BOOK REVIEW / CRITIQUE DE LIVRE

**Face2Face: Using Facebook, Twitter, and Other Social Media Tools to Create Great Customer Connections.** By King, D.L. Medford, NJ: CyberAge Books; 2012. Softcover. 216 p. ISBN: 978-0-910965-99-6, Price: $24.95 CDN. Available from: http://books.infotoday.com/books/Face2Face.shtml

We live and work in a highly social online world. In some ways, mixing and mingling with our clients online has never been easier. And yet, it's almost too easy! Libraries often create Facebook pages or Twitter accounts without giving much thought to the development or ongoing maintenance of their pages or accounts. How many libraries have thought carefully about how they want to portray themselves online, how they will respond to online criticism, or how they will measure the success of their online presence? Face2Face shows readers that with a little forethought and planning, they can create an effective online presence using social media tools.

The author, David Lee King, is the digital services director at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library in Kansas. He is also the author of *Designing the digital experience: How to use design tools and techniques to build websites customers love*. He maintains a blog at www.davidleeking.com where he talks about social media and emerging trends. King's work experience and online activity make him the ideal guide for those libraries and small businesses that want to explore use of social media tools or that already have a social media presence and want a refresher. King's conversational tone in Face2Face is aptly reminiscent of the online environment, making it feel like an enjoyable and entertaining Facebook chat with a friend or colleague.

In the first of 12 chapters, Face2Face reminds us that what we do so well in our libraries – listening, authentic communication, and sharing – can easily be applied in the online environment. King provides concrete examples of how to listen to what your clients are saying and how to engage in authentic communication online. He recounts a true story of a poorly managed corporation–client conversation on Facebook and analyzes that situation to show how it should have been handled. Chapters 2 through 4 focus on the basics of communicating and connecting with clients online through text, pictures, and videos. King discusses best practices for communicating online through tools such as blogs and social media sites. He also provides a wealth of practical tips on when and how to best use pictures and videos to provide maximum impact in whichever platform you are using. Chapter 5 is particularly useful in that it delves more deeply into listening to your clients online and, specifically, ways to listen, what to listen for, and how and when to respond – even if you do not have a social media presence. Chapter 7, titled Design and

Face2Face Connections, is another gem in this book. It lists seven specific ways to incorporate client-centered design into your social media presence. Though this chapter is situated towards the end of the book, it would certainly be worth skipping ahead to read this chapter before you start creating your social media presence. It also acts as a great way to refocus and reassess for those who have had an active social media presence for some time. One of the most useful aspects of Chapter 8, titled Responding to Critics, is King's list of 10 tips on how organizations should respond to criticism in the online environment. The topic of evaluating your social media presence, covered in Chapter 11, is also extremely valuable in that it's a step we often overlook or feel we don't have time to undertake. The discussion on measuring success focuses on use of analytic tools; the chapter is organized into sections that cover why, what, and how we should measure.

One of the unavoidable drawbacks to writing about social media is the quick pace of change in the online environment versus the sometimes slow pace of publishing. King himself acknowledges this challenge and says “By the time you read this, at least one of these tools will have probably changed or closed shop” (pg. 81). However, Face2Face overcomes this issue by focusing not just on tools, but on information about communicating, connecting, listening, creating, and evaluating. Much of the information provided in this book can be applied to any platform you are using. Chapter 8 may be the only exception to this as it focuses on using specific tools. Even then, King chose to present the most common and well-established tools: Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The other unfortunate shortcoming to this book is the lack of a recommended reading section at the end of each chapter. Face2Face is a quick read and I found myself wanting more in-depth information. For example, at the end of the chapter on measuring success, a list of further reading would have been useful.

David Lee King does a wonderful job of presenting an easy to read guide for libraries and small businesses wanting to create a social media presence or for those seeking to fine tune their current social media presence. Face2Face is a must have on the bookshelf because it is packed with practical information and is a quick and easy read for busy library staff or business owners.

Kerry Macdonald, BA, MLIS

Librarian, University of Manitoba Libraries
Seven Oaks General Hospital Library
2300 McPhillips Street
Winnipeg, MB R2V 3M3
Email: Kerry.Macdonald@ad.umanitoba.ca