Social Media Panel and Discussion at the Macon County Public Library

PRESS RELEASE

Macon County Public Library

149 Siler Farm Rd.

Franklin, NC 28734

828-524-3600

Event date: Thursday, May 11, 6pm

Contact: Cassie Chambliss, cchambliss@fontanalib.org, 828-524-3600

Social Media Panel and Discussion at the Macon County Public Library

On Thursday, May 11th at 6pm, Macon County Public Library will host a panel and discussion on the uses of social media. This program is an invitation to learn and share perspectives about online resources, whether you are new to social media, immersed in cyberculture, or skeptical about the whole thing. Four local community members--Bobby Coggins, Elise Delfield, Jennifer Dills, and Timothy Tweed, all experienced at choosing between social media platforms and navigating the streams of digital communication--will talk about why they use their social media accounts, the communities they follow, and what they gain from them.

Being able to connect on Facebook has become an assumption for a lot of people, and we hear references to Twitter on the news almost daily. But "social media" includes a lot more than Facebook and Twitter, and some of it might surprise you. Online communities have been likened to different countries on a virtual map, each with its own cultural and linguistic norms. This is one reason visiting a social media website can be disorienting at first, but it also reflects the diversity of purposes and styles among social sites. Online platforms offer a wealth of possibilities for engaging with art, entertainment, businesses, government, community groups, friends, and family. And new uses are always emerging as people solve problems, create businesses, and play. If you haven’t spent much time exploring social media, this program will give you a chance to look beyond Facebook and see some other places on the social media map.

Like any kind of social or technological endeavor, using social media also poses challenges. There is a learning curve for each platform, privacy settings are not always clear, and the flow of incoming information can be overwhelming...to say nothing of the novel social situations we can find ourselves in unexpectedly. It’s reasonable to ask whether the benefits outweigh the hassle and the risks. But it’s important for users to know that they have options, and that they can control the experience.

Bring your questions and personal observations to the library on May 11 at 6pm, and join us for the discussion as our panelists illustrate some of the choices they make on social media, from the perspectives of artist, gamer, business owner, journalist, lurker, educator, activist, friend.

Note: This is not a class or a how-to discussion. There will be beginning Twitter class at the Jackson County Public Library on May 17, and a class on Facebook Privacy Settings at the Macon County Public Library on May 23. Call or visit the library for more information.

About the panelists:

Bobby Coggins is a citizen journalist and blogger committed to providing independent coverage of the local news and events impacting residents of Macon County. His reporting can be found on Facebook (Macon Media News, Weather and Information , Macon Media), Blogger (thunderpig.blogspot.com), Google+ (Macon Media), and Twitter (WNC Scan).

Elise W.P. Delfield is a potter and pottery instructor in Bryson City. As a small business owner and part of a niche market (contemporary handmade pottery) Elise has been using social media platforms like Facebook (PincuPottery), Instagram (pincupottery), and Twitter (PincuPottery) for a good long time to help her business, network with the community, and have fun.

Jennifer Dills is a Technical Services Assistant at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. She has accounts with several different social media platforms, such as Twitch, Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. What she likes about each is that she can keep up with her interests, and still maintain the lurker persona she closely guards.

Timothy Tweed is an Adult Services Assistant at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Familiar with social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, he finds them useful for keeping up with long distance friends in addition to following other creative folks.