How we communicate with users is changing. E-mail, once a favorite tool to stay in touch, is losing ground to Blogger, Facebook, Flickr, Delicious, Twitter, and other social media. Always ready to try newer technologies, Rodgers Library has joined the rush to use social media.
Social media are about sharing and interaction – possibilities abound. Social bookmarking with Delicious improves instruction and research and can enhance professional development. Students in a biology class may choose to bookmark references and share access to common reading lists, for example. For other students, Flickr offers an effective way to share photos depicting research activities with classmates.
During the summer, Rodgers Library introduced its first blog, called R-Lib. With R-Lib, we introduce new and popular resources, as well as changes in services, to faculty and others. Since the blog is “interactive,” faculty are welcome to post and comment on the blog.
By fall, Rodgers Library was ready to roll out Twitter, another popular social media tool. The goal with Twitter is to reach out to undergraduate students. In real-time, “tweets” are posted on the Twitter site for the whole community to see and read. Are seats open this week during late night 24/5 hours? Well, yes, says a new post on the library’s Twitter page.
Social media are easy to access. Students at UA find a link to Rodgers Library’s social media from the library’s homepage. More creative students get the same content using a media feed directed to a personal laptop or smart phone.
Visit Rodgers Library’s general guide.