Boyd : "Social Network Sites"

Several aspects of social network sites became apparent to me as I read this article. Social networks are really new, with the majority of them becoming prominent as recent as 2003. They have come a long way in six+ years, and when one thinks of the infancy of the technology, it makes you think about where it will be in another six. Libraries need to realize the generation of users coming up will have been a part of this evolution from its infancy, and will need to relate to them using social network technology. The globalization of social networking as mentioned in the article should emphasize the utility of the technology to librarians. Thinking beyond the 'body walking through the door' as comprising the majority of library users, the ability to reach a population of online library users should not be overlooked. The fact that users of social networks typically have a common offline element with one another is a facet librarians can capitalize on in expanding library use.