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Social Libraries
What is it?
A Social Library is a website that allows users to keep track of and catalog media collections ranging from books to CD’s and DVDs. Users can share their collections, keep lists and wish lists, and network with users that have similar interests. Recommendations are generated based on the ratings using statistical computation and network theory. Some sites offer a buddy system, as well as virtual checking out of items for borrowing among friends.
Social Libraries
What are the educational uses and benefits?
Communication
- Allows users to share, store, and organize their media including books, music, dvd’s, games, and videos.
- Allows people with similar interests to create communities of users and thus influence resource tags.
- Users can share their library with others, and find out who is viewing the same media. This can help users discover media which is relevant to their interests or field of study but may have been unknown to them.
- Allows instructors and students to access information in a particular framework or context to share with peers and colleagues.
Research
- Allows for the classification of information based on a person's perspective and based on organizational structures.
- Provides a constantly evolving list of resources.
- Saved resources can be accessed from any computer.
Social Libraries
Can I see an example?
View a flash animation of how to use a social library site.
View an example of a social library collection.
Social Libraries
How do I get started?
- Social Libraries sites require that you have a username and password in order to save your citations and recommend resources to others.
- To save a media resource for later use click on the “add an item” icon. To add an item to your library lookup the title or URL through the social library interface.
- A window will pop up allowing you to put your resources in various tags, insert information about the resource, and send the resource to others.
- In order to send information to others they must be a part of your “network.” This can be done by inviting another user to join your network. Once they are a part of your network you can make recommendations to them.
- The Social Libraries program will file your resource in accordance with the tags you selected. In order to retrieve the resource click on the tag under which it has been saved.
Social Libraries
Where can I learn more?
- Discogs: A social library website and database of information about music recordings.
- Last.fm: A social library website for cataloging music.
- Lib.rario.us: A social library website for cataloging media collections including books, DVD’s, and CD’s.
- LibraryThing: A social library web application for sharing personal library catalogs and book lists.
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