· George Oates on Community (in ALA) ·
George Oates, of flickr, has written a wonderful article for A List Apart about online communities. Her experience and advice from flickr could easily be applied to offline communities, which makes her article particularly interesting.
Any community—online or off—must start slowly, and be nurtured. You cannot "just add community." It simply must happen gradually. It must be cared for, and hosted; it takes time and people with great communication skills to set the tone and tend the conversation.
I have been a fan of flickr for a long time. Ok, I've had moments when I was wondering whether there could be a better place for my photos to live (the flickr = censor moment in particular) but on the whole, I heart flickr. I think the reason for this, apart from the obvious benefits of being a part of a community, is that all photos, photographers and cameras are treated as equals. In my experience of flickr land, diversity is embraced, which is a rare thing.
The article: Community: From Little Things, Big Things Grow. Nice nod to Australia there in the heading, too :)
Wednesday May 7, 2008
Categories: Leadership
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