Social Networking

I think it's good for libraries to engage in social media because it ultimately serves both the library and its customers. The following benefits come to mind:

1) It allows the library a method of informing customers of events, changes, etc. While there are other methods of this (e.g. email), social media does serve a useful purpose as an update tool.

2) It gives customers an easy method of feedback. Again, other methods for feedback exist, such as survey forms. However, in social media, feedback is far more reactionary, as in, an individual can post feedback, and have it responded to in quick order. This benefits customers in giving them a 'voice,' and benefits the library should it wish to react to consumer demand.

3) Subjective, but a social media presence can foster a sense of community in a userbase. A sense of belonging, sense of customer loyalty, etc. It is for this reason why on many forums community managers exist to help foster this sense, and moderators to target abusive posters. This may not form as readily on a social media site such as Facebook (where topics cannot be categorized as easily as a forum), but I could see this working to a library's benefit if the community is nurtured appropriately.