Weekly Reader

Facebook: A Profile of its 'Friends'
"For years, the Pew Internet & American Life Project has been polling people who use social media, asking how they use it and what they get out of it. The results paint an interesting picture of what kind of people use sites such as Facebook, who they are connected to and how they manage their privacy. As Facebook prepares for its IPO, we've curated a picture of Facebook ‘friends,' with some data points, charts and salient facts." -- Sara Kehaulani Goo, Pew Research Center Publications, 5/16/12
Creator of 'Anonymous' Gossip Site Names Names
"Campus-gossip Web sites like JuicyCampus and CollegeACB used the lure of anonymity to entice students to post on them. The cloak gave students a virtual bathroom wall on which to write racy rumors and explicit insults about their peers without fear of being exposed. Now, the creator of a similar site at Pennsylvania State University has apparently turned that veil of secrecy inside-out, hoping to teach students a public lesson about cyberbullying." -- Nick DeSantis, The Wired Campus, 5/9/12

How Not to Tweet for Your Library
"Twitter is one of the best tools for promoting library services, resources, and programs. Lots of libraries use Twitter well. Check out the New York Public Library, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Kansas City Public Library, and UIUC Undergraduate Library for some good examples. However, some libraries send out tweets that aren’t particularly welcoming. Some tweets simply do not help in the promotion of library services and resources." -- Joe Hardenbrook, Mr. Library Dude, 5/10/12

The Road to Academic Success is Paved with Stylish Academic Writing
"Several years ago I sent out an email to colleagues in which I asked two questions: What is ‘stylish academic writing’, and who are the most stylish writers in your field? Within days, responses had pinged into my inbox from across the disciplines and around the globe. Stylish academic writers, my colleagues told me, convey complex ideas in lively, well-crafted prose that engages readers, tells stories, expresses conviction, employs concrete examples and avoids gratuitous jargon." -- Helen Sword, Impact of Social Sciences, 5/14/12

Do You Turn Down Speaking Gigs Because You're Not "The Expert?"
"In the recent post Do you talk yourself out of speaking--or say yes to opportunity? I was exploring the suggestion I've heard that qualified women speakers refer invitations on to men or otherwise turn down speaking gigs they might have taken." -- Denise Graveline, The Eloquent Woman, 5/9/12