debates and misconceptions

Since the start of this summer semester last week, I have not gotten myself into a rhythym with my school work.  That said, I feel like I am getting this post in with no time to spare!  This week's readings and video talk got me thinking.  After reading "Library 2.0: Evolution or Revolution" by Kywanya, Stilwell and Underwood, I began to wonder if the birth, evolution or revolution of library 2.0 would have been better off if it came upon us during a time of a booming economy.  Is it easier to embrace all that library 2.0 has brought to libraries if money and budgets weren't such a big issue to those involved in the library?  If in a perfect world, all libraries had an unlimited budget, would it be easy for those who tend to not embrace it welcome it with open arms because of the fact that they wouldn't have to really "budget" their money?  Since all things change, I tend to think that library 2.0 is just part of the library's evolution...what's your stance on the debate?  Although all of the readings were interesting this week, the talk "Embracing a Culture of Connectivity" by Danah Boyd was by far the most interesting.  I found her research to be kind of enlightening.  When I think of social media and teens, I tend to think negatively, even though I tend to be a pretty optimistic person.  I think of teens using social media as a way to bully, share inappropriate pictures and behaviors, etc., etc.  Deep down, I know most teens are not doing this on their social media sites, yet my mind still goes in that direction when I think of the two together.  Boyd's talk started to make me think differently.  A couple of teen testimonials she shared with the audience stood out to me.  The first one had to do with a female teen who said their mother was always telling her (sort of as a reminder about the dangers of social media sites) that the internet is a PUBLIC space implying ALL information can be seen...the teen followed up with her thoughts on the use of social media as a place for her own PRIVACY.  The teen didn't intend to use it as a secret place to post things that she didn't want her mother to see but instead simply as a way for her to communicate with her friends.  I think what stood out was that I focused on the teen's perspective rather than the mom's.  The mother is right with her line of thinking, but so is the teen.  The happy medium is making sure the teen knows how to use the social media in a responsible way, and the mother also needs to keep in mind that the ways of yesterday have changed.  Another interesting testimonial was about how a college was looking up a potential student's social media page.  The boy had a gang related tag posted on the page, and the college assumed that the boy was involved in gang related behaviors.  Boyd pointed out that although the boy was involved in some gang related behaviors, he was trying to get out of this lifestyle.  He felt that he had to "keep up the act" while he pursued what he believed to be his "out"--college.  Boyd had said earlier in her talk that things posted on an individual's social media site can be taken out of context when people just look in and aren't connected with the person on a regular basis.  This instance with the boy is exactly that.  I hope to read more about teens and social media for my literature review paper.  By enlightening myself, perhaps I can use it as a way to advocate for social media being allowed in the school.  We'll see! 

Time to take some Benadryl and go to bed...my allergies (which I didn't think I had) are killing me!