07 - Libraries & Myspace

Just as a for-profit company needs to constantly adapt and change to stay relevant in an ever-changing, competitive market, so too must non-profit organizations such as the library - and embracing social networking websites such as Myspace will help to keep the library current and will provide direct access to the teenager/young adult target market. Perception can be quite powerful and before I started working at the library, with the limited visits I had at the old Main Library, I had thought that the library was old fashioned, staffed by librarians who would throw dirty looks and hushes at anything/anyone that made a sound; having worked at the library for the past few years however has made me reevaluate my previous thoughts. With the move over to the new glass building, I'd venture to say that the library is in fact quite different from a conventional library. With a computer/technology center, various shops, Internet/Wi-Fi access and more, the library is becoming a gathering place/hub for all sort of activities and events. While people may have conflicting opinions about Myspace and other social networking sites, the truth is that a vast majority of Internet users have accounts and access them frequently. With all the changes/accommodations being made to make the library seem more "open" than ever before, I see the library having a Myspace page as yet another way for it to continue to branch out and reach its target age group in the most efficient way.