Social Networks and Libraries

The Croatian Library Association's Committee on Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) and the Department of Information and Communication Sciences at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb organized their first Round Table on Free Access to Information in 2001 as a way of annually marking Human Rights Day, 10 December. Each Round Table has been dedicated to a specific issue related to enabling free access to information and freedom of expression in our libraries and aimed at identifying obstacles in this context in order to find possible ways of overcoming them. The specific topics covered by previous Round Tables were: the provision of information in the field of culture, official publications and FOI, information for socially excluded users, information for the academic community, lifelong learning, professional ethics, copyright, young adults' right to personal development, and economic recession and libraries.

The topic of the 12th Round Table on Free Access to Information, Social Networks and Libraries, highlights a contemporary social phenomenon which has proved highly interesting to the majority of the general public, therefore library users. The importance of libraries’ presence on social networks is undisputable – the question is only what to present, what kind of content and information to make available and how to communicate with users over particular networks.

Programme

The programme of the Round Table will address some key issues related to social networks such as:

• Young people and social networks;
• Libraries on social networks (should libraries be present on social networks; which specific social networks to use and how; what kind of content to make available through social networks; the relevance of information provided through social networks; ways of communicating through social networks; the overview of Croatian libraries’ profiles and activities on Facebook)
• Privacy protection on social networks;
• Education for library users and librarians;
• Library profile editor (newsperson, blogger, social networks' moderator) - a new library occupation?

The purpose of this Round Table is to open a debate on the role of social networks and their use in libraries, on positive and negative experiences in this field so far, and the ways of using social networks and integrating them into various strategies for the development of library services. Similarly, the aim of the Round Table is to use invited talks and presentations by national and foreign specialists as a platform for exchanging experiences and thus gaining better insight into the advantages and adequate ways of using the latest online communication tools and addressing issues relating to free access to information, which libraries are trying to provide even in cases of bans on using social networks in libraries.

A book of proceedings with all talks and presentations held at the Round Table will be published, in order to further continue the debate on the issues raised during the Round Table as well as to provide information and insights related to this field to all those who will not be able to attend the Round Table’s programme.

Location: Zagreb 10.12.2012.
Organizers: Croatian Library Association
Committee for Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE), Department for Information Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zagreb

Program and Organizing Committee:
Tea Grašić Kvesić, Chair CLA/FAIFE
Aleksandra Horvat, CLA/FAIFE and Department of Information Sciences
Silvija Perić , CLA/FAIFE
Davorka Pšenica, CLA/FAIFE
Nevia Raos, CLA/Professional Secretary