An alternative to Profiles in Facebook
Last year, Facebook deleted profiles created by libraries. Librarians were reduced to using Groups. But now, Facebook has added the Page application which seems just perfect for libraries (as well as businesses, organizations or brands). You create a Page and get Fans. Here is the description from the Help files:
A musical artist, business, or brand can create Facebook Pages to share information, interact with their fans, and create a highly engaging presence plugged into Facebook’s social graph. These Pages are distinct presences, separate from users’ profiles, and optimized for these entities’ needs to communicate, distribute information/content, engage their fans, and capture new audiences virally through their fans’ recommendations to their friends. Facebook Pages are designed to be a media rich, valuable presence solution for any artist, business, or brand that can be integrated seamlessly into the user experience with socially-relevant applications.
To note, the USF Tampa Library already has a Page.
Update: I just created a Page for my own library, the USF Lakeland Library. Easy and quick.
Here is the University of Kentucky Libraries Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lexington-KY/University-of-Kentucky-Libraries/14376935028
I've written more about the experience of creating a Facebook page:
http://staceygreenwell.blogspot.com/2007/11/facebook-pages-are-here.html
Posted by: Stacey Greenwell | Friday, February 01, 2008 at 07:07
Oh man, I need to bow in front of the Facebook Goddess that is Stacey. She actually posted about Facebook Pages on this very blog this past November. My apologies!
Posted by: clw | Friday, February 01, 2008 at 07:23
I'm hardly the Facebook goddess! I'm glad to see more posts about libraries using Facebook pages. I created a Facebook group where a number of librarians have posted ideas and tips and such:
http://utk.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8408315708
Posted by: Stacey Greenwell | Tuesday, February 05, 2008 at 10:47