Course:LIBR559A/Hansen, K., Nowlan, G. & Winter, C. (2012)

Citation

Hansen, K., Nowlan, G. & Winter, C. (2012). Pinterest as a tool: applications in academic libraries and higher education. Partnership: the Canadian journal of library and information practice and research, 7(2). Available at: http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/1318938726/fulltextPDF/E6A045BEC4504A0FPQ/1?accountid=14656

Annotation

The article is a case study, that presents the process by which the University of Regina Library underwent in creating a Pinterest account. Pinterest works as a digital pinboard, where people can pin photos and videos that interest them. Libraries can use the Pinterest as a social media to help display new acquisitions, share good books with the community and promote library events.

One of the ideas brought by the article is the copyright of the digital content, published or shared (pinned and repinned) by people. Works in the public domain, or with Creative Commons can be shared. Because of copyright laws, Pinterest develops an application that can be installed into websites to prohibit the pin of the social media. Pinterest was used at the University of Regina Library as a tool to promote new acquisitions, events, and news of the library and interact with patrons – that would upload their good reads and comment about it. Pinterest could also be used in education, as a tool to compile images and videos about a topic, that could be shared with students and get comments.

The author presents concepts related to copyright, as stated in the Copyright Act, to analyze the situation of sharing content on Pinterest.

The contributions of the article are related to the use of Pinterest in academic libraries and in education. The novel idea of the piece was presenting this social media as an interesting option for the mentioned institutions and for presenting the process that the library underwent to implement it. The article brings up Pinterest as a social media to be used by libraries, including academic libraries. Libraries have adopted the use of social media to be close to patrons and the community, using the tool as a media of communication. The most common social media to be used by these institutions are Twitter and Facebook. Having a Pinterest account is not so popular, so the article can contribute for this social media to become popular among libraries and for patrons to be used to access content also through Pinterest.

Areas, topics and keywords

Pinterest. Academic libraries. Social media technologies. Higher education. Copyright.

Author page: Paula Arasaki