Facebook is a social site to connect with friends, family, workmates or anyone you have ever met. You need to set up an account before you can use Facebook. This involves putting in your email address and creating a password then adding a few other details. In terms of privacy and your account, read Facebook and privacy. A Google search on this subject returns many results, if you feel like reading more.
Facebook goes beyond just a place to send messages to people and get updates on what your friends and family are doing. You can invite them into virtual communities, send them virtual gifts and compete against them in various quizzes and games.
You can separate your friends into groups eg. family, actual friends, random acquaintances and set different levels of notification for each. For example, you may not want the world to be told you got 86% on the Sesame Street character quiz but you might want to challenge your siblings to beat you. There is so much to 'do' on Facebook the real problem is having too many applications and requests to go through.
Instant Messaging (IM)
IM is a means of sending messages to contacts who are online at the same time as you (although some now let you message people who are off-line so they can get the message next time they log in). Many IM clients such as MSN Messenger and Google Chat also have audio and video capabilities. You have a list of "buddies", and the programme indicates who is online, as well as showing your own status. You usually have the option of blocking unwanted contacts or hiding your online status. Some IM clients keep a record of your conversations with people - which could be handy if you need to recall what was said about something later on.
Skype
Skype is software for making free video and phone calls to other Skype users over the internet - you can use it for calling landlines too, though that does incur a cost. You just need a microphone, a webcam for video calls and to download the Skype software. You can also use Skype to send files and instant messages. The Skype website has good basic information about Skype. The IM part of Skype also archives IM conversations.
Thing 12: Set up a Facebook account
Find other Library Staffers to add as "Friends". Facebook will offer to search your email address book (using the email address you logged in with) to find your contacts who also have Facebook accounts.
Thing 13: Instant Messaging (IM) with the Ning
We have added instant messaging to the Ning. Have a look just above the discussion forum and you should be able to see if anyone else is logged on, try chatting with them To do this just click on their name to start a conversation and type in the small section of the chat box. You can type messages to everyone by not selecting any members and just typing in the lower part of the chat box. You can also use the "Chat to a Law Librarian" box on the Law Library home page to chat with whoever is on the Law Library Information Desk.
Thing 14: Skype in the Law Library
If you would like to play with Skype, just ask at the Law Library and a time will be arranged.
Fun and games: if you have time
- Add groups or applications to your Facebook profile. To find a group to join or a person type a keyword in the search box - a search for libray brings up over 500 results. These include Library Facebook pages, Facebook groups relating to libraries and applications with something to do with libraries.
- Try other other IM clients such as Google Talk (or you can use Google chat from within your Gmail), MSN etc.
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I should revisit my very neglected Facebook page.
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