Work Social Life
Submitted by alisiawygant on Tue, 2007-01-30 17:09.
Hi, all.
I've come up against an interesting situation, which I wonder about as more and more people move from being "social" users to being "social" librarians (or professionals of any sort). I was reading through a blog entry about being where the users are and participating in 2.0 products, talking about how librarians should really participate in tools like facebook and the like. I agree with that, but here's the problem: I already HAD a facebook page from when I was in school. (As well as some of the other tools.) But it seems to me that my network of friends from college and my network of friends from work are very distinct and should be.
As it happens, I canceled my accounts, because I felt a bit of rebellion against the lack of conversation that they caused in my social group. But if I hadn't, would I be forced to live an online double identity--ducking into virtual telephone booths and putting on my uniform?
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You're very right about that
You're very right about that being an issue. Social software is all about blurred boundaries. I have a Facebook profile which I created when I was doing research for my book on social software. I started getting "friended" by librarians I knew and then I started getting "friended" by students. I don't get much in the way of wall posts and I don't use it for marketing, so I'm not too concerned. Sometimes, no matter how much you try to keep your personal uses personal and your professional professional, the lines blur. I have gotten comments from students on my blog, though I don't mention anywhere on the library Web pages that I have a personal blog. If they stumble on it, so be it. I'm pretty careful not to write anything on my blog that would be offensive to my students or colleagues.
I think it's crucial though to keep your professional uses of social software professional. If people from your worklife stumble upon your blog or your Flickr pictures, that's one thing, but to be posting pictures to your work blog of your recent trip to Florida may be pushing the boundaries a bit. :) I agree that a Facebook or MySpace profile should be either totally work or totally play, but inevitably, the boundaries will blur. And it's ok to show that you're human and have a life... within reason.
Nice post. I wrote a
Nice post. I wrote a reaction--really just a very wordy "nice post"--on my blog. The post is Of Facebook and phone booths
I ride the line like a wave.
I ride the line like a wave. My blog is a mix of professional, personal, and random. I agree with everything Meredith said. Even if you do have personal space online people will find it. You should never put something online you will be ashamed for someone to see, because they will see it eventually.
If you want a professional space on the web, you should create it in the manner that you see fit. If you want a personal space, the same rules apply. If you would like to have a space that is not officially of your library but professional and personal, you can do that too.
Really, I think the important thing to remember that you are always representing yourself and when you are you should conduct yourself in the manner in which you would do so in any public space. If you are represeting an organization, work or whatever, then you should do so in the manner that you think appropriate.
There is no way to hide anymore on the web. It just does not work that way. If the voyerism of the web is bothersome or burdensome (because sometimes it can be), then you must consider your reasons for venturing out.
It really is all about common sense. And that is my two.
I realize I could keep writing about this forever, but this is a longer conversation then a comment reply.
Boy you hit the nail on the
Boy you hit the nail on the head with that observation! I struggled with this too when exploring a lot of these 2.0 products. Do I sign up as a library rep or a personal account. How to proceed? In fact, I decided the best approach was to use each 2.0 tool as a Reference tool, thus creating accounts via a refdesk type rep and using them that way. Thus, I don't have to "duck into the virtual telephone booth" and I can demonstrate them to colleagues as tools of the ref department, not my personal tools.
Sidenote: That's funny you should compare it to a superhero type. When I created a Librarything account for the ref staff I named it Wonder Twin Powers, since it captures all of our input and feels kinda superheroesque :)
Rachel S. Kingcade
This has been an issue that
This has been an issue that has preoccupied me for quite some time. Some thoughts on it here: Trying To Be Complete
T Scott--I really enjoyed
T Scott--I really enjoyed your post, and I must say it is the lack of boundaries between your personal and professional life that makes your blog one that Google Reader Trends tells me I read 100% of the time. Thanks.