Talk library to me
One of the greatest resources of the library
and information world is our ability to create networks and use them to promote
and improve our profession. For years the backbone of these networks was
created and maintained through the magic of eLists, a push system for
distributing information quickly and efficiently to large numbers of
subscribers and a system that has worked ridiculously well for libraries over
the years. Flash forward to the world of social media and we see new networks being
formed via sites such as Twitter and Facebook, these push/pull systems promote
open discussion and the sharing of ideas in a way that traditional eLists
struggle with.
The problem with social media networks is the
retention and distribution of these conversations and while eLists are great
for pushing out information most of the conversation occurs ‘off-list’. A
medium that has the benefits of both has been around for quite a while now,
seen as an evolution of the bulletin boards of yore. Forums provide a safe
space for likeminded people to share ideas and promote discussion, with the
added bonus of a searchable archive system. With this in mind, the Minerva
Forums were created.
Minerva Forums are an Australia wide
discussion forum for all Library and Information Management professionals. The
idea is to share ideas and create discussion around topics of interest allowing
anyone from a library officer to an archive specialist to comment and provide a
point of view. The great thing about forums is that they are defined by their
community, as people join and participate the forums grow and expand allowing
for sub-forums to be created (or archived) as the need arises. This dynamic
culture is perfect for the often changing world of libraries which can be difficult
to capture and harness. While for the most part this an experiment in wether
the library world is ready to move to another platform, it’s one I hope the
community embraces and makes their own.
So drop in, say ‘hi’ and start talking!
Andrew Kelly