Social Networking

Call me an old fogey, and it's true, but I really don't get the "social networking" phenomena. Maybe it's because I'm not a true "techie." I'm not prepared to spend hours hunched over a computer.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Luddite. I love computer catalogs vs. card catalog; I love my new IPod, but most days when I leave work I don't want to spend anymore time on the computer than I already have.

I only just got a personal e-mail account about a year ago and I did that to subscribe to two work related listservs that were clogging up my Inbox on my work account because I never had time to look at them here. Now they clog up my Inbox on my Comcast e-mail account at home because I have to fight the computer away from my spouse, but mostly because I can't bear the thought of being the computer after being on almost all day at work.

Also, even though most people who know me through work think I am an extrovert, it isn't true. I know I am an introvert because when I get home after a day of computers and people-contact, the last thing I want is more people contact, even if it's virtual. Social, I'm really not.

Despite all the protesting, I might consider Facebook, because I know several of my lovely colleagues and former colleagues are on Facebook and I liked the idea of keeping my privacy. MySpace looked like a meat market. Reminded me of my brief stint as a Bally health club member. Young people cruising to meet other young people, looking for more physical, than social contact.

LinkedIn might interest me if I knew other librarians were on board, but I couldn't find a way to search by profession, or maybe that option is only open to members.

So, some day you might see me on Social Networking site, but not just yet.