Thursday, September 27, 2007

Week 6: Thing # 15 Library 2.0

Library 2.0 really seems to center on bringing the tools of the web 2.0 to the public. For a public library this may mean using blogs or other information sharing tools to make the content of the internet more accessible. One of the articles linked in the Wikipedia article quotes a definition by Sarah Houghton: "Library 2.0 simply means making your library's space (virtual and physical) more interactice, collaborative and driven by community needs." ("11 reasons why Library 2.0 exists and matters", www.blyberg.net). Michael Stephens' talks about giving users access to the library services wherever the users are located.
I think that one of the major functions of the Library 2.0 will be to give users access to the internet, through our computers or through interaction with our website. Given all the new tools that users may not be aware of, like del.icio.us and RSS feeds, I think that the libraries must provide users with some education on how to use these tools. Online productivity tools would certainly be useful for many users. Maybe there are ways to use tags to enhance the search capabilities of the a catalog or websites. Certainly there is a lot of information out there, and the library's mission should be to show it's users how to find it. Like Stephens says, it may also be the library's mission to show users how to use the tools that will allow them to shape and use the information.

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