A recent TV documentary about life on the planet earth makes mentions about how different species of animals or insects adapt to a changing environment. The librarianship profession certainly has responded to a changing society driven by a changing technology. The authors (Sodt, Summey 2009) present the term Library 2.0 as a response to Web 2.0 tools term. The term Library 2.0 was coined by Michael Casey on his blog Library Crunch to refer to a user centered environment that meet information needs and learning with community building. Libraries 2.0 are principles that take the Web 2.0 tools to create a more user centered library environment. Library 2.0 principles take Web 2.0 tools to go beyond the library’s walls to meet the needs of distance learning community especially nontraditional students who more than often have families and full time jobs. The authors argue that off campus students need a collaborative place within the university setting that need not be a physical place necessary but virtual. A Library 2.0 model known as the information commons model is when a library makes changes in its facilities to provide computers, furniture with collaborative spaces and social areas. Library 2.0 takes social networking, Wikis, Blogs Podcasting and RSS feeds under the Web 2.0 umbrella and elaborates extensively on the ways these technologies can be used in a library setting to enhance distance learning and brings the library to a more user centered approached in today’s information world.
The authors noted that not everything needs to change to the latest Web 2.0 tools at once. Changing the way the way a library technically functions take time. Library 2.0 considers how Web 2.0 tools are used and needed in due part of Library 2.0 principles having scalability and flexibility. This scalability and flexibility appears to be in line with (Harvey,2009) argument that the library must step back and evaluated what Web 2.0 tools are best to meet the needs of a distance learning community and create a more user centered environment.
Casey,M.E. (2005) Librarians Without borders.LibraryCrunch. Retrieved March 24,2010
http://www.librarycrunch.com/2005/09/librarians_without_borders.html
Harvey, M. (2009). What Does It Mean to Be a Science Librarian 2.0?. Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship. Retrieved March 9, 2010, from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database.
Sodt, J., & Summey, T. (2009). Beyond the Library's Walls: Using Library 2.0 Tools to Reach Out to All Users. Journal of Library Administration, 49(1/2), 97-109. doi:10.1080/01930820802312854.
I particularly like that the authors stated that it is not necessary to migrate to Web 2.0 tools all at once. I would say that it is not always necessary to migrate to some Web 2.0 tools at all. Do to time and budget constraints, it is important that we as professionals know our user base and their needs and adopt technologies and tools that will best serve those needs.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you went into more detail about Web 2.0 because I've heard of it yet never really knew what it was. This is my first time hearing of Library 2.0 so good looking out on that also, thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteComparing librarians to insects, haha!
ReplyDeleteYou're right in mentioning online students with jobs/kids/lives. They seem to be becoming more and more common. I guess that's probably partly due to the opportunities provided by technology, and partly due to the increasing demand from employers for employees with college degrees.
Providing ways for distance students to interact with each other fills an important student need. SLIS Village kind of serves that function for library students here at UNT.
I totally agree with Kelli's comment that perhaps some of the Web2.0 tools do not need to be fully implemented by librarians. A basic knowledge of the existance of social networks or other tools might be the best. Realisticly, I see many of these as almost fads that will climax in popularity and uwsefulness and then die down or disappear. Then we will have Web 3.0! (heaven forbid!) In the meantime, valuable resources might better be spent on thos tools that are more stable, serve a wider audience and that have survived the test of time and usage and still produce great results.
ReplyDeleteI agree that libraries do not need to feel like they have to go all over to Web 2.0 at one time. Libraries can ease into the new technologies. I think a good transition can be in the Children's and Young Adult services. Advertising programs online, starting a blog about books with the teen book club can attract more users and make librarians more comfortable with new technologies.
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