InfoSoup Development Blog

I'm ambivalent on this one. It seems like we might be trying too hard to be hip? Also, I associate MySpace with so many derogatory and harmful remarks in the media. I would not like to see Infosoup linked to "bad" things. On the other hand, there is certainly good and bad connected with everything. I need a little more time to gnaw on this!

I get your point about trying too hard to be hip, Elizabeth, but I think it's more than that... If MySpace is one of the most, if not the most popular site on the web, we should be there to reach people where they are online instead of where we think they should be. It's an opportunity to be out there where potential users are, not simply to try to be trendy.

Interesting--You can look at this a number of ways. Libraries are on but InfoSoup is not a library. Are there other catalogs that are associated with MySpace? What I read on there is anthropomorphising for systems and libraries. It certainly doesn't hurt us to try something new. We can always take it off, right?

I'm not sure if there are other catalogs on MySpace, but I guess I liken it to AskAway WI having a page. We're a service that can lead to library discovery. And yes, we can always take it off if it doesn't seem to be worth the time or effort or just turns out to be a bad idea. Nothing ventured, nothing gained?

I think getting on MySpace is GREAT!!! We need to have as much exposure with that age group as we can get. I've been out on MySpace and helped people work with it also. It would be great to see InfoSoup out there. Plus being in a group with Hennepin County and Thomas Ford and Winnefox would be cool!

I am on the "trying too hard to be cool" side of this one at this point. Maybe its a function of age, but I just don't get MySpace. And it seems like the image it projects of the libraries is just not very much in line with the value and importance that I like to think we have.
Now, I do realize that the blog format isn't the best way to have a give and take conversation, and I could maybe be convinced if we had a chance to talk it through at more length. But I'm dubious...

I think we should try creating a MySpace page for InfoSoup especially if libraries with their own MySpace accounts could have more traffic directed to their pages and services. I agree with Elizabeth that MySpace has had a lot of negative press and I wouldn't want InfoSoup to develop a negative image. However, it is worth trying to appeal to this user group. Terrie

Yes, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Today I received a very interesting e.mail from Mr. Billy (children's performer) about his page on My Space and it solidified this for me that we should try it out. He is one of the best people at marketing that I know.

I looked at more of the library MySpace sites and agree that some are better than others. If this can be done without taking staff time that is otherwise needed for "serious" development, I guess it would be nice to try to appeal to this user group. --- what user group is it, do you suppose?

I think we would address multiple user groups in MySpace. Teens, certainly, have been cited as users, but I recently read that the average age of MySpace users is 25 and only 12% of MySpace users are teens.

Lets try it! If we are trying to reach people (and I emphasize people not just teens) who are non-library users, this is a great way to broadcast the great resources and opportunities available @ your library via InfoSoup. MySpace _is _mainstream to the rest of the world and we (InfoSoup) should be in it.

I would be interested in the *mode* age rather than the *mean*. I think that the "average" age of MySpace reflects the fact that it's mostly pretty young kids coupled with creepy older people. Those two ends of the spectrum just average out to 25 years old, but that likely is not an accurate reflection at all of the age of most MySpace users. That can be confirmed simply by browsing MySpace. Personally, I think MySpace is completely lame and a waste of time --- but the fact is, many in our society don't. So, if the point is reaching more people, you absolutely would be able to do that through this medium. Also, despite its bad press, I don't think having a MySpace account would have any kind of negative impact on InfoSoup. The bad press comes from all the creeps on it --- but InfoSoup is not creepy or trying to achieve any kind of "creepy" end!