Stop. Socialize!

Thing 12: Putting the social in social media.

I know that social media has really taken off over the last couple of years, but the emphasis on it for CPD23 has been quite exhausting.  In previous posts I've mentioned how I personally use social media and I am becoming increasingly aware of the importance of using it in libraries and other insitutions.  It benefits us with better communication, networking/online communities, collaboration and easily accessible information from outside own remit. And best of all it's pretty easy to use, free (to some extent) and informal.  Where would we be without it eh?

On twitter (@nicololosaurus) I try to interact.  It doesn't always work (I'd give it a 5% chance of someone tweeting back) but I do try to be more forward than I would in real-life.  Not that I'm a lurker in reality, mind! I left the account open so anyone can see my tweets and anyone can interact, but it can be difficult to break the ice...I think I've stepped out of my comfort zone and have sought out institutions, companies, museums, bloggers and individuals who interest me in some way or another - not just libraries, books or art. Or book librarians, or art libraries or book artists (you get my drift).

Without hashing over old ground I'll end it here.  I think I've begun to realise that as far as using the internet and social medias for professional development the emphasis should be with the blog - a nice bit of active, reflective writing, which one day might become something insightful and professionally relative - and to use twitter as a promoter of this (rather than the be all and end all).  And not to worry about followers, page views, comments or interactions - that will come with time if you continue to engage yourself with social medias.