Social Networking

Posts Tagged social networking

Easy-to-Keep New Year’s Resolutions!

Posted by Sarah in JPS Books, Publishing, Uncategorized on December 29, 2009

New Year’s – one of those really big flashy holidays where everything glitters. Literally. People sit around with bubbly champagne, crazy hats, and a list of things they plan to do differently in the coming year.

That’s right, the infamous list of New Year’s resolutions. The things each person wants to change, but rarely does. So, maybe it’s time to find some New Year’s resolutions that you can easily accomplish! Need some help? Here are some easy resolutions just for you, from JPS:

1. Read a book that you’d never think to read – Ever get too caught up in the things you know you like and forget about trying something new? The New Year is a perfect time to branch out and read a book that is totally out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s a New York Times bestseller, a used out-of-print novel, or a JPS title , I can guarantee you that the books you may be least likely to read are sometimes the ones that surprise you most. So, take a chance!

2. Comment on a blog – whether you’re a fan or not, blogs are here to stay (woohoo!), so you might as well take part in the action! Bloggers, myself included, love to hear what readers have to say. I mean, after all, it IS an interactive community, meaning we thrive off comments and discussion. Even if you disagree with what’s being said, tell us! It spices up the conversation.

3. Try an e-book – Yes, I know I’ve made it clear that I’m not entirely sold on e-readers and e-books, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t see what they’re like! Got an iPod touch? Or a friend with a Kindle? If so, take some time to check out a device, and then let us know what you think! We’re always interested in hearing more about the print vs. e-book debate.

Try out these simple resolutions, and start out the New Year on a high. Good luck!

-Sarah

books, books recommendation, e-book, Jewish Publication Society, JPS, publishing industry, social networking, technology

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Become Your Own Book Critic

Posted by Sarah in Jewish Books, Publishing on October 22, 2009

Imagine it. A place where social networking combines with books – creating one of the largest communal book groups in existence. When I heard that such a place existed, I was so excited. What better combination could there be for someone like me, who works with social media and books everyday? My only disappointment is that it took me almost three years to discover this place. So, for all of you out there who have yet to stumble upon this site and hear about it from friends, allow me to invite you into the world of Goodreads!

It all started a week or so ago when a friend of mine insisted that I join. When I asked her what it was all about, she told me about how members can indicate which books they are reading and have read in the past, and then review/rate their selections. The site includes millions of books for readers to rate, and even allows individuals to add books that the site may have missed. How cool is this?! You can make an entirely virtual library and share with other the greatest books you’ve ever read, along with the greatest duds. Delve into this site, and you’ll find books spanning numerous genres, allowing you to experience any type of writing you want!

Here’s the best part. You can find JPS books on Goodreads!

Have you been dying for a way to share with people your favorite JPS books? Or, maybe you wish you could’ve reviewed a JPS book, but you had no way of doing so. Well, now you do! Not to mention, we love seeing how the public feels about our books, so take this opportunity to share your opinions with us and the rest of the reading community. And, of course, relish in the chance to connect with others through similar reading interests! There’s nothing more exciting than finding someone who loves the same books you do.

Have fun!

-Sarah

books, books recommendation, innovation, jewish authors, jewish books, publishing industry, social networking, technology, trends

3 Comments

Televised Services – Too Much?

Posted by Sarah in Jewish Books on September 17, 2009

When it comes to offering easy ways to pray, how much is too much?

I was reading a great eJewish Philanthropy blog post today that discussed the availability of free High Holiday services for those wishing to participate without spending a lot of their hard-earned money. As someone who was until recently a student, I definitely appreciate the fact that there are places to pray without having to pay for a seat. And, in these economic times, the idea has become more commonplace as synagogues wish to avoid discouraging attendance. Therefore, as I read this post, I was pleased to see such a variety of ways to participate in the High Holidays without putting a huge dent in your wallet. However, I soon stumbled upon the mention of a possibility that startled me: Jewish TV Network actually offers a televised Kol Nidre service!

Source: http://www.fotosearch.com

Needless to say, I’ve never heard of this before, and the idea doesn’t make me happy.

Let’s think about it. The High Holiday season is one of the few (maybe even the only) times a year that almost every Jew attends services. Synagogues only typically half full or scraping by to get a minyan find themselves forced to offer a standing room only section as pews fill to capacity. Picture it. A time of year when such a large group comes together to pray. The sense of community is fantastic! So, imagine my disappointment upon discovering that people may have a way to avoid attending services, thanks to the offering of a televised gathering. Do people really need a reason to stay home? The option certainly makes sense for those physically unable to attend. In fact, I think it’s wonderful that these people still have a way to experience the holidays. But, what about everyone else?

In a society where technology is so prevalent, do we really need it taking over another aspect of our lives? Relying on a TV for services eliminates the communal feeling, the commitment ones makes to G-d by attending services, and the feeling of participation. Therefore, this High Holiday season, I beg you! Go to synagogue. Feel the connection. And, truly ring in the New Year.

-Sarah

education, holidays, money, rosh hashanah, social networking, tradition, trends, yom kippur

4 Comments

The Book of Life Podcast: Why be Social?

Posted by Alx in JPS Books, Jewish Books, Jewish Innovation, Jewish Knowledge on August 20, 2009

Heidi Estrin who produces the Book of Life Podcast has outdone herself. She has put together a four-part series of podcasts called Why be Social? that pretty much sums up Social Media. The concept was born from a session given at the AJL convention in Chicago by Mark Blevis. Below is the series in its entirety. Enjoy!

-Alx

Why Be Social? Part 1, Philosophy

SHOW NOTES:

Why Be Social? To add a Jewish point of view to the social media landscape!

At the Association of Jewish Libraries 2009 convention in Chicago this summer, podcaster Mark Blevis led a session on Social Media that opened the floodgates of people’s curiosity. Convention attendees wanted to learn more about social media: what it is, what it means to participate, and how to get started. As a continuation of that conversation, The Book of Life is offering a series of podcast episodes called “Why Be Social?”

Part 1 in the Why Be Social series considers the philosophical aspects of technology in our lives. The wide-ranging conversation was held during breakfast at the Association of Jewish Libraries 2009 convention, the morning after the social media convention session.

AUDIO:

Click the play button on our traditional flash player to listen to the podcast now:

Or click MP3 File to start your computer’s media player.

EMBED:

If you’d like to place this audio on your own web site, please use this stand-alone player from Entertonement. Click the embed button and copy the code!

VIDEO:

This very funny video (in Norwegian! but with English subtitles) reminds us of how difficult an unfamiliar technology can seem at first, and how simple it can turn out to be. Thanks to Mark Blevis for the link – he showed this video as an ice-breaker during his social media session at the AJL convention.

CREDITS:

Produced by: Feldman Children’s Library at Congregation B’nai Israel
Supported in part by: Association of Jewish Libraries
Theme music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Facebook fan page: facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Twitter: @bookoflifepod

Your feedback is appreciated! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com!

Why Be Social? Part 2, Definitions

SHOW NOTES:

Why Be Social? To add a Jewish point of view to the social media landscape!

This is Why Be Social, Part 2. The morning after the social media session at the convention, I conducted some quick “man on the street” interviews, asking people for their own definitions of blogging and podcasting. Every single person had a good answer!

AUDIO:

Click the play button on our traditional flash player to listen to the podcast now:

Or click MP3 File to start your computer’s media player.

EMBED:

If you’d like to place this audio on your own web site, please use this stand-alone player from Entertonement. Click the embed button and copy the code!

VIDEO:

Here are two videos from Common Craft that give additional definitions of blogging and podcasting: “Blogs in Plain English” and “Podcasting in Plain English.”

CREDITS:

Your feedback is appreciated! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com!

Why Be Social? Part 3, Suggestions

SHOW NOTES:

Why Be Social? To add a Jewish point of view to the social media landscape!

This is Why Be Social, Part 3. I hope the earlier episodes in this series have gotten you interested checking out some real live blogs and podcasts. There are zillions of blog and podcast websites online, so where do you get started? Here with some suggestions of blogs and podcasts relating to Jewish literature is Alx Block, Online Sales and Marketing Manager for the Jewish Publication Society. Scroll down for links to those suggestions, and to a list of blogs and other social media sites that are read by, and sometimes created by, individual members of the Association of Jewish Libraries. Have fun checking them out!

AUDIO:

Click the play button on our traditional flash player to listen to the podcast now:

Or click MP3 File to start your computer’s media player.

EMBED:

If you’d like to place this audio on your own web site, please use this stand-alone player from Entertonement. Click the embed button and copy the code!

Here are links to the blogs and podcasts we talk about in this episode (in order discussed):

The Jewish Publication Society Blog at http://jpsblog.org/blog/

The Book of Life podcast at http://bookoflifepodcast.com

The Association of Jewish Libraries blog, “People of the Books,” at http://jewishlibraries.org/blog

The Association of Jewish Libraries Podcast at http://jewishlibraries.org/podcast

The Jewish Book Council Blog at http://jewishbooks.wordpress.com

Jewish Books for Children with Author Barbara Bietz’ blog at http://barbarabbookblog.blogspot.com

Jewish Comics with Steven Bergson at http://jewishcomics.blogspot.com

Comix Friday at Jweekly at http://www.jweekly.com/blog/the-art-scene

A Big Jewish Blog (poetry) at http://abigjewishblog.blogspot.com

The Jewish Literary Review at http://www.jewishliteraryreview.com

Hagahot at http://manuscriptboy.blogspot.com

Tablet (the new Nextbook) at http://www.tabletmag.com

Vox Tablet podcast at http://www.tabletmag.com/category/podcasts

Social media recommendations by Association of Jewish Libraries members:

Barbara Bibel says: I like Karen Schneider’s blog, “Free Range Librarian.” I also like the blogs that Booklist Online has. I contribute to one of them, “Points of Reference.”

Ezra Chwat suggests: Giluy Milta B’’alma
In this blog, we present primary publications, or announcements of new and interesting findings, in Hebrew manuscripts. Often, significant discoveries are not on the scale of a full-size periodical article, but are nonetheless worthy of knowing about. This department is also a good place to announce preliminary findings, in order to arouse discussion and input of fellow scholars, before the final and complete publication. Your short article, or announcement (subject to the discretion of the editors) will be posted on our blog and will be stored in the blogs retrievable archive, as well as in a hardcopy archive. The archive which will be stored in the stacks of the National Library of Israel, and each accepted post will be allotted a serial number for bibliographic citation (this post is numbered GMB0001). Post your discoveries, findings, and previews in a short article (3 printed pages or less), at giluy.milta@gmail.com.

Marie Cloutier says: I blog about books (Jewish and non-) at www.bostonbibliophile.com. I also blog about crafts at crafthour.blogspot.com, for Temple Israel at tisraelbostonsummerinthecity.blogspot.com (say that 3x fast) and Hello Kitty collecting at hellokittyboston.blogspot.com. I’m active on Twitter (@bostonbibliophl), LibraryThing, Delicious and other applications. I used to listen to a lot of podcasts but have tapered that off substantially and now listen to Book of Life and Books on the Nightstand.

Heidi Estrin (me): I host The Book of Life podcast and blog, and I helped AJL establish its blog and podcast. I also blog for AJL’s South Florida chapter at www.sfajl.org, and occassionally for the Sydney Taylor Book Award at sydneytaylorbookaward.blogspot.com.

I love to listen to these great podcasts:

Just One More Book, a podcast about children’s books

The Canadian Podcast Buffet (by and for podcasters)

Books on the Nightstand

Nancy Pearl’s Book Lust

Authors on Tour

Grownups Read Things They Wrote As Kids

Sounds Jewish (from The Guardian in the UK)

And a few of the blogs that I read are:

Teruah – Jewish Music

Follow the Reader

Chasing Ray

I’m Here, I’m Queer, What the Hell Do I Read?

Jewish Books for Children with Author Barbara Bietz

A Fuse #8 Production

And I like to explore blogs on the list at Kidlitosphere Central

Val Morehouse says: My personal blog called HoopDance [poetry, books, podcasts, etc.] is at www.valmorehouse.com.

Linda Silver is the force behind the Jewish Values Finder database at www.ajljewishvalues.org. She says: I read many political blogs, esp. those having to do with Israel. I read some book-related stuff, such as the (mostly trivial) newsletters from SLJ, Kirkus, and PW that appear among my email messages.

Karen Ulric gave us two whole lists:

Library Blogs
• AssortedStuff
• Gargoyles loose in the library
• Google Librarian Central
• Google Librarian Newsletter Google Group
• Killin’ time being lazy
• Librarians’ Internet Index: New This Week
• Library Garden
• Library of Congress Blog
• Library of Congress: News
• NPR Blogs: As A Matter Of Fact
• People of the Books
• The Shifted Librarian

Literature Blogs
• A Fuse #8 Production
• Brooklyn Arden
• educating alice
• Hennepin County Library – Bookspace Blog
• Judge a Book by its Cover
• Muller In the Middle
• NPR Topics: Books
• Saints and Spinners
• The Longstockings
• Ypulse: Media for the Next Generation

Jane Zande says: Besides The Book of Life and the AJL blog, I regularly read Marie Cloutier’s blog, The Boston Bibliophile. A part of her blog is just for Jewish books:
http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/search/label/jewish%20interest.

CREDITS:

Your feedback is appreciated! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com!

Why Be Social? Part 4, Create-Consume-Contribute

Why be social? To add a Jewish point of view to the social media landscape!

At the Association of Jewish Libraries 2009 convention in Chicago this summer, podcaster Mark Blevis led a session on Social Media that opened the floodgates of people’s curiosity. Convention attendees wanted to learn more about social media: what it is, what it means to participate, and how to get started. As a continuation of that conversation, The Book of Life is offering a series of podcast episodes called “Why Be Social?” Here are the earlier segments: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

This is Why Be Social, Part 4. In this episode, blogger and podcaster Mark Blevis, the one who started this entire conversation, joins Heidi to talk about what it means to participate in life online. Scroll down for links to Mark’s many online projects and for links to some non-Jewish social media sources I want you to know about (you’ll hear why on the show).

AUDIO:

Click the play button on our traditional flash player to listen to the podcast now:

Or click MP3 File to start your computer’s media player.

EMBED:

If you’d like to place this audio on your own web site, please use this stand-alone player from Entertonement. Click the embed button and copy the code!

Why Be Social? The Whole Megillah

Our “Why Be Social?” series was posted in four parts. Here, for your convenience, are all four episodes together in a single player.

books recommendation, children's books, social networking, technology, trends

1 Comment

Jewish Book Search!

Posted by Alx in JPS Books, Jewish Books, Jewish Innovation, Jewish Knowledge on August 3, 2009

Finally, people interested in searching for Jewish Book content have a place to go!

So here on the JPS blog, we try to make sure that our posts are about the Jewish Book World at large, and not just our own titles. Each time we search on the topic to try to come up with posts it just seems that we are weeding through tons and tons of pages that are not relevant at all to the world that we are so excited about.

Well. We decided to do something about it.

We have put together a list of the highest quality websites with Jewish Book content. This search engine queries those sites and those alone. This will allow you to be sure that your search will only be related to Jewish Books. No more sifting through tons of content for what you are looking for. Search for any and all Jewish Books, articles about Jewish Books, blogs about Jewish Books, and anything about the Jewish Book world. Search by title, author, keyword, or area of interest!

The Jewish Book Search has been born!

We would love to add your Jewish Book related site into the search engine. Just shoot me an email at jewishbook@jewishpub.org letting me know that you have added a link to the Jewish Book Search and we will see if your site is a good fit. To ensure the quality of the search, not all sites can be added.

You can even add this search to your site!

Just copy and paste this code where you want it to display:

-Alx

bible, books recommendation, publishing industry, social networking, technology, trends

1 Comment

Welcome to our Brave, New World!

Posted by Laurie in Jewish Books on July 14, 2009

Source: http://www.melindastanley.com

So, the pressure is on! I am the first (o.k., maybe the third or fourth) to admit that I’m old-school. I started my working life back when we actually used IBM Selectric® typewriters and “White-Out.®” It was 3-4 years after I started at my first publishing job that I set eyes on my first desktop computer.

I’ve learned a lot since then – about publishing and about the wonderful electronic world that rapidly took over so much of our business and personal activities and the ways in which we communicate and relate to each other in the two decades (sigh!) since my first hesitant taps on my computer keyboard. I’ve gone from telex to fax to email. And, as we close in on the end of the first decade of the 21^st century, my amazing staff of internet savvy, social networking mavens, have now gotten me blogging!

And gotten me thinking… do any of us in this “transitional’ generation ever stop to just think how far we’ve come in such a (relatively) short time? Or are we just too busy trying to keep up and keep ahead to stop and smell those proverbial roses, and marvel at how far we’ve come and what a wonder this brave new world can be, if we use it well?

JPS just celebrated our 120^th anniversary year. The organization began as a means to help new Jewish immigrants to America find their way in their own brave new world, while still keeping hold of their Jewish heritage. By publishing the Jewish Bible in English translation, the Jewish Publication Society of America gave our grandparents and great-grandparents a way to assimilate to their new country, while keeping hold of what bound them together as Jews. The “People of the Book” would continue to be just that, but the Book would be in the new language of their new land of opportunity.

Now, 120 years later, JPS is able to share the Jewish Bible, as well as the many important books we’ve published since, in the blink of an eye or the stroke of a key, to all of those far-flung places that our families came from so many years ago. We can send bibles to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, or to Jewish congregations in Ghana or Nigeria – and then post pictures of those JPS Mitzvah Project recipients within moments of receiving them via email.

We can let people across the country and around the world know the moment we publish a new book, via a blog posting or a news flash sent out via RSS feed. We can announce new awards we are proud to receive or an upcoming author event, through dozens of listservs, author websites, our own JPS site, and through online newspaper and broadcast media calendars – for starters.

The possibilities are truly astounding and endless, and really link us, in the best possible ways, to each other and our global community.

I’ve learned the lingo of the online world, I can upload web content using the most basic of html code, I can now even proudly say that I have blogged. But please, I beg of you, do NOT try to make me Tweet!

-Laurie

publishing industry, social networking, technology, trends

No Comments

The Jewish Non-Profit Guide to Social Media Marketing

Posted by Alx in Jewish Books, Jewish Innovation, Jewish Knowledge on July 2, 2009

Source: http://neilojwilliams.net

What a world and oy vey! There is so much digital swirl swooshing around your head every nano-second and you don’t have a clue how to even begin Social Media Marketing for your teeny tiny Jewish non-profit.

Well. We’re here to help.

In the past few months, JPS has moved to the next level with this stuff. Our blog is booming- we have over 1,000 fans on Facebook and over 1,200 followers on Twitter. These media have become three of the top ten referrers of web traffic to our regular website, and our hits have nearly doubled. We’re branding ourselves in a digital world, and I have to say, it’s pretty exciting for a 120 year old Jewish non-profit!

It can seem a bit overwhelming at first, but with a little bit of time you will be writing your own how-to tutorials!

Why Social Media Marketing?

Let’s face it: Most people live their lives online nowadays. They are there to connect, be social, find information, make purchases, and even order dinner. People are integrating their personal lives more and more with their internet lives by communicating only through Facebook and Twitter and saving on cell phone minutes. So why not join them?

The truth is that people don’t go online to be marketed to. People go online to achieve something.

So here is rule number one. Don’t market. Again. I’ll repeat rule number one. Don’t market.

Source: http://i.ehow.com

This is about meeting people where they are. This is about adding value to the internet and providing a resource for people on their own terms. It is not about the hard sell. You’ll just turn people away.

Great! I get it! Now how do I do it?

There are a bagillion web tools that people use daily. Yes, a new one pops up every time you get used to the last one. Yes, it’s hard to keep up with them all. But wait! You’re not alone. As a marketer, you are ahead of the curve. Your eyes are open wider than the general public’s. Their world is moving just as fast as yours, so take a deep breath. You can do this.

Here are some best practices for some of the big guns in the world of Web 2.0.

Facebook:

• Create both a Fan Page and a Cause for your non-profit. (A Fan Page must be connected to a personal profile, so be sure that you have one set up before you dive in. You’ll be glad you did.)

• Join groups of similar interest to your organization.

• Use your page to update fans about things relating to your world, but not necessarily your own work. For example, we post links to Jewish history sites for added value.

• Pull your blog posts into “Notes.” (More on blogging later.) Facebook offers some nifty ways to integrate your media and walks you through all of it.

• Be current. People judge pages based on how often you update. You can always set your Twitter feed to pull in automatically and update your status for you. (Yup. More on Twitter later.)

• Be colorful. The web is becoming increasingly about aesthetics. You want the quality of your logo to be good. Upload images as frequently as possible. Better yet, add videos to your page.

Twitter:

• Twitter is about conversation. So. Have some.

• You can speak directly to people by using the @ symbol and their username. So you should absolutely tell @jewishpub that you read this post and like it.

• Use hash tags (#) to talk about a specific subject or event. When I attended the AAUP conference I would tweet:

• Don’t be afraid to hold Twitter-only contests. This is about getting people involved. For example, every Wednesday at 1:30 we give a free book away to anyone who can answer a trivia question based on something from our blog or website.

Blog:

• You can use a free blogging program like Wordpress or Blogger to set up your blog in just a few clicks. (I’m partial to Wordpress since you can install it on your own hosting and keep your own URL.)

• This is where you really get to add value to what you do. Since you work so hard for the greater good, you might as well talk about the greater good!

• Be yourself. People need to know that a person is writing and not an organization. If you’re smart enough to know the difference, so are your readers.

• It’s O.K. to plug your own work on your own blog, but the blog shouldn’t JUST be about that. If you work for a Jewish immigration organization, your topics could span from conditions in a certain country to the naturalization process.

• Pretty, pretty, pretty. Pictures, videos, links, colors, and fonts. You don’t have to make people love the look of your site; just don’t turn them away. Remember that simplicity is also good. Google won out over Yahoo! because Google was simple and Yahoo! was hectic.

• Promote the pants off of your blog (In three weeks, our blog has become the number one referrer of web traffic to our main website).

Ok! I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and have a Blog! Now what!?

Remember that these things must work together in order to be able to work at all. You can tweet about your Blog post and send updates to your Facebook fans. You can set your Twitter account to update your Status on Facebook. You can link to all of your “spaces” right from your Blog. (Hey. It’s called a WEB for a reason, right?)

You have to keep up with it. The hardest part in all of this is staff time. I know that we all work hard, and none of us has a free moment in our busy Jewish non-profit world, but it must be done. Have a staffer tweet three times a day and write two blog posts a week. It will take less time than you think after the ball is rolling. Promise.

Once this is all set up and moving, you will start to see the results in just a few months. People will trust you more since you have met them on their level. You will become an expert in your field, because your sites will come up when Googled. People will begin to interact, and you will start to feel like you have made great strides in managing this digital swirl that is swooshing around your heads.

-Alx

innovation, nonprofit, social networking, technology, trends

9 Comments

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