Thing #21 Beyond MySpace: Other Social Networks

It seems there's a social network on the internet for anyone. I joined a sockknitting forum that began in January to share my knitting projects as well as to gain motivation from other knitters. Otherwise, I have dropped by many other similar sites for recipes and other ideas. Today I signed up for the 23 Things on a Stick Ning and wish I'd done that as I began this blog, both for help on the various Things and also for the conversations and more. Gather.com is an example of a broader social community that appeals to many who may not be interested in MySpace or FaceBook. Unpublished authors, for example, may find first large audiences there. Steve Campion writes in "Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library" about how social networking can work effectively in libraries. Building an interactive online library requires coordination and constant updating . . . just one more way for libraries to maintain their important presence in communities.