Curriculum Materials Library Facebook Implementation Plan

Kimberlee DeWall and Stefanie Metko LSC 597 Dr. Suellen Adams

Table of Contents
Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... 2 Team Members ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Curriculum Materials Library Overview .................................................................................................... 2 Description of the Facebook Service ........................................................................................................ 3 Audience ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Overall Purpose of the Facebook Service ................................................................................................. 5 Benefits of the Facebook Service .............................................................................................................. 5 Alignment ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Goals, Strategies, Outcomes ..................................................................................................................... 6 Staffing .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Technology Resources .................................................................................................................................. 9 Technology Knowledge and Skills ........................................................................................................... 10 Promotion of Service .................................................................................................................................. 10 Evaluating the Service ................................................................................................................................. 11 Policy Issues ................................................................................................................................................ 11 Appendixes.................................................................................................................................................. 12 Appendix A .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Appendix B .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Appendix C .............................................................................................................................................. 13 References .................................................................................................................................................. 14

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Executive Summary This Implementation Plan describes how the Curriculum Materials Library at the University of Rhode Island will implement a social media service into library operations. The plan contains an overview of the service to be implemented, the specific tasks that would be required to implement the plan, the human and technological resources that are needed, and any special issues that must be addressed as part of the service implementation. Team Members Mona Anne Niedbala, Education Librarian Stefanie Metko, Graduate Assistant Carlton Bradshaw, Graduate Assistant Curriculum Materials Library Overview The Curriculum Materials Library (CML) at the University of Rhode Island was created in 2008 as a mandate from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) for accreditation. As stated on the CML Website, the librarys mission is to support the URI School of Education and the University curriculum by assisting education majors in the development of lesson plans, instructional materials and activities through the provision of appropriate resources, technologies, and library services (CML Website, 2012). The library has the following objectives: to provide high quality education materials for use by pre-service and in-service teachers and K-12 students to collect materials that best support the course requirements in the School of Education at the University of Rhode Island to support the collection development policy of the University of Rhode Island Libraries and its mission of service (CML Website, 2012)

At the current time, the CML holds over 3000 copies of printed textbooks, reference and juvenile books, as well as teacher professional materials, K-12 kits and manipulatives, maps and posters, educational tests, and specialized electronic instructional technology. The library also has over 40 laptops and 7 desktop computers, all equipped with software for differentiated learning instruction, two Smart Boards, and 12 flip cameras, which can be loaned for a one week period. The CML currently provides email, IM and face-to-face reference and readers advisory services, library instruction sessions for graduate and undergraduate students, assistance with educational technology, and faculty assistance for selecting materials that support the curriculum both at student-teaching sites and at the University.
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Description of the Facebook Service Facebook is a web-based social media service that was created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg. As of February 2012, Facebook had over 845 million active users and in the past two years has grown in popularity by almost 700% (Lietzau & Helgren, 2011). People who wish to use the site must first register and set up a user profile. (Facebook Website, 2012). According to Ellison (2007), the average Facebook user spends an average of 20 minutes per day on the site, and two-thirds of its users log in at least once per day (p. 1144). As demonstrated in Table 1.1., taken from an annual survey conducted by the South Carolina State Library, Facebook is by far the social networking leader, particularly in regards to library services. Table 1.1

(South Carolina State Library, 2012).

Although the graph above demonstrates Facebooks popularity in public libraries, academic libraries are also increasing their use of Facebook for library instruction and promotion of library services. According to an article by Krista Graham (2010) published in LOEX Quarterly, Facebook holds an 85% market share among 4-year universities in comparison to other social networking sites, indicating that there is a clear advantage to using Facebook for student outreach and teaching (p. 2). In addition, Tibor Koltay (2010) points out that one of the most
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crucial issues to providing IL instruction is that different groups of users require different literacies and Web 2.0 tools can provide that vehicle for delivering differentiated learning experiences. Facebook services in academic libraries also allow users to create their own learning communities, where students can connect with classmates in a dynamic way. Given the nature of the education program at URI, that also seeks to create this sense of community in a traditional sense, it only makes sense that the CML, a strong, cohesive member of that community, find ways to nurture and encourage this type of community building in an online environment. As Hicks and Graber (2010) mention in their article entitled Shifting paradigms: teaching, learning and Web 2.0, Web 2.0 tools allow students to develop understanding through group conversations rather than lecture providing equal opportunities for participation rather than scoring off of each other (p. 628). To date, the Curriculum Materials Library has not experimented at all with the use of social media for communicating with or marketing services to library users, although the library has kept an active web presence by frequently updating the CML website with artifacts such as a semi-annual newsletter, pictures of recent library events, and other important news regarding the library and its collection. In addition, the students are often introduced to the library website during information literacy instruction sessions and taught how to use the subject guides, library catalog, databases and other resources, with the primary access point being the CML website. Given the high traffic of library users to the CML website, and the prevalent use of Facebook among college students, the library could benefit from developing and maintaining a social presence on Facebook and from using this presence to communicate with students, faculty and community stakeholders, as well as for developing a sense of community among CML users in an online environment. The CML Facebook page will be a simple design, with the main attributes being wall posts and the use of the like button. The profile will reflect the mission of the library and will include photographs of the library in use. Please see the section entitled Policy Issues for more in depth issues relating to the Facebook Page Implementation. Audience For the first phase of the Facebook Implementation Plan, the audience will primarily be undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Education. Students apply to the School of Education in their sophomore year, so most students targeted for this service will be upperclassmen. There may also be a small number of general education students who are taken freshman-level education courses as a social science elective, who will also be targeted for participation in the Facebook service. Graduate students participating in the Facebook service will more often than not be practicing teachers who have returned to school for additional certifications, such as the Special Education Certification or the Reading Specialist certification.
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The students in these programs are professionals in their field and may benefit from the creation of an online professional networking community that Facebook could provide. Later, during phase two of the implementation, the audience will expand to also target School of Education faculty members, teachers and administrators at the K-12 district level, as well as community stakeholders and alumni from the School of Education. Generally, the audience for this site will be users who are technologically savvy and have frequent access to a computer and the Internet. Many users will already have an active Facebook account, and will be comfortable using it for communication and status updates. Overall Purpose of the Facebook Service The CML Facebook service was designed to enhance user services within the library by: Creating an additional point of access for students and faculty through chat and email functionality as well as the ability to post on the CMLs Wall to inquire about library resources or services. Improving communication between student assistants working in the CML and library patrons Promoting library collections and services as well as notifying students of important events, such as early closings, changes to loan policies, or when a much needed item has become available. Increasing community relations and library presence

Benefits of the Facebook Service There are many benefits to implementing a Facebook page in a library setting, both in terms of library users and the library itself. For the library, as mentioned by Ellison et al. (2007), Facebook technology may enhance place-based community and facilitate the generation of social capital (p. 1144). In a library context, social capital is the benefit derived from social relationships that have been cultivated and developed over time. This type of social capital could have financial benefits especially in regards to Facebooks software tools to analyze patron data in order to provide more customized, value-added services. According to Sachs et al. (2011), one of the most valuable features offered by *Facebook+ is the use of Facebook Insights, a program that allows administrators to view metrics about how people are using the Page (p. 20). This tool is especially useful for libraries since it provides demographic information about the people who visit the page, trends about how they have consumed content from the Page, and how they have created content to be shared on the page (Sachs et al., 2011, p. 20). In addition, Facebook could potentially have other benefits, such as an increase in student learning outcomes or productivity, through the use of Facebook as a Web 2.0 tool in information literacy instruction sessions. Also, library users would benefit greatly from the Facebook service because they would have a more convenient way of getting important information. Instead of picking up the phone to
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make sure the library is open during a holiday vacation week, they could just check their Facebook feeds to see if the library posted an announcement. Since most students already use their Facebook page daily, this wouldnt require an extra step on their part. Students could also benefit by having a quick and easy way to IM the librarian. Rather than open up an existing screen in their browser, or trying to search for a way to connect to the University IM system on the library website, the student could easily just open their Facebook page, and during normal business hours, ask the librarian reference questions. Other possible benefits to the Facebook page is that the library could get feedback from patrons about library services and events, and the library could become a visible part of students existing social networks, instead of falling into the out of sight, out of mind mentality. Alignment As mentioned earlier, the CMLs mission is to serve the educational needs of students and faculty members within the School of Education, to include assistance with lesson planning and technology, just to name a few. In order to provide top-notch assistance in support of the CML Mission, the library must begin to incorporate social media platforms into the existing services offered by the library. Statistics show that Facebook is the leading social networking site used by college students and traditional adults, making it the obvious choice for communicating with students and faculty through social networking channels. In addition, CML seeks to be a leader on campus in regards to teaching transliteracy and digital fluency skills to students, and Facebook has the potential to aid in this type of instruction. Goals, Strategies, Outcomes Goal 1: Increase audience on the CML Facebook Page. Strategy 1: Increase the number of friends on the CML Facebook Page by: Printing and distributing bookmarks every time someone checks out a book for the first month that the Facebook page is published. These markers can serve a dual-purpose, as the circulation clerk can use the bookmarks to enter the books due date. Commenting or liking each post that patrons publish in order to maintain an active Facebook presence Asking student workers and library patrons to tell a friend about the page. Inserting a Facebook button on the School of Education website and the CML website Building relationships with librarians at the reference desk and having the main library post CML events on the main university Facebook page

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Outcome 1: Students who previously avoided the library will utilize the Facebook page and will ultimately become for comfortable with the library. Outcome 2: Librarians, faculty and students will begin to create a professional online community where they are able to continue group and class discussions virtually and where they develop a stronger sense of connection to the class and the library. Outcome 3: Facebook users become a more integral part of the collection development process thereby creating a more collaborative effort in the support of the SOE mission. Outcome 4: Facebook interaction gives the CML valuable insights into the needs and wants of their user population which increases the CMLs ability to serve their patron base. Goal 2: To have students and faculty members in the School of Education participate in the page by viewing the page, posting on the wall, posting like messages, emailing the administrator, or engaging in IM Chat. Strategy 2: Increase student and faculty member interaction on the Facebook page. This will be accomplished by having the librarian and student workers post to the site on a regular basis and through: creating a weekly schedule for posts (i.e., posting to the Facebook page at least three times per week) asking faculty members if they have any events, class information, or other information that they would like to have showcased on the CML Facebook page having a member spotlight once per month to recognize students and faculty who come into the library often or who have had a recent success that should be recognized (i.e., inducted into the honor society, recently received tenure or promotion)

Outcome 1: Traffic to the Facebook page increases, giving students an additional access point for course information and library services. Outcome 2: Students are more aware of events, workshops and special announcements, thereby increasing attendance at important events. Outcome 3: Students feel a sense of community within the CML and feel greater comfort when interacting with peers, library staff and faculty. Outcome 4: Faculty recognizes the wide range of uses social media tools can provide to the academic community.

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Goal 3: Increase students ability to access, interpret and use materials for their coursework. Strategy 3: Use the Facebook Page as an access point for library tutorials (videos), sharing instructional links and for recommending new materials for use on class projects by: posting video tutorials as they become available to the Facebook page referring telephone patrons to the Facebook page that contains tutorials, in addition to other points of access, such as the website, and printed instructions, so that students can pick the format that works best for their learning style ensuring that the graduate assistants at the reference desk or the librarian on staff answers the question within a reasonable time frame ( 24 hours for detailed questions or when the library is closed; within 5 minutes for shorter, more direct questions; and to provide immediate response for chat sessions or when possible to respond to posts)

Outcome 1: Students demonstrate better information literacy skills after watching tutorial videos on Facebook. Outcome 2: The amount of technology-based questions decrease as students begin to use Facebook to watch tutorials about technology within the CML, allowing staff more for instruction and reference questions. Outcome 3: Students learn how to use social media in a professional setting for find solutions to their research problems. Outcome 4: Students receive research support and instruction through the Facebook page which leads to a greater understanding of library resources as demonstrated over time by the depth of library questions and information literacy (IL) competencies demonstrated by students during assessment and evaluation of IL sessions. Staffing Although the Education Librarian, Mona Anne Niedbala will have the ultimate authority regarding the content and layout of the Facebook page, student workers will be primarily responsible for editing and updating content on the page. Initially, Stefanie Metko and Carlton Bradshaw, graduate assistants in the CML, will manage the page. Since the Facebook page is just an extension of the work done to promote the CML to students and faculty within the School of Education, this will be an add-on responsibility to the student workers' existing responsibilities. In the beginning of the implementation period, the CML will assign graduate students in the library science and education programs to monitor and update the Facebook page. Once the page is established for at least a six month period of time, existing graduate students can then begin to train new graduate students on the policies and procedures for managing the page. Divided among the (6) graduate students working in the
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CML, this should not be a significant percentage of their duties, and at most should only constitute a small portion of their shift (approximately 30 minutes per day to respond to posts, add new posts and train other student workers). The CML will conduct training as follows: Staff will receive a copy of the Facebook Engagement Policy Staff will attend a 30-minute introductory workshop that explains the Facebook Engagement Policy Staff will receive access to the CML Wiki that will provide ongoing training and support This type of training will be an integral part of establishing an appropriate and beneficial social media service within the CML. As stated by Kroski (2009), sponsoring employee training events that support social media policies would educate new users about privacy issues and the types of things they should and shouldnt be posting online. Libraries may also want to institute new workflow processes alongside their policies, such as placing one person in charge of tweeting for the library, or designating a blog editor responsible for moderating comments and managing posts (School Library Journal Website). In an effort to avoid potential ethical considerations and to ensure that the lines between personal and professional are not blurred, it is essential for the CML to establish a clear cut social media policy and training programs prior to launching the site (please see policy issues section for more detail).

Technology Resources The following is a chart that displays both internal and external technology that will be needed to implement the Facebook service, to include instructional technologies for tutorials and special reference services: Software Technology Web-based Facebook account Camtasia You Tube account Flickr account Microsoft Office package

Cost Free $399 Free Free Already owned by the library

Uses To set up initial profile and to deliver content; to create an online community within the library To create instructional videos and do screen captures To post tutorial videos for easy upload to Facebook For storing photographs for use on Facebook For creating presentations for instruction

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Hardware Technology Access to a computer and Internet connection Web Camera Sony Flip Cameras

Cost Library already pays for general use None None

Uses To maintain the Facebook page

To create instructional videos To record events and create instructional videos

Technology Knowledge and Skills For the purposes of the CML Facebook page, staff members who maintain the page will need to have experience with business writing for social media as well as basic computer skills for posting and replying to messages, and should also know how to cross-link to other useful sites. Staff creating instructional videos will need working knowledge of Camtasia Studio, Microsoft PowerPoint, and be skilled in working a flip camera. Staff will also need to know how to compress video files, how to format files for the web, and should have the ability to export videos to You Tube and Facebook. In addition, staff should be proficient with the use of a web camera, and in saving media files in multiple formats. Promotion of Service Promotion of the Facebook service must be carefully planned out to avoid alienating our existing library user base. While it is clear that college students use Facebook, and that they are generally receptive to interacting with a library on their personal Facebook page, there is still a fine line between customer service on Facebook and violation of privacy. The CML will not use existing library user information (i.e., patron records in the ILS, student ID numbers, URI directory) to solicit Facebook users. Promotion will be limited to printed flyers, Facebook invitations initiated by students not employed within the CML (referrals), verbal invitations from student assistants in the CML to their friends and colleagues, and librarian outreach to faculty and students through information literacy instruction sessions. Some of the primary avenues that the service will be promoted are as follows: Flyers Leverage Existing Social Networks Website and electronic newsletter on website Information Literacy Instruction sessions

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Out of the previous list, leveraging existing social networks will more than likely be the most promising tactic when promoting the Facebook page. According to Gagliardi (2011), reaching out to freshman and updating the site frequently are the best way to build your patron base when promoting a new Facebook page (p. 2). In addition, Matthews (2011) states that to leverage existing social networks effectively, the library must have student[s] engage other students about the library. Ideally 80% of *the librarys+ social media effort will flow through [the student worker], with the rest being administrated by librarians and library staff (para. 3). Evaluating the Service The CML Facebook Service will be evaluated on an ongoing basis to ensure student workers are conducting themselves appropriately and in compliance with the Facebook Engagement Policy. In addition, the following evaluation tools will be used to assess the value of the Facebook page: Online Surveys (student and faculty) Comment Box at the reference desk (will be coded and analyzed for qualitative data and to evaluate feedback and implement changes) Circulation Statistics Facebook Analytics

Policy Issues The CML implementation team will develop a social media policy that will address both internal and external roles within the social media plan. In an effort to prepare for the unexpected, such policies will be posted in a wiki format in order to allow for constant updates and revisions. While internal policy will set guidelines for staff, external policy will inform the general interactions between both staff and users. As Fernandez (2011) states, librarians cannot exert direct control over the social networking sites they interact with, but they can prepare themselves for potential conflicts with a firm understanding of their own ethical priorities which is an important first step when implementing a social media policy for the CML (p. 6). This type of policy will clearly state what staff and students can and cannot do in relation to social networking culminating in what constitutes acceptable use. It is important to include clearly defined guidelines on what is deemed confidential or proprietary information so that library staff is clear as to what can and cannot be discussed, commented on, or published within an online environment. Once the policy has been created and approved by the Library Director, the social media policy will be made available on the Facebook page, as well as on the CML Website. In addition, the Education Librarian will devote a small amount of time in each information literacy session to discuss appropriate conduct on the Facebook page and to show students and faculty where they can find a copy of the Facebook Engagement Policy online. Students will also receive
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instruction on basic copyright and security issues as it relates to the CML Facebook page as well as their personal Facebook use. Appendixes Appendix A Facebook Engagement Policy The CML Facebook page will be monitored on a daily basis when the library is open. In the event that inappropriate content is added to the site (please see social media policy for definition), by a library users or administrator of the site, the Library will delete the inappropriate content. The fan/friend whose content are removed will be sent a private message via Facebook informing them that their comment(s) were removed due to violations of the CML social networking policy. The message will restate the policy and direct them to contact the Education Librarian with questions or comments about the issue. If the fan/friend continues to violate library policy, the library will send a follow up message stating that they are being removed from participating in the site. Again, the user will be directed to contact the Education Librarian with questions or comments about the issue. The Education Librarian reserves the right to remove users at her discretion, after the second violation occurs. Users wishing to further discuss this issue may contact the Library Director and request a meeting with the Education Librarian and the Library Director The CML will not use any users personal information on public spaces within the Facebook page, and urges students to refrain from posting student identification numbers, phone numbers or class schedules to the Facebook page. In the interest of privacy, the CML will only contact Facebook users after the user has first initiated contact. Please refer to the social networking policy for issues relating to copyright and security on social networking sites.
(Adapted from the Library of Congress Website).

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Appendix B Implementation Schedule Task Research other Facebook pages and finalize Implementation Plan Draft General Policy and Facebook Policy Finalize and Publish both social media policies to the website Design and publish Facebook page Pilot the page to student workers and have them suggest changes Make any changes before Fall semester Flyers and bookmarks printed and placed in the library Begin promoting page in library instruction sessions and at the reference desk Maintain page on a weekly basis Evaluate Facebook service Continue to promote and revise plan Second Evaluation of service Date to be Implemented 5/1/2012 5/1/2012 6/1/2012 6/1/2012 7/30/2012 9/1/2012 9/1/2012 9/7/2012 Ongoing 12/31/2012 (after fall semester) Ongoing 4/30/2013 (after spring semester)

Appendix C Prototype of Service: CML Facebook Page.

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References Abram, S. (2011, February 01). Creating a Facebook Engagement Policy. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from <http://stephenslighthouse.com> American Library Association Website. (2012). 2012 state of America's libraries. Retrieved from< http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/americaslibraries/soal2012/socialnetworking> Carson, B. (2008, September/October). Laws for using photos you take at your library. Information Today, 22(5), Retrieved from <http://www.infotoday.com/mls/sep08/Carson.shtml>. Curriculum Materials Library (2012). About Us. Retrieved from <http://uri.edu/library/cml>. Ellison, N., Steinfield, C., Lampe, C. (2007). The Benefits of Facebook Friends: Social Capital and College Students Use of Online Social Network Sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(1). Facebook Website (2012). Fact Sheet. Retrieved from <http://newsroom.fb.com/content/default.aspx?NewsAreaId=22> Fernandez, Peter. (2009). Balancing outreach and privacy in Facebook: Five guiding decision points. Retrieved from <http://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_libfpubs/11>. Gagliardi, K. (2011, May 08) How to use social media to engage students. Retrieved from <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dvxlOmQUm9j20r8tuf1oRMlfq-1P5DszvJC0u9Agug/edit?hl=en&pli=1#>. Graham, Krista (2007). TechMatters: Going where the college students are: Facebook and the library. LOEX Quarterly, 34(3). Glendale Public Library Website. (2011, May 23) Library - Social Networking/Media Policy Retrieved from <http://www.glendaleaz.com/library/Social_Media.cfm>. Hicks, A., & Graber, A. (2010). Shifting paradigms: teaching, learning and Web 2.0. Reference Services Review, 38(4), 621-633. Koltay, T (2010). Library 2.0, information and digital literacies in the light of the contradictory nature of Web 2.0. Webology, 7(2), p. 1-12. Kroski, E. (2009, October 01). Should your library have a social media policy? School Library Journal, Retrieved from <http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6699104.html>.

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Lauby, S. (2009, June 02). 10 must-haves for your social media policy. Retrieved from <http://mashable.com/2009/06/02/social-media-policy-musts/>. Library of Congress Website. Comment and posting policy. (N.p., n.d). Retrieved from <http://www.loc.gov/homepage/commentspolicy.html> Lietzau, Z., & Helgren, J. (2011, April). U.S. public libraries and the use of web technologies, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.lrs.org/documents/web20/WebTech2010_CloserLookReport_Final.pdf. Lisa. (2011, April 6). Creating a social networking policy. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/blogs/libraries-and-learning/11-04/creating-socialnetworking-policy. Mathews, B. (2011, May 10). [Web log comment]. Retrieved fromhttp://theubiquitouslibrarian.typepad.com/the_ubiquitous_librarian/2011/05/usingstudents-to-manage-the-social-streams-or-how-to-use-social-media-to-engage-students-orwhat-we.html. Sachs, D. E., Eckel, E. J., & Langan, K. A. (2011). Striking a balance: Effective use of Facebook in an academic Library. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, 16(1/2), 35-54.

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