The Brand of Us

One way to think of the Internet, is that it is a vast source of information. While this is true, it does not reflect the participatory nature that the Internet has taken on as of late. Working in a public library computer lab several hours each day, I see the resources which patrons access when using the computers. Often they use the various word processing programs we have but the majority of people spend their time on the Internet. While some of these patrons use the Internet to fill out forms or e-mail, the most common usage I see is that of social networking websites, particularly Facebook and Myspace. For many, the Internet is just another form of communication between family and friends and often times, the primary one. Since so many of us belong to social networking sites, it is important to be aware of the information about ourselves that we are putting out there and the online identity we are creating by doing so.

In his article, How to Promote the Brand of You, Paul Keegan (2010) brings up the idea of branding yourself in the online world. He gives tips for promoting yourself online to be more lucrative to possible employers and emphasizes that any online activity can shape the brand you create. Keegan suggests that to “figure out how you’re perceived” you should “Google your name” and see how you would be viewed by others who do so (p. 32). It is suggested in the article that any social networking profiles which show up in these results should “communicate your brand” or what you would like outsiders to see about you (p.32).

This got me to thinking about my own personal identity online. I decided to give this a try, so I googled my own name. The first thing that comes up is my LinkedIn profile which would be very appropriate for a future employer to find. If an employer were to google my name, I would be happy with the fact that they would see a representation of my work experience in front of them first off. After that, I mainly came up with references to my twitter account and various newspaper articles I have been in.

I’ve never consciously tried to create a specific persona through my online pursuits, but after reading this article, I can see why we should be conscious of the information we often so freely give out. We have the chance to shape how others view us on the Internet and can control the ways in which others can communicate with us. In the same vein, I also think it is important for a library to be conscious of the social networking venues they decide to take part in. A library that is conscious of their online branding can connect with a new (and often younger) audience just by taking part in some of the Web 2.0 technologies that are popular.

In The Ongoing Web Revolution, Stephens (2007) explains the importance of having a “transparent library” which uses Web 2.0 communication tools to connect librarians with the patrons of today (p.13) . He explores the idea that instead of having a library set apart in its own particular place, we should work to “make the library present in user spaces” (p. 13). I find this to be particularly true in a time when the preferred form of communication for many people takes place on the Internet, and particularly in online communities. All the more reason for a library to create an online brand which invites participation with those utilizing the same spaces.

At the library I work at, we are currently utilizing several web 2.0 tools to connect to users in these online areas. Our website has blogs which target teen readers and even one dedicated to the oh-so-popular manga. We have a page on Facebook, a presence on Wikipedia and a Flickr account to share photos of what’s going on. I even tried googling my library and noticed that our Wikipedia and Facebook pages came up near the top of the results. If the efforts of Library 2.0 are to bring libraries more interaction with patrons via tools they use, I think having interactive results listed on our google search results is a step in the right direction towards creating a lucrative online brand/persona.

References
Keegan, P. (2010, August). How to promote the brand of you. Money, 39(7), p.32.

Stephens, M. (2007). The ongoing web revolution. Library Technology Reports, 43(5), 10-14.