Social Networking

Facebook and social networking in general are a fascinating phenomenon. I confess that I don't entirely get it. I have a profile which I check rarely and update even less, and I didn't start using it at all until after I graduated from college, which, I know, is strange nowadays. Everyone's on it, which makes more people want to join. It is a great time-waster, and a great way to get attention, if that's your idea of a good time. I must say, a lot of stupidity also happens on Facebook, as demonstrated here (funny but quite rude for delicate sensibilities). On the positive side, it's also a good way to stay in touch with people with very little effort, as well as a good way to share pictures, links, and news with people you know.
As people use Facebook more, its other downsides are coming to light more, but by being aware of them, we can minimize them. Privacy concerns, have been an issue, so more people are taking precautions like setting profiles to be viewed only by friends or not including their last names, addresses, etc. Photos on Facebook have kept people from being hired based on what the candidate is doing in them, so now job-seekers are taking down problematic pictures, or at the very least untagging them before it becomes a problem. Moms and dads are starting to join Facebook as well, so things are a little more supervised.
The fact that everyone is using Facebook gives it a lot of potential. If you have an event or service at your library that you want people to hear about, get it on Facebook. Start spreading it around and people will see it. It seems like people are checking on their news feeds almost constantly, at home, in class, on their iPhones. If you can get someone to like your page, they'll check and see your updates. Facebook is especially popular (heavily used) among young people, which is an important group to reach out to.