Just Visiting?

Midnight rolls along, and I'm scrolling through TikTok. I am, however, not posting on TikTok. While most of the scrolling gives me glimpses into adorable dogs, pop culture icons, and the angst of being American today (along with exhaustion the next morning),  The Contoured Librarian gives me tips on how to repair books, the_snarky_librarian suggests titles for fifth & sixth graders, and A bee in the Library convinces me that shelving by genre (instead of Dewey Decimal) has merit. Am I, then, according to David White, largely a "visitor" when it comes to my digital engagement?

Just visiting...?

White breaks down the continuum of how we engage online between those who visit sites, looking for information or entertainment, and those who reside in sites, contributing to a conversation or creating something of value that other visitors can see and use. Details of the break down look like this:

Image Source: EDU776 Module 3

While I am not an active poster on any social media sites, I hesitate to say I am strictly a visitor to the internet. I do "regularly explore new websites and set up digital profiles to access services," especially if they benefit my school and professional interests. I do bank and shop online. I do not post my opinions on news sites such as the Washington Post, however I do read what others have posted. 

My Digital Space

In addition to the visitor/resident continuum of digital engagement, people engage with the internet personally and professionally. Keeping all of this in mind, I paid attention where I was heading on my phone or computer over the weekend and during the week, and came up with my own map of my digital space:

Image Source: author's via Canvas

Social Media

I visit TikTok for entertainment but also to glean useful ideas for my library. That's why its icon hovers between the personal and professional. Lately, I've spent very little time on Instagram although I do have an account that I haven't posted on since the spring of 2024. So I was a resident, but have transitioned to  little use, and when I do, I am a visitor. Good Reads is an app I am starting to visit more often, and was quite an active poster a couple years ago. I hover it between personal and professional since my visits recently have been for book recommendations for my course work and my students. The remaining icons in the personal/resident quadrants are Gmail which I use largely for family and friends, and WhatsApp which I use mainly with family in India where it is popular.

Professional: School & Library

Since becoming a Masters of Library & Information Science (MLIS) graduate student at Dominican University, I visit the sites of The Chinese American Librarians' Association (CALA), The American Association for School Librarians (AASL), and the Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE). AISLE's logo hovers between visitor and resident since I have started to participate in and contribute to that organization.

Sites I engage with professionally as more of a resident than a visitor are the usual suspects for educators and students: Canvas, Google Classroom, Outlook & Blogger. Kahoot is one that is seasonal, becoming a place I visit and post in more as the Battle of the Books competition season heats up.

Personal: Entertainment/Life Management

I check news throughout the day; we are a family pretty passionate about politics and current events. I am daily on Hoopla or Apple Audiobooks because of my commute and because I find listening to books relaxing. I use my local library, as well as the Chicago Public Library's, apps frequently.

Surprises?

I was surprised by how much I engage with the digital world, especially professionally. I hadn't thought about how Google Classroom, Kahoot, and Canvas count. I was not surprised by my lack of posting my own content. I never joined Facebook and took a break from Instagram for personal reasons. It's fair to say I am pretty private with a little bit of reluctance to put myself out there, especially given that posts are forever. However, I can see the benefit of a Professional Learning Network and I understand how sharing ideas on some venue can foster community. I am not yet sure what that will look like for me.