OLJ Assignment: Policy on Internet Use

Shirley Garcia

Student ID #: 11468539

Info 506: Social Networking for Information Professionals

Lyn Hay—Fall 2010

Five Shifts or Trends that Impact Online Behavior: 

1.       The digital environment is far faster than what could be traditional methods of communication and formal information sources (e.g., newspapers, print book publishing).

2.       Access to digital tools is only increasing…it's not just a select few using these tools as it may have been 15 years ago.

3.       Online advertising is reaching a greater amount of people than print or television advertising.

4.       The focus has shifted to creating and sharing knowledge as opposed to a static online environment that did not encourage user contribution.

5.       The sites allow for quicker communication and ways to generate revenue than marketing campaigns that do not utilize online social networking tools

Online Behavior, Adolescents, and Library Policy:

When I think of the need for creating policy regarding digital information, my first thoughts are of how important policy is when working with young people. Within any library setting, but perhaps most importantly, in a school library setting, it is extremely important to define a policy for how these tools can and should be used. The delineations of such policies need to be clear and concise to protect patrons, information professionals, and in within schools, the schools themselves.

When dealing with an adolescent population, for example, it becomes important to remember that regardless of explanation or education regarding the use of the internet and its associated online tools, developmentally, many adolescents are late in developing abstract thinking skills. That is, in many cases it will be nearly impossible for the adolescent with weak or non-existent abstract conceptual skills to understand the ramifications of present behavior on the future. This is not something that can be understood unless the adolescent is physiologically at the developmental point to understand this concept in the abstract. Without this understanding, it becomes of great importance to have guidelines be in place to ensure that these tools are used with the minimal amount of damage possible, in the present and in the future.

Information exposure, cyberbullying, and a host of other difficulties with long lasting ramifications are present to the adolescent. Policy makers must insure that they not only create guidelines that protect the students, but the staff, library, and district (when applicable).

Such policies should include appropriate conduct and the immediate consequences for violation of appropriate online conduct. Yes, it is important to explain why the policies are in place from several perspectives, but in the event that these explanations are minimized or not fully understood, the immediate consequence of violating the guidelines will serve to help prevent adolescents from creating dangerous situations.