Provides context to the social media phenomenon and offers practical advice on how libraries can choose, use, and monitor these tools effectively, whilst identifying additional resources and best practices.

Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn: it's difficult enough to keep abreast of social media Web sites, let alone understand how they fit into today's library. This practical resource brings together current information on the topic in a concise format that's easy to digest. Laura Solomon is a librarian with more than a decade of experience in Web development, design, and technology, and her timely guide Provides context on the social media phenomenon Offers practical advice on how libraries can choose, use, and monitor these tools effectively Identifies additional resources and best practices Solomon has written a unique, to-the-point guidebook for those ready to jump into the deep end of the pool and commence or improve their library's tweeting, posting, and friending. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents:Introduction; 1 Getting a (Better) Grip on Social Media; 2 Getting Started; 3 Understanding Social Media; 4 Strategies for Social Media Success; 5 What Can We Count? 6 Is It Worth It? 7 A Few Final Words; Bibliography