It's a virtual life: exploring social networks

Abstract

As information librarians we are focused on communication and the need to keep in touch with our user communities. Across a wide age range in the UK, nearly half the population (24 million adults) use one or more social networking sites. Information producers, librarians and users have had to come to terms, in their different ways, with the challenges posed by the exponential growth in social networking sites and the opportunities that Web 2.0 provides. The East of England ISG Spring Meeting on “lt's a Virtual Life: exploring social networks” discussed the issues and examined experiences of using Web 2.0. lt was held on 17 April 2008 at BT's Adastral Park in lpswich. Several of the papers are available on the web at www.cilipeoe.org.uk/archives/isg_l7thapril.shtml