Hello There
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Who am I?
Hello. My name is Mary Lee (she/her). I am a Children's Associate with the Chicago Public Library. This upcoming fall I will graduate Dominican University with a Master's of Library and Information Science degree. I hope to become a children's librarian in the near future!
When I'm not busy with work and school, I love going to the theatre, the cinema, and music concerts. I just saw In the Heights at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, IL. The performances were amazing.
I try to read at least two novels a month, but it's hard to keep up. I am currently reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarrow. It's not my normal type of genre, but I am giving it a chance. One silly accomplishment is that I am rewatching Grey's Anatomy. Currently, I am on season 17! It's been a journey.
My Relationship with Social Media
I don't think of myself as someone who uses social media that much, but I do partake on several platforms. Social media platforms I use include X (formerly known as Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Goodreads, Letterboxd, and Pinterest. All my different forms of social media accomplish different tasks.
I made my X account over 14 years ago when I was just a teenager. Back then, I used to used it to chat with friends and share memes, but now I mainly use the platform to keep up to date with global and local news. I follow journalists, news organizations, and film/book critics. Some of my favorite accounts to follow include Film Updates and Block Club Chicago. My X profile (as seen below) references two of my favorite television shows, Friends and The Office.
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| Image Source: Personal Photo |
On TikTok and YouTube, I watch and comment on videos. I never really upload videos myself. I use these platforms mainly for entertainment purposes, but occasionally find videos that I use with my work or home projects. My Instagram and Snapchat are private accounts that I use to keep in touch with family and friends. I am always sending DMs and snaps to keep them updated on my everyday life.
I recently became obsessed with rating/reviewing everything I read and watch; therefore, I am frequently updating by Goodreads and Letterboxd profiles. I love going back and seeing what I originally thought about something. My opinions tend to change greatly! I also love reading other's reviews, as people can be so insightful. These platforms also help me become aware of new works coming out.
Lastly, Pinterest is used to find ideas for work, fashion, and interior design. I curate boards with specific themes to keep all my pins organized.
Social media can be a great tool for inspiration, sharing of ideas, and for connection, but it is important to maintain a good balance between real life and social media. For me, TikTok can become very addicting. I tend to scroll through my FYP page before I go to sleep and, before I know it, two hours have gone by. I've recently been giving myself a "social media freeze" to reduce my screen time. So far (when I commit to it), it's been successful!
Social media can be really useful in my career as librarians across the world can share ideas, market services, and promote literacy. I am excited to explore the best practices of social media in librarianship and how to better become a social media advocate.
Hello, fellow Children's Associate in public libraries! I'm curious how you heard of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarrow. When I looked up the book, I learned that it went viral on BookTok, which is intriguing given the discussion of the use of social media. Did you hear about the book through BookTok? Through your work in library services? Or elsewhere? If this book falls outside of your typical genre, I'm also curious, what are your go-to genres?
ReplyDeleteIt's neat that you are so active on Goodreads and Letterboxd! I find it interesting how some social media users, like myself, may use these platforms solely to log books and films, while other social media users, like yourself, may use these platforms to track and to evaluate. It's fantastic that you can use these reviews to not only document your opinions, but also to see how these opinions change over time. I'm excited to see how your opinions on social media change over time through this course. Thanks for sharing your insights thus far!
Hi Aron. I did hear about Fourth Wing on BookTok! Lately, I find myself as more of a non-fiction reader, but after seeing endless TikTok's raving about this book, I had to give it a chance. Thanks for your questions!
DeleteHi there Mary Lee! It's nice to meet you, and your post really spoke to me. I'm active on Goodreads too, mostly to log books; seeing what other people are reading or want to recommend to others is fascinating. And taking social media breaks is very important, I don't think it's possible for humans to be "plugged in" 24/7 without it feeling overwhelming or chaotic.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see In the Heights live, it looks like such a fun and fantastic show. I'm happy you enjoyed it!
Great to meet you, Mary. I enjoyed reading about your relationship with social media and saw many similarities to my own views and uses. Letterboxd is new to me! I'm excited to learn with you this spring.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary Lee, It's interesting to hear about your journey with social media and how it has evolved over the years. It sounds like you have a diverse range of platforms that you engage with, each serving its own purpose. It's impressive that you've been using X for over 14 years and have adapted its use from chatting with friends to staying updated on news and following your interests. Your X profile sounds like a reflection of your personality and interests, especially with nods to your favorite TV shows. Thanks for sharing!
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