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The future of social media at the National Archives In November 2011, conversations about connection technologies have shifted from whether governments should use social media to how governments should use social media. Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube are part of the default template for the websites of newly elected officials. As the year comes to an end, the risks and rewards of Web 2.0 are better known for both citizens and government alike. It’s in that context that the National Archives recently convened a conversation about “What’s Next?” David Ferriero (@dferriero), the Archivist of the United States of America (AOTUS), introduced the forum on social media: Access to records in this century means digital access. Ferriero introduced the idea of a “citizen archivist” after he joined the National Archives in 2009. Prior to the “What’s Next?” If you watch the video, you’ll see Ferriero and Wright discuss how the National Archives is thinking about the work of preservation in the age of social media. 1. Related:

Shout: About the Project Shout invites educators and students to take an active role in global environmental issues. Connect online to interact with experts in the field, share ideas, and collaborate with people around the world who, like you, are committed to solving environmental challenges. Shout gives participants a framework for success, with resources and tools for exercising social responsibility while building the 21st-century skills of collaboration, innovation, and critical thinking. The Shout program offers: • Online events hosted by the Smithsonian Institution that feature some of the world’s leading scientists and environmental experts as well as representatives of other fields who bring diverse perspectives to the issues at hand. • Access to Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Network, a global community of educators who value innovative uses of information and communication technology, in order to share environmental education resources, experiences, and best practices with teachers around the world.