From reading the article “Cutting Edge: Technology’s Impact on library services”, I have gained insight over the change happened to the library since digital technologies have been adopted by the library and how it had influenced the library in providing better library service and experience to the patrons with the latest technology. Since the library was established, the goal library has been achieving is to acquire, store, preserve and organise information and provide information and resource for library client to access (Jesubright & Saravanan, 2019, p. 17). But when new cutting edge technologies, such as big data, virtual reality, internet connection, cloud technology, etc., becomes available in the market, lots of libraries had implemented these technologies into their library services to satisfy their present and prospective clients’ needs. For example, in an academic library, the adoption of new technologies in the library has enhanced its overall capability in offering service and resource access to the user, such as providing library client with access to e-resource online and online consultation services.

The potential of adopting these technologies in the library had been proven effective during the outbreak of COVID-19 when lock-down was issued by the government. During the outbreak of the pandemic, I have noticed the change of the services being provided by libraries from face-to-face to online virtual services due to the isolation taken place which stops student from visiting the library, which academic libraries were forced into a completely remote environment to ensure students and academics can still access library services and resources (Rand & Shepard, 2020). For example, the availability of internet and cloud technologies offered students access to library resource, and librarian can provide most services remotely so that research and course work can be minimally interrupted (Rand & Shepard, 2020).

Other than supporting information access during COVID-19, the adoption of technologies in library can also be used in enhancing the overall library services. From researching the use of technologies in library, I had discovered mobile technology can assist library to establish possible library service to the student who is studying remotely, which are highlighted in Acheampong’ article regarding the use of mobile technology in library, as Acheampong (2021) state “distance education has been transformed due to swift advancement in portable computing devices and proliferation in mobile internet networks.

As technologies can potentially enhance library services, they can also impact the information professionals in the future. As technologies were implemented, it had enhanced library services by providing the patron with access to library resources and services without wasting time (Jesubright & Saravanan, 2019, p. 23). And for information professionals, the implementation of technologies can enhance the overall productivity, allowing librarian to effectively provide services which can satisfy patrons’ needs.

Reference

Acheampong, E., & Agyemang, F. G. (2021). Enhancing academic library services provision in the distance learning environment with mobile technologies. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 47(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2020.102279

Jesubright, J. J., & Saravanan, P. (2019). Cutting Edge: Technology’s Impact on Library Services. IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-1482-5.ch002

Rand, A. D., & Shepard, B. R. (2020). A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY USE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. Quarterly review of distance education, 21(3), 59-63.

Explore two of the Twitter feeds listed above. Write a post for your OLJ of around 400 words that includes the following:

Compare and contrast the Twitter presence of the two organisations. What type of content do the organisations tweet (and retweet)? What audience are they appealing to? Do they appear to be successful? Analyse why or why not.

Twitter is an internet-based social media providing microblogging service for users to create and distribute short messages which also referred to as ‘tweets’ and share them with people who are following their Twitter account (Han, 2019). Since it was first launched in 2006, Twitter had gone through several changes to enhance the user’s experience, which includes limiting users in creating a short message with no more than 140 characters when it was launched to achieve the goal of maintaining Twitter’s brevity (Rosen, 2017), followed by introducing the hashtag function in 2017 (Meyer, 2019). In 2017, Twitter had adjusted the limitation applies to each Tweet by expanding the limit from 140 characters to 280 to fulfil some user’s demand when Twitter noticed some user needed to use more than 140 characters when they are creating a Tweet (Rosen, 2017). In today’s community, I had noticed Twitter has been widely adopted by companies and organisations as an information delivery platform, such as for the library as it allows the library to effectively engaging its clients and promote library services (Al-Daihani & AlAwadhi, 2015).

From exploring and comparing the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)’s Twitter channel, I have discovered and identified the differences over the contents between both organisations’ Twitter account as both organisations are engaging different target audience, as ALIA engage with information professionals within the sector and ACARA concentrate on engaging with people who is the stakeholder of the education sector. For ALIA, their Twitter channel has tweet and retweet content relate to library and information service, which includes the latest ALIA conferences, events, and materials for information professionals and new graduates. And for ACARA, their Twitter channel tweet and retweet content containing information regarding the curriculum and learning of young people in Australia.

Also, from exploring ALIA’s Twitter, I noticed that ALIA has actively targeting audiences who are currently studying or working in the information sector as the content being tweet or retweet are concentrating on the latest update over the events and career development resources. And from exploring ACARA’s Twitter, I found ACARA is mainly targeting the parents as a lot of tweets and post being retweeted by ACARA are relate to parents Q&A session as this organisation’s goal is to inspire improvement in education. In summarising the finding and comparing the tweets from ALIA and ACARA’s Twitter channel, I will say both channels appear to be successful in engaging with their audience as both organisations have used Twitter to deliver information and resource effectively to their target audience.

References

Al-Daihani, S. M., & AlAwadhi, S. A. (2015). Exploring academic libraries’ use of Twitter: a content analysis. Electronic library, 33(6), 1002-1015. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-05-2014-0084

Han, S. (2019). Weathering the Twitter Storm. Information technology and libraries, 38(2), 37-48. https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v38i2.11018

Meyer, J. (2019). History of Twitter: Jack Dorsey and The Social Media Giant. TheStreet. https://www.thestreet.com/technology/history-of-twitter-facts-what-s-happening-in-2019-14995056

Rosen, A. (2017). Tweeting Made Easier. Twitter Blog. https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/topics/product/2017/tweetingmadeeasier.html

Consider the services discussed by Laura Cole in relation to a library or information agency that you know (as an employee or user). Select four key points made by the speaker, and consider how these may be applied to a library or an organisation you are familiar with to help it embrace a Library 2.0 ethos. Write 300 – 400 words.

From listening to Laura’s talk regarding the implication of library 2.0 into the library service, I found the key points “information accessibility”, “shift of landscape from print to digital”, “library serve as a hub for learning, meeting and sharing” and “librarian on a more active role as a navigator instead of a preserver” made by the speaker can help in embracing the Library 2.0 ethos. According to Michael Casey’s “Library 2.0: service for the next-generation library”, Library 2.0 has been highlighted as a new service model encouraging constant and purposeful change which are driven by user-centred change (Casey & Savastinuk, 2006). To effectively implement the Library 2.0 model into the library’s operation to provide user-centred services, Web 2.0 technologies has been adopted to generate a virtual environment to establish a platform for communication between the library and the user (Williams, 2020).

Other than the communication, the Web 2.0 technologies being used in Library 2.0 service model can influence the way information being access by people, and cause a paradigm shift that changes the landscape from print to digital (Cole, 2016), which Laura had mentioned in the Ted talk regarding the library services and changes influence by Library 2.0 ethos. The shift of landscape from print to digital for library resources are influenced by the use of Web 2.0 technologies in the library which involve using digital and social media to enhance the service (Sivarajah et al., 2015), for example, the online media platform allows user to access library resources and services without coming to the library physically, such as offering ebooks, e-journals and news through the online library database, providing reference services through online library chat, and offering online library services to assist the user to manage their library loans to embrace the Library 2.0 ethos in providing user-centred library services.

Also, since Library 2.0 model had adopted Web 2.0 technologies to provide, it had affected the role library and library staff plays in providing services. In the talk, Cole (2016) had stated “library serves as a hub for learning, meeting and sharing” and “librarian on a more active role as a navigator instead of a preserver”, highlighting library isn’t limited to a place for reserving information and librarian only act as an information preserver. It highlights a library is a place where people can learn, meet and share knowledge and librarians work as an instructor to assist library user in navigating through the digital platforms to access resources and library services online.

References

Casey, M. E., & Savastinuk, L. C. (2006). Library 2.0: service for the next-generation library. Library journal (1976), 131(14), 40.

Cole, L. (2016). BiblioTech as the e-Imagined Public Library: Where Will it Find You? TED,  http://library.ifla.org/1418/1/213-cole-en.pdf

Sivarajah, U., Irani, Z., & Weerakkody, V. (2015). Evaluating the use and impact of Web 2.0 technologies in local government. Government information quarterly, 32(4), 473-487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2015.06.004

Williams, M. L. (2020). The adoption of Web 2.0 technologies in academic libraries: A comparative exploration. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 52(1), 137-149. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000618788725

After exploring the resources above, choose two ways that you see social media has impacted on an organisation you are familier with. This could be a business, an institution or a government department. Identify the organisation and write 400 words explaining and analysing the impact.

From reading the articles, I have a better understanding of the role of social media in today’s community in either commercial, social or education sectors and how it engages and create an impact on our everyday community life. Since the availability of social media, it has been widely adopted by organisations to use as an outreach platform to approach its potential and existing audience locally, such as local institutions and community organisation use Facebook to encourage residents to engage with local governance (Bonsón et al., 2015). Also, the use of social media can enhance the connection within our community, as Wellman (2001) state the connectivity of the internet makes people more accessible to each other, and Zuckerberg (2017) state the goal that Facebook wants to achieve is to bring the world closer together.

From reviewing the Powerhouse Museum’s website, I have noticed the impact which social media has created on the museum’s operation, such as engaging with the local community and its member, supporting the museum’s marketing campaign to promote its value and communicate with the potential visitors. To effectively approach its member and public, Powerhouse Museum has used several social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., to engage with the community. The number of social media platforms currently used by the Powerhouse Museum had offered the museum an advantage in approaching the potential visitors who use different multiple social media application, for example, Instagram and Facebook will be effective in engaging with the community due to their popularity, but Twitter is effective in connecting with the user who lives locally, as Kwon (2021) state Twitter can engender more cohesive social interaction with the user for local events.

Other than simply engaging with museum’ members and the local community in promoting the museum’s events, the social media platforms can create a significant impact on the museum as it can enhance the exposure rate of the museum’s promotion to the local community through the concept of localized social media. The localized social media content provided by social media allows the user to receive promotional materials from organisations within the same geographic area, thus allowing the social media platform to establish trust between the platform and its user. For example, Facebook’s move towards place-based content promotions is illustrating the willingness of the social media industry in collaborating with local organisations to regain digital citizens’ trust (Kwon et al., 2021), which highlights the impact social media can bring to the organisation when engaging with the local community when the localized social media content is available to assist in promoting events and the organisation value locally.

References

Bonsón, E., Royo, S., & Ratkai, M. (2015). Citizens’ engagement on local governments’ Facebook sites. An empirical analysis: The impact of different media and content types in Western Europe. Government information quarterly, 32(1), 52-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2014.11.001

Kwon, K. H., Shao, C., & Nah, S. (2021). Localized social media and civic life: Motivations, trust, and civic participation in local community contexts. Journal of information technology & politics, 18(1), 55-69. https://doi.org/10.1080/19331681.2020.1805086

Wellman, B., Haase, A. Q., Witte, J., & Hampton, K. (2001). Does the Internet Increase, Decrease, or Supplement Social Capital?: Social Networks, Participation, and Community Commitment. The American behavioral scientist (Beverly Hills), 45(3), 436-455. https://doi.org/10.1177/00027640121957286

Zuckerberg, M. (2017). Bring the world closer together. https://www.facebook.com/notes/mark-zuckerberg/bringing-the-world-closer-together/10154944663901634/

Description and Analysis of journal: Online Engagement Between Opposing Political protest Groups via Social Media is Linked to Physical Violence of Offline Encounters

From reading through the article “Online Engagement Between Opposing Political Protest Groups via Social Media is Linked to Physical Violence of Offline Encounters”, the article had highlights social media had to provide a platform for people to engage with others in our world, and some social media platform, such as Facebook, has been adopted by protest groups in both United States and the United Kingdom, to organize upcoming political protests through creating an event on Facebook event pages to engage with the potential viewer online. In this article, the author had highlighted the online environment provides groups with a different perspective to disseminate their political view and values, thus allowing them to host the political forum. At the infancy stage of the digital communication technology’s development, it was hoped that the increased interpersonal connection made possible by social media would bring about global expansions in democracy, highlighted by its role in promoting the Arab spring (Howard et al., 2011). But in today’s world, the idea of bringing democracy with enhancing interpersonal connection has faded, instead, it became the fundamental threat to democracy by driving social polarization, disinformation, and hostility (Guess, Barber, et al., 2018; Sunstein, 2017).

To address the physical violence between two political protest groups when they encounter offline, Gallacher has focused on literacy which studies the social movement which happened since social media had become popular among people for communication, such as the Arab spring, anti-capitalist protest in the USA and Spain and the anti-government protest in Ukraine to study the relationship between online communication and offline group behaviour. Tufekci (2017) state the digital connectivity has been identified as a driving factor in how these social movements connect, organise, and evolve. This highlight the online digital platforms are playing a critical role in driving the development of major social movements. But social media can also become a platform to disseminate values from two opposing groups which can result in hostile action, as Berger (2017) state the hostile action can vary from discriminatory behaviour to verbal attack and violence. Also, the hostile act that happened on social media can also lead to violence between the opposing groups when they met in an offline environment, as co-radicalizing groups use actions of the other group to justify their own behaviours and prejudices (Ebner, 2017).

From reviewing this article, I tend to agree with Gallacher’s perspective in online engagement between two political groups on social media is linked to physical violence of offline encounter, as hostility between opposing groups regarding their political value and perspective tend to use actions to justify their own behaviours and prejudices.

References

Berger, J. M. (2017). Extremist construction of identity: How escalating demands for legitimacy shape and define in-group and out-group dynamics. Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Studies. The International Centre for Counter—Terrorism—The Hague. https://doi.org/10.19165/2017.1.07

Ebner, J. (2017). The rage: The vicious circle of Islamist and far-right extremism. I.B.Tauris.

Guess, A., Barber, P., Vaccari, C., Kingdom, U., Nyhan, B., Seigel, A., . . .Stukal, D. (2018). Social media, political polarization, and political disinformation: A review of the scientific literature. William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. https://hewlett.org/library/social-media-political-polarization-political-disinformation-review-scientific-literature/

Howard, P. N., Duffy, A., Freelon, D., Hussain, M. M., Mari, W., Maziad, M. (2011). Opening closed regimes: What was the role of social media during the Arab spring? Project on Information Technology & Political Islam. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2595096

Sunstein, C. R. (2017). #Republic: Divided democracy in the age of social media. Princeton University Press.

Tufekci, Z. (2017). Twitter and tear gas: The power and fragility of networked protest. Yale University Press.