Roselle Public Library has a network on Ning.com, a site where people and organizations can create their own social networks.

Roselle Public Library’s website does not advertise The RPL Network on ning.com anywhere on their main page. The only page the network is mentioned is on a “What’s New” post from October 17, 2007. The RPL Network is meant to be used by patrons, staff, and supporters, but I’m not sure how anyone is supposed to know about it. The network comes up in the top ten results from a Google search, but it should be more easily accessed through the library’s official website.

Despite the lack of online marketing, the network has 46 members and very lively discussion boards. Ning.com was a good choice for Roselle Public Library, if they were interested in creating a more adult online presence. Facebook seems to be popular with adults, but there are a lot of paranoid privacy questions surrounding that social network in particular. Ning.com may appeal to a more conservative group of people who do not want to be on the same social network as their children.