What is MySpace:

"MySpace is a popular social networking website offering an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music and videos..." - Wikipedia

"... Web-based social networking spaces offer a way for individuals or groups to create a profile of themselves, then share that profile with other members of the social networking space.  The specific site also provides a variety of ways for users to communicate with others in the space, such as instant messaging and chat rooms, e-mail or site mail (used only use through the service), notes and blogs, file sharing, forums or other types of discussion groups, videos, and so on." - Webopedia [Note: on some sites, EVERYONE on the Internet can see your profile]

The masses go with the popular flow. Overheard: "Facebook is the new MySpace." Expect the social networking web phenomena to come at you in a plethora of funny words on a regular and increasing basis!

Let's take a look:

Canastota Librateens  MySpace for a library-sponsored group of teens

Waterville Public Library MySpace and Teen MySpace

Save the Internet positions themselves on both MySpace and Facebook 

Beverly's Page on Library 2.0 a network created on Ning  

"Hennipen County (Minn.) Library boasts one example of how to do it well."-- American Libraries November 2007 p. 28

MySpace and Teens An index of library MySpace profiles oriented towards teen patrons

How to step by step and demonstrations:

In the workshop, watch Diane, Beverly or Nancy create a MySpace.

Create your own MySpace (worksheetmyspace.txt):

1. Go to www.myspace.com and select SIGN UP!
2. Fill in the form - it asks for email address, name, password (must have at least one number or punctuation sign), country, postal code, date of birth (suggestion- do NOT reveal your real birthdate), gender; then verify account.
3. Select the link 'Skip for now' at the Invite Friends to Your Space page. You can do that later.
4. Select the link to Verify your email address.
5. Select the link to Pick your MySpace Name/URL. Be sure to choose a very unique name.
6. Log into your email, click on the links to verify.
7. Go back to MySpace and see what else you can do.

Homework:

1. Invite friends. Accept friends.
2. Add a posting to your blog or wiki that links to your MySpace.
3. Add something to your MySpace: profile picture, picture(s), blog entry, bulletin

Tips (or, things I couldn't figure out except this way):

• To view your MySpace, go to your MySpace url. However, to be able to do anything, go to www.myspace.com and login. Once you do that, anytime you select the Home link, you will go back to the page at which you can manage your MySpace.
• There are 2 ways to get friends: (1) The annoying way: Use the "Invite" link and send to an email; however, they will then need to set up a MySpace account if they don't already have one. (2) The difficult way: From the Profile page of a MySpace, select the "Add to Friends" link  found under the "Contacting," section just below the person's picture. The difficult part is finding a MySpace page that you want as a friend.
• To get to the MySpace beta editor and change background, colors, etc. select Edit Profile, then Profile Editor, then the Customize tab.
• Everything is probably different for any other social networking site!

Good principles and practices:

• VERY IMPORTANT! Do not reveal anything that you are not willing to have show up on the front page of every newspaper in the world!

Other notable social networking websites:

Facebook

Ning

Quechup

List of social networking websites  in Wikipedia

Why use MySpace (or any social networking site)?

Pimpitout.net offers ideas

Kids say e-mail is, like, soooo dead, By Stefanie Olsen, Staff Writer, CNET News.com Published: July 18, 2007

More about social networking websites:

Friends: Social Networking Sites for Engaged Library Services   devoted to the use of online social networking sites for any and all types of library-related programs or services.

Webby Award Winners 2007 Social Networking  

Use of social network websites in investigations Wikipedia article: "Social network services are increasingly being used in legal and criminal investigations. Information posted on sites such as MySpace and Facebook, has been used by police and university officials to prosecute users of said sites. In some situations, content posted on MySpace has been used in court to determine an appropriate sentence based on a defendant's attitude."

Social Networking Websites and Teens: An Overview, from Pew Internet & American Life Project 

Social network traffic up 11.5 percent; MySpace still dominates, by Steve O'Hear, Mary 2007. Includes a list of the Market Share of US Internet Visits to Top 20 Social Networking Sites as of February 2007

Social networking websites review, from Top Ten Reviews website

How MySpace Works, from How Stuff Works website

SEOmoz's Web 2.0 Awards - 2007 Social Networking

Mashable: social networking news  

 I changed this page!