allow friends to post comments on LITA’s Channel wall

Flickr Suggestions:•Rename LITA’s Flickr account name & market the group account•Upload quality photos from conferences•Friend members on Flickr•Join groups•Write creative tags and descriptions for each photo•Include LITA’s web site and social media sites in tag or description where appropriate•Include conference city in tag or description

•Use creative commons license to allow photos to be used everywhere•Comment on photos of LITA members

Facebook Suggestions:•Start a Facebook page•Send messages about conferences and other LITA events to members•Create a discussion board•Become of a fan of other organizations on Facebook•Share social media with friends – include box for YouTube & Flickr•Use widgets to post LITA’s blog feed to the page

General Social Media Guidelines:•When adding content LITA should keep in mind What's in it for members, how would the information they are providing be valuable to members•Use a consistent username across all networks – makes it easier to find LITA on all social software•Include links to other social networks on each network you join•Measure your progress – track number of views, people who get to your site through social networks

Team Unit Resources:LITA Social Media Wiki http://www.litasocialmedia.pbworks.com•Emerging Leaders 2009 Wiki http://wikis.ala.org/emergingleaders/index.php/Project_U_(2009)•LITA & Social Media Video •http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaaJ_579F4g

Image Sources:http://www.fredcavazza.net/2008/06/09/social-media-landscape/

http://socialmediasc.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/personal-brand.jpg