Library 2.0 (#19)

http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/1.htm

New styles of libraries and new ways for libraries to reach patrons are on the horizon (and in some cases are here), as exemplified in the readings attached to the previous link.

Libraries are changing. With the proliferation of Web services, our patrons expect more and more of library staff. Not only are we expected to maintain and expand our present extensive collections, we are also expected to be the ultimate purveyors of information of all types, and to be able to teach our patrons how to use all the technology that we "must" provide for them so that they may access that information. We must also be prepared to help our patrons when things don't go exactly as they planned. And, heaven forbid, what to do if the computers go down and the patrons panic? We must also have basic troubleshooting and repair skills. Staff has to constantly evolve to keep pace.

As a whole, our staff is exceptionally well prepared. And I am pleased that our library system is venturing into addressing the needs of the "new" patron in our Web-conscious society.

That said, I hope we don't forget those patrons who are not as comfortable with many of the Web services as exemplified in many of these Web 2.0 lessons. We have a large senior population by our branch, and many of them are struggling with basic technology issues, let alone trying to understand the various opportunities now available on the Web. In addition there are the many people that depend on our library for many of the services that they cannot otherwise afford and are just trying to learn basic computer and traditional library skills.

As we strive to address the future of libraries, let's also remember to maintain what's the best of our past.


KCLS Post:
Monday, April 16, 2007
#19 - Library 2.0
Today we focus on the 2.0 part of Learning 2.0. The 2.0 is, you may have guessed, what links our program to the broader entity known as Web 2.0. The 2.0 also links our program to what many in the library world are calling Library 2.0.A popular definition of Library 2.0 is provided by Sarah Houghton:
Library 2.0 simply means making your library’s space (virtual and physical) more interactive, collaborative, and driven by community needs. Examples of where to start include blogs, gaming nights for teens, and collaborative photo sites. The basic drive is to get people back into the library by making the library relevant to what they want and need in their daily lives…to make the library a destination and not an afterthought.Library 2.0 is also big on offering customization - new services and/or reworked existing services should meet our patrons in their spaces (aka their computers, their cell phones, their blackberries, etc.) as well as in our spaces (aka our library buildings and websites).Some argue that Library 2.0 is nothing more than a convenient catch phrase for new technology. Others say it's a semantic waste of time - libraries have always been about collaboration and customer service.There's been lots (and lots) written about Library 2.0 in Library Journals and the blogsphere. So much that we're going to ask you to read from just 1 source - the OCLC Next Space Newsletter. They recently published a collection of short articles under the banner "Where will the next generation Web take libraries?"And now, more formally, today's Discovery Exercise.
Read the introduction
Read at least 3 of the 5 articles (or all 5) - these are:- Away from Icebergs- Into a new world of librarianship- To more powerful ways to cooperate- To better bibliographic services- To a temporary place in time
Let us know what you think - blog a bit about Library 2.0That's all for this week - thanks for keeping at it.Next up: Online applications and tools...
Posted by KCLS Learning 2.0 at 6:55 PM 2 comments
Tags: Library 2.0, Web 2.0