My first experience with virtual communities was in 1996-97 when my parents first made the Internet available to me in our home.  Like a lot of folks at the time we were using America Online to connect to the web. I can still hear the “You’ve Got Mail” message, after the screeching of our modem as it slowly connected to the World Wide Web. Shortly thereafter I began to use the AOL Instant Message feature to chat with friends and family, but never in a chat room or any type of “open” forum.  Since the days of AOL Instant Messaging, I have used and still use Facebook, BlackBoard, and a staff Wiki at the library where I currently work.  As I was writing this post I realized that all my participation in Virtual Communities has been (and still is) limited to those communities that are “closed” organizations.  In other words, communities that are password protected or with members with whom I choose to have an “interaction.”  With the exception of Facebook, the extent of my membership in virtual communities has been defined by either my coursework or job.  In these types of communities the behavior expressed by members are related to a specific task, whether it be work or school, and not really a medium for expressing personal interests or hobbies.  

Although I contribute heavily within these communities (Facebook, Blackboard, Staff Wiki), my participation in “open” forums has been minimal.  For instance, I enjoy reading people’s comments to stories at The Chicago Tribune online, but when it comes to posting my own comment I am, according to The Art of Building Virtual Communities article, a “lurker,” I “pay attention to the activity of the group,” but rarely make any contribution of my own. Despite my many hobbies and interests, I have never had the desire to find others like me (or find my Tribe) on the web.  One of the reasons I decided to take Library 2.0 was learn ways that I could increase my personal presence on the web. According to Derek Wenmoth’s phases as discussed in The Art of Building Virtual Communities article, I would classify myself as a consumer of virtual communities, insofar as “I read and explore the posts of others…[and] can be [a] very active participant in an online community – just not yet visible to others.”