Friendface - no, myBook - no...look - a three-headed monkey!

Well, who hasn't come across Facebook? Looking back, I can see that I joined it waaaaay back in March 2006 when it was a little exclusive site just arrived from across the pond (where it had been even more exclusive being as it was a way for Harvard students to stalk each other). Since then I have upped and upped the privacy, and shared less and less of myself on it.

I use Facebook as my current awareness, to keep up to date with my friends, to play hideously time-sink-y games, and as a way of sharing photos. The debate about the "Millenials" was a bit confusing, because I disagree that they "grew up" with Facebook. When I joined, I had strong links with the undergraduate population at university. They liked it for being something that wasn't Bebo or Friendster (which were for high school kids) or Myspace (nice idea, but looked so messy). At that time, I garnered the impression that it was popular with university students for its exclusivity (may that rest in peace), while Myspace continued to win over the hearts of musicians for its ability to share and the level of customization available. Now of course, everyone and their mother - but not my mother - is on Facebook, and about 75 million of them are logging on to harvest virtual farms. Score.

So how do libraries fit in? Despite my initial skepticism, I'd have to say very well indeed. In particular I really enjoyed reading the Trinity Hall page, and if I was a student there, I would have become a fan of this straightaway. It was so friendly and welcoming, just like a college library ought to be. I might not visit actively, but having the news there in the background as I log in just reminds me that it's there, it's a resource ready for me when I need it. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that putting your library on Facebook is a no-brainer. 200 million people are on Facebook. Probably 70-80% of your readers are on Facebook. Why aren't you?

I guess the minor issue is that you might not immediately think to look for your library on Facebook - but that can be counteracted by mentioning Facebook when you take your hundreds of students round on their tours in October (not long to go now...who's terrified?). The other issue, obviously, is that Facebook is probably reaching its critical mass, and soon everyone's going to be jumping ship and finding the next big thing. Google Buzz, perhaps?