NYC School Librarian Guidebook: Professional Growth/Personal Learning Networks

LinkedIn for professional reasons (networking and/or staying informed)

Purpose:

Linkedin is a social media network used to connect members to people they already know, and find other potential contacts through them.

Connecting with other professionals may lead to improved job performance. Librarians can use their connections to learn more about the field by reading updates and asking questions.  Garner resources if connections can supply them or the information as to where to get them. Connections are also a great way to learn about networking events in a member’s area. Joining groups on LinkedIn can be a great way to communicate with others and access resources, even if they are not a connection.

Whether one has a job or not, having a current profile of professional information on LinkedIn, is a great way to promote oneself. The member’s LinkedIn page is like an online resume and can help the member add strong connections or find a job, because accomplishments and expertise are listed.  Often, when a member applies for a job on LinkedIn is as easy as giving access to one’s profile to the potential employer. LinkedIn recommends jobs that match a member’s profile and shows job listings in that member’s network. LinkedIn also has an option to send out email alerts for recommended jobs. This particular feature can come in handy for many users looking for a job, wanting to switch careers, or move up in the career ladder.

Security:

Linkedin is as secure as the password you create for your account. You can make your account more secure by enabling two-step authentication.  Turning on this option requires three steps. Step 1: Log in to your LinkedIn profile. Click your user picture/avatar in the upper-right-hand corner and select Settings. Step 2: On the tabs along the bottom-left-hand side, click Account. Then, click Manage security settings (bottom of the left column). Step 3: Under Two-step verification for sign-in, click Turn On. Enter a reliable cell phone number and then click Send Code.

Best Practices:

Linked In for Librarians

http://www.rrlc.org/Portals/0/docs/LinkedIn%20for%20Librarians.pdf

Linkedin Resource Guide

http://simmons.libguides.com/LinkedIn

Alternatives

There are other social media networking sites and more to come, but Linkedin is the most comprehensive for job seekers and people who wish to stay current in their field.

Zerply.com (derived from the words "serious play").  Allows job seekers to post an interactive online CV allowing recruiters to catch it and a glance, but there are few of the opportunities to interact with others.

Limitations—Cost/other

The basic version is free.   One can purchase different packages depending on which options the user wants to unlock.  There is also a different rate for those who select to pay annually or monthly.

Purpose

Send messages in 140 characters or less. People often tweet links or observations to the people that follow them and the general public. Twitter is used to disseminate information to a network of people. Librarians and students can use Twitter as a personal learning network.

Security

Twitter is as secure as the password you create for your account. You can make your account more secure by enabling two-step authentication.

Rollout

For students it is best not to use real names, especially if they are under 14 years old. Librarians can help students create usernames and create accounts. Once all the students follow one another and the teacher, the librarian can have students set their accounts to private so only the people the students follow can see their tweets.

Best Practices

Here is a link that shows how one teacher uses Twitter to engage shy students in history class:

http://www.good.is/posts/twitter-in-the-classroom-watch-this-teacher-engage-shy-students-in-learning-history/

Using Twitter in the K-8 Classroom:

http://langwitches.org/blog/2011/08/27/guide-to-twitter-in-the-k-8-classroom/

More Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom:

http://plpnetwork.com/2012/04/27/twitter-in-the-classroom/

Alternatives

Edmodo, Facebook, Tumblr and blogs can be used as alternatives to Twitter, especially if you’re looking to create a community of learners. The tool that most acts like Twitter is Tumblr because both are public and both utilize the follow+like+reblog+retweet formula. Librarians would be advised to use Edmodo instead of Facebook with their students since Edmodo is a closed environment and designed as an education tool.

Limitations

Twitter’s natural limitation is the 140-character limit for each Tweet, but this also encourages users to be precise.