Before dissecting the intricacies of Web 2.0, one must understand what the first generation of the internet held for users. Web 1.0 is described by Curran, Murray, and Christian (2007) as “a one-dimensional service that takes people to the information they require.” In other words, users were required to go to the sources. Websites in the 1.0 age were fixed, meaning users viewed what was there, but any interaction done did not involve the content of the website beyond clicking the mouse to change the site (Bolan, Canada, Cullin, 2007). Abram (2007) tells readers that Web 1.0 involved a cool kind of interactivity in which a user clicked to send an email, then clicked to get the response (p. 77).
Web 2.0 ushers in what Stephen Abram considers a “hotter” web because a higher level of interactivity is involved to heat it up. This interactivity involves “…conversations, interpersonal networking, personalization, and individualism” (Siess, 2007, p. 77). The term “Web 2.0” was initially used by Tim O’Reilly in 2004, and despite the disputes that have risen about its true meaning, the Web 2.0 concept is being used to expand the user experience making it easier to collaborate and interact with others. Blogs, wikis, tags, social networks, clouds, and RSS feeds are all examples of technologies engaged so that users are able to socialize and interact on sites such as Flickr, Listible, Google maps, and Digg (Notess, 2006). Internet users are no longer simply viewing a website, they are empowered to change it. Wikipedia is one of the prime examples of Web 2.0 technology in which users are enabled to alter content, as is Amazon’s feature allowing customer comments. Anyone with a computer, a username, and a password can alter many of these social networking sites. Interactivity is the key.
Library 2.0 is a term “…believed to have been first made by Michael Casey in his blog LibraryCrunch” (Curran, Murry, & Christian, 2007). According to Sarah Houghton-Jan, author of the blog “Librarian in Black,” Library 2.0 is not just about the virtual library, but the physical library as well. She recommends making libraries “…more interactive, collaborative, and driven by community needs” (quoted in Block, 2007). By offering blogs and “collaborative photo sites” (p. 130) to patrons on the website and teen game nights in the physical building, libraries can zero in on what is important to the user. In St. Joseph, Indiana, the public library has formulated a website based on user needs. The website is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and features an instant messaging chat reference service, community information, and gaming blogs, just to name a few (Block, 2007, p. 131-2). The website itself appears to be made up of blogs that invite user input. A link to subscribe to the RSS feed for the site is located at the top of the blog page. Ann Arbor District Library has also dedicated its site to public input. Block (2007) states that “…the site is a collection of blogs, including one in which library director Josie Parker chats with her users” (p. 132). Blogs headline events at the library, new releases, and much more. “Parker says over 7,000 people registered to use the site in its first three weeks, and the Weblogs ‘are even being used so the public can talk with each other. The library is the public forum’” (Block, 2007, p. 133). Unique to this site is a service called PictureAnnArbor. It “…gives users ‘the opportunity to contribute digital copies of your Ann Arbor photos and documents, and easily share them on the Web’” (Block, 2007, p. 133).
All of these Library 2.0 services are possible in conjunction with Web 2.0 technology that prompt users to interact in a social venue whether it be contributing comments to a blog, altering information on a wiki, sharing digital photos or video, or pulling information from a site using an RSS feed aggregator. Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 are interconnected by the very fact that they encourage user contribution.
Questions:
1. How do the websites at St. Joseph Public Library and Ann Arbor District Library compare to the website of your home library system?
2. How likely are you to sign up to participate in blogs that your library might create on its website? If you are likely to participate, what blog subjects would interest you?
3. In your opinion, has your home library moved past 1.0 technology into the Library 2.0 generation?
References:
(2008). Ann Arbor District Library. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from aadl.org Web site: http://www.aadl.org/
Block, M. (2007). The Thriving Library: Successful Strategies for Challenging Times. Information Today: Medford, N.J.
Bolan, K., Canada, M., Cullin, R. (Winter 2007). Web, Library, and Teen Services 2.0. Young Adult Library Services, 5, Retrieved february 10, 2008, from http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.7#record_14
Curran, K., Murray, M., Christian, M. (2007). Taking the Information to the Public Through Library 2.0. Library Hi Tech, 25, Retrieved February 15, 2008, from http://proquest.umi.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/pqdweb?index=1&did=1355784531&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1203365430&clientId=14288
Notess, G. (May/June 2006). The Terrible Twos: Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and More. Online, 30, Retrieved February 15, 2008, from http://find.galegroup.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/itx/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2CUS%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28JN%2CNone%2C8%29%22Online%22%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28DA%2CNone%2C8%2920060501%24&sgHitCountType=None&inPS=true&sort=DateDescend&searchType=PublicationSearchForm&tabID=T003&prodId=AONE&searchId=R1¤tPosition=64&userGroupName=lom_waynesu&docId=A148931595&docType=IAC
Siess, J. & Lorig, J. (2007). Out Front with Stephen Abram. Chicago: American Library Association.
(2003). SJCPL. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from Saint Joseph County Public Library Web site: http://sjcpl.lib.in.us/
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33 comments:
The SJPL and AADL websites are both much more interactive than my home library. A blog-based system with built-in RSS is pretty attractive, if you have staff that's interested in participating in such a thing. This isn't to say the staff at my home institution is particularly disinterested, just that their priorities are elsewhere.
I must admit I wouldn't be a regular blog commenter, if my local public library suddenly sprouted a blog. I paged through some of the blog posts on both the SJPL and the AADL and noticed something interesting, the majority of posts had no comments, several had one or two, a very few had four or more. I don't meant to devalue blogging in pointing this out; just pointing out that you can't measure value by the number of comments an item receives. Though feedback from the community is helpful, blogs are an easy way to make your library page seem a living space, rather than a static one.
With regard to the last question, I feel it's important to keep in mind that incorporating web 2.0 technology into your website does make your library into a 2.0 library. As Michael Casey and Laura Savastinuk put it, "Library 2.0 is a model of library service that includes constant and purposeful change and user participation in the creation and maintenance of services, while maintaining a primary goal of extending the library's reach to potential users." (Casey & Savastinuk, p. 12) While this model is informed by and enhanced by the Web 2.0 tools, it is not defined by them. You can easily have a 2.0 website for a traditional (1.0) library, but it would be difficult (though perhaps not impossible) to have a 2.0 library with a 1.0 website.
Casey, M. E., & Savastinuk, L. C. (2007). Library 2.0: A guide to participatory library service. Medford: Information Today, Inc.
I found this article online and it made me think about the detrimental ways library 2.0 might be used in our libraries. For example, parents using a library sponsored version of this type of website in which they can easily censor access to titles for their children/adolescents.
Russell,
You make some very legitimate points. I agree that library staff is not ignoring library 2.0. However, staff time is stretched, what with the effect smaller budgets have on staff workloads. I have been filling in at our main branch's reference desk. One of their librarians left in September, and administration has yet to okay filling the position. The four reference librarians that are left have their hands full staffing the desk as well as working on their own on-going projects. They realize that there is much new technology out there, and try to incorporate as much as possible to ease their workloads, but just investigating these web 2.0 technologies to learn how to use them takes up valuable time.
I also noticed that there seemed to be little to no traffic on the various library website blogs that I visited. Talking with the librarian at my own branch who facilitates the book page on our website, she says she has asked for reader input on various subjects (For example in January the theme was something like: "What is your reading resolution for 2008?), but she receives little response. The logical thought, then, is as you suggested when you admitted you would probably not be a regular contributor to a library blog: Do people really want to interact with the library's homepage? This is a question librarians will have to answer as they upgrade their websites and catalogs.
1. How do the websites at St. Joseph Public Library and Ann Arbor District Library compare to the website of your home library system?
I honestly wish that my local library was more active in this area. Their website is very bland compared to the above listed.
2. How likely are you to sign up to participate in blogs that your library might create on its website? If you are likely to participate, what blog subjects would interest you?
If my library did participate, I think I would try to stay moderately active with it. A far as subjects are concerned, a wide variety would be preferred, but i would hope it was connected to the community somehow, similar to that of a newpaper.
3. In your opinion, has your home library moved past 1.0 technology into the Library 2.0 generation?
I think it is progressive. I found the definition of Web 1.0 to be sort of ironic because in the early days of the Web, I thought it was so overwhelming, now it seems just as simple as the definition stated.
Sarah,
I checked out both the article and the website if referenced. www.agunga.com. It is a family bookstore, much like amazon, but "Empowering Decency" is the motto on their homepage. The ability to block books from being returned as a search is an interesting concept. It does make one wonder if a library catalog could block searches in the same way. I'm sure that catalogs allowing patrons to rate books could be affected in that some people may give certain books, for instance The Golden Compass, an extremely low rating. Thank you for providing the link.
Tara,
I think most library webpage's have progressed beyond the 1.0 mark. While it might not be necessary to feature a blog on the website, consider these library 2.0services offered by the Toledo/Lucas County Library:
Patrons are allowed to register for a library card via the website in order to gain immediate access to book reservation access as well as database access
E-mail reading lists, similar to preferred searches, this option gives patrons a list of areas in which to check, they will then receive email notifications when items matching that area are added to the catalog. One of the areas includes new releases of dvds. I know of at least a few dozen patrons at my own library that would LOVE that option!
Patrons can receive library notices via text messaging. How is that for putting library service in a place relevant to the patron. Many reserves on our hold shelf are never picked up because patrons didn't get the message or they haven't checked their email...how could they miss a text message?!
Toledo/Lucas County also has a 24/7virtual reference desk, available right from the homepage.
Check this site out at www.toledolibrary.org
Russell D.-
I think the lack of comments on blog-based systems is a keen observation. What conclusions can we draw from this, if any?
As an active blog contributer to AADL's website, I think a lot of this might have to do with marketing/promotions. I have heard a lot of confusion from patrons as to how they comment, if they are even allowed to- yet some aren't even aware of the website's dynamic blog format. Though, in certain areas it cannot be generalized as stagnant; for example, the music blog on AADL's website is usually quite active with regular contributors.
Mary V.- I think you are right to leave off saying this is an issue librarians will have to tweak and evaluate as they continue to upgrade the website.
The Ann Arbor library compares to that which is in my area. This because being mainly academic libraries and dealing with the NextGeneration most interraction is done on the internet.
I would blog if the libraries in my are sprout a blog. The truth i wouldn't be as regular. It Would maybe only be possible when i have to find out something from the library, then i check what the blog has to say and give my contributions. The interest of those who have to blog has to be held with interesting topics if not i wonder how often the blogs will be done.Besides those who want immidiateanswers will not be patientwith the blogs. i will rather chat online with the librarian.
Library 2.0 uses the web 2.0 as a resource for information to be exchanged. So if a library encoperates web 2.0 in to its system it becomes a libray 2.0. However, a traditional with web 1.0 can accomodate web 2.0. the truth is that web 2.0 will eventually suppress web 1.0 with its more interactive nature. Personally i will be happy to get information and share what i now too,than always be on the recieving side.
1) These two public libraries' sites are considerably more interactive than the one at my library. Interestingly enough, the local paper seems to be filling that gap at the moment by offering a place for users to post images and discuss local issues. I used this website heavily as a college student living far away; it was a way for me to feel a part of my community while living far away.
2) If the library had something like this, I may or may not participate. If they offered a blog on local issues/politics I would probably read it at very least. I live in a place where majority/comformity rule and any website that offers a place for a minority viewpoint to be heard is important to our community.
3) I'm not sure if my local library has made that transition yet. There really are several sites in our town that are similar to the Web 2.0 library sites described, so I know that there is community demand for it, and considering the 2.0-ness of the facility itself, I must say I'm surprised.
1. Their websites are much more organized than my city’s website. Information of the Warren site is mostly in paragraph form, with hyperlinks all over the page. It’s confusing compared to the AADL and SJPL sites, which I love for their ease of use.
2. Blogging is so new to me that it is hard to say how much I would participate. I would like to get involved, if topics interest me. I would be more likely to participate in blogs that focus on parenting, library and other local events, book reviews, and maybe a fan blog for Lost. If several interesting sites were all linked to the library home page, I would be more likely to read and comment on the blogs. Yes, I know I could set this up on my own start page, but I just haven’t got the time or the energy to surf around and look for interesting sites to view.
3. I think Warren has barely moved into 2.0. The blog has only recently gained contributors, it sat with outdated photos for a VERY long time. No other 2.0 technology seems to be available.
Sarah L., What an interesting article. I think that it is a good marketing strategy for the company right now, but I think in the long run, most of their customers will decide to visit chain stores or Amazon, especially as more books get blocked. The technology is interesting and I wanted to see how they block it, but The Golden Compass was available, which is contrary to what the article said. Thanks for sharing.
1. How do the websites at St. Joseph Public Library and Ann Arbor District Library compare to the website of your home library system?
My local library website is not user friendly and difficult to navigate. When trying to search for a book, there are so many steps to go through before you can actually enter the author and/or title of the book. I work in the local school district and if our school library doesn’t have a certain book a student is looking for, I like to try to check the public library for its availability. There have been situations where the student runs out of time and needs to return to class before I can even search for them. I now usually tell them to check back later in the day and I’ll let them know if it’s available at the public library.
Personally, I use the public library in the neighboring county all the time simply because their website is comparable to SJPL and AADL and is much more user friendly.
2. How likely are you to sign up to participate in blogs that your library might create on its website? If you are likely to participate, what blog subjects would interest you?
Depending on the topic, some blogs require participation and comments in order to thrive whereas others can simply be a point of reference. Blogging for a Good Book through Williamsburg Regional Library (http://bfgb.wordpress.com/) is an example of a blog that doesn’t need the constant commenting but can be used to decide what books to read next. Commenting could provide a great online book club situation, but it is not necessary for its importance.
I am more likely to use a blog similar to BFGB as a reference as opposed to one where I would need to stay updated on the posts and comments on a regular basis.
3. In your opinion, has your home library moved past 1.0 technology into the Library 2.0 generation?
Since I do not use my local library due to its lack of a quality website (my opinion) I am not familiar with what type of technology it offers within its doors. I understand that I am “judging a library by its website” but if technology is a large part of Library 2.0, then I do not feel as if my local library has passed this test yet. I do plan to visit soon to further examine the inside of this library and its relevance to the community.
1. How do the websites at St. Joseph Public Library and Ann Arbor District Library compare to the website of your home library system?
My home library (Clinton-Macomb Public Library) has rss feeds but is not very user-friendly. The teen page is black and garish neon green. Pains the eyes.
I love Ann Arbor Library's website. Clean design, user-friendly and reads like a blog.
St. Joseph's is less hip than Ann Arbor's but is user friendly and gets the job done.
2. How likely are you to sign up to participate in blogs that your library might create on its website? If you are likely to participate, what blog subjects would interest you?
I would participate in reading/book discussion blogs.
3. In your opinion, has your home library moved past 1.0 technology into the Library 2.0 generation?
They have an rss feed, but their catalog is a little dated and their linked pages off the main page are frankly, a mess.
Njang,
I am keying in on your statement "This because being mainly academic libraries and dealing with the NextGeneration most interraction is done on the internet." It was a great point, and made me wonder if public libraries located in cities with a high concentration of college students are more progressive than those in towns without a college presence. Just basing my comparison to Ann Arbor's webiste (with a high concentration of NextGens/college students in the area) and Toledo (a very progressive 2.0 website, but not a big college town), I would tend to say that the college presence does not make a difference. I checked out the Columbus, OH website and could not find a blog on it, although they do have virtual reference. I also looked at Lansing's Capital District library and found a blog presence. This is certainly not a very scientific or broad approach, but it really gave me something to think about.
http://www.columbuslibrary.org/
http://www.cadl.org/blogs/teen/archive/2007/12/19/seasons-eatings#comments
Kimberly E,
The local newspaper in Monroe also seems to be filling the gap regarding blogs. Many different subjects can be discussed just by going to their website. I suspect this is the case in many other towns, as well. I would be more likely to look for and comment on local events or happenings on a newspaper blog than on a library blog.
http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?CATEGORY=LINKS
Kerry,
I went to the Warren Public Library's website.
http://www.libcoop.net/warren/
You're right, it is very busy. I was drawn to the links on the left side rather than reading through the text with the links.
I would probably participate in a blog on a library website if it related to a library event, too. A book club or book review blog would catch my attention as well.
Thanks for your comments.
Holli,
Excellent point about using blogs as a point of reference. Was it mentioned in one of our readings last week that a blog can actually be used as an archive of the library's history, as well? I will have to go back and look.
1. How do the websites at St. Joseph Public Library and Ann Arbor District Library compare to the website of your home library system?
Well, the AADL IS my home library. Unfortunately, I left a link to it in another post before I read this one. That's me, always nattering on about the AADL! (What can I say, I discussing Library 2.0 makes me think about it). I checked out (hah!) the St. Joseph library site. They seem to have more info on their site than Ann Arbor. At times I think that they go overboard- do people really need to check their email from the local library website? Also, with all the information and resources that they have on their site,they should at least invest in more appealing graphics and web design.
2. How likely are you to sign up to participate in blogs that your library might create on its website? If you are likely to participate, what blog subjects would interest you?
Much as I love my library, I have to admit that I do not interact with their site (unless I am searching for a book) because I simply do not have the time. However, I was not surprised to read the user statistics. This town is VERY community oriented and AADL has found a way to fill that niche. Something else to note is that our library is kind of a destination- because we are a college town, the library is able to attract some pretty well-known authors and speakers. Thus, I think that their site gets more traffic than many library websites.
Sara I.,
Thank you for the link. I read the article about Abunga, and I visited their website. The store is still new, so it is hard to say how it will fare in the long run, but I think the concept is very interesting. What is the appeal here? Amazon is very interactive- readers can post reviews with the potential to influence other people's decisions. I think that Abunga takes things a step further by making people feel like they have the power to "make a difference" and strike a blow for "morality" and "family values" by censoring material in their own small universe. It also gives customers the feeling that they are shopping with s community of like- minded individuals.
1. How do the websites at St. Joseph Public Library and Ann Arbor District Library compare to the website of your home library system?
The Ann Arbor Library website was very interesting. I thought it was cool that you could post pictures that related to the city. But the St. Joseph Public Library website blew me away. When I saw that you could check out books on iPod I wanted to go there and check out the library. These libraries clearly appear to utilize Web 2.0 technologies and beyond.
The Oak Park Library is my home library and their website is linked with the city site and only has about 10 links that actually deal with the library and its resources.
Thanks for the great links!
2. How likely are you to sign up to participate in blogs that your library might create on its website? If you are likely to participate, what blog subjects would interest you?
I would possibly participate in a blog set up by my library. My subjects of interest would be managing finances and traveling.
3. In your opinion, has your home library moved past 1.0 technology into the Library 2.0 generation?
When I read this question I had to laugh out loud. My home library is small, therefore NO they have not moved past the 1.0. technology. Which is very sad. I'm glad that I can use my library card at other locations such as the Southfield Library, which is newer and offers more resources and technology related services.
Mary I. you made a good comment about the possible reasoning behind why people do not post to blogs. I too noticed on various sites that topics were posted and that there were no responses. I for one have not seen any marketing done for blogs and how to use them at any library I've been to, especially since they have been around for quite a while. If it were not for this class, I'm not sure if I would have ever posted to a blog. I've browsed blogs while surfing the Internet, however due to my lack of knowledge of how they worked I doubt I would have taken the time to figure it out.
1. How do the websites at St. Joseph Public Library and Ann Arbor District Library compare to the website of your home library system?
The websites for both of these libraries are definitely better than my home library. My home library doesn't have a bad website but compared to these two it is definitely inferior.
2. How likely are you to sign up to participate in blogs that your library might create on its website? If you are likely to participate, what blog subjects would interest you?
I would sign up and participate in blogs that my library would set up. I suppose it would depend on the topics that were being discussed. I would probably contribute to most of them, unless the subject was something that I didn't know much about.
3. In your opinion, has your home library moved past 1.0 technology into the Library 2.0 generation?
I think my home library has moved past 1.0 technology in some ways, but not in others. There are databases online and other good materials that go along with 2.0 generation things, but there are other things particularly inside the library itself that are very outdated and need to be changed to go along with 2.0 technology.
The St. Joseph Public Library and Ann Arbor District Library are much more interactive than my public library. My public library has little more than its hours and how to search its databases on its webpage. The SJPL and AADL websites are not offer several blogs, interesting resources but they also offer fun events that make you want to go to the library.
I can not seem to get myself on the blogging bandwagon, so I really can not say if I would participate in a blog offered on my library’s website. I find that I do read blogs, but rarely post responses to them. I suppose if I was really interested in the subject I would participate.
Hi Kimberly,
I went to Oak Park's website and it is more one dimensional, more of a posting of information than an interactive forum. Thanks for sharing the link.
Dana,
You would be surprised what people expect to access from your website. We changed our website some time ago and moved the google/yahoo/etc links further into the site. One of our patrons was upset because he could not find google. When I went to his computer to help him, he was on our library's homepage (to be truthful, I hadn't even paid attention to the google link from there before). I simply typed in google.com and brought up the site. The patron was amazed and wondered what I had typed in to get there. He thought it was only accessible from our homepage.
I guess we sometimes get so used to one way of getting somewhere that we forget there are other ways to perform the same operation.
Lynn,
It sounds as if your library's homepage is fairly one-dimensional as well. I believe that as more and more libraries offer the interactive capabilities, more and more one-dimensional websites will lean towards 2.0 technologies to keep up. I believe the pace at which libraries move towards that capability depends on the amount of technology staff that library has. The more staff available to work on projects, the higher tech the website will be.
I, too, tend to be a viewer rather than a poster on blogs. Maybe once we start to get some experience here, we will feel more comfortable adding our own comments?
After browsing through some of the library sites posted here and others that I use frequently, I wonder about the objective of library blogs. Most of them seem to be about happenings at the library or new books that came out. Are librarians expecting to get comments about these things? Are the blogs really being used for discussion or information?
I do not use the blog at my local library because it mostly just lists things that are happening at the library which I usually do not have the time for or interest in. I'm not really sure how one would comment on these types of entries. The teen blog has pictures from past events, but once again, I'm not sure how one would comment on this.
Are blogs as discussion boards the best idea for libraries? Do patrons view this as a part of the library? I personally want to find the information I need and not mess around with reading a blog and commenting. I'm not sure that's how I view a library website.
Has anyone found any good library blogs with lots of comments in a more discussion type format?
I live in Lansing and regulary visit my local library and use their website. The Capital Area District Libraries (CADL) have thirteen different branches that serve this area. The blog that is designed for teens, has very few participants. Mostly is just the librarian blogging away. It does offer some interesting things that teens could comment on, but there seems to be very little interest on the user end to do so.
I question if this is really an appropriate use of the librarians time when so few people are really interacting and using it. While many librarians are anxious to integrate Web 2.0 into the library, I think it is important to really examine if this is a good use of our time and how effective it is. Blogs can serve as a great way to gain insight into the community and their needs, but if the community is not contributing then it defeats the purpose.
http://www.cadl.org/blogs/teen/
1. My home library system's website is both user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing - not quite to the extent of Ann Arbor's. However, I don't actually use it very often.
2. I am honestly not very likely to participate in blogs at my library's website. I only really use their website to search their catalog and to renew materials. Also, I don't currently have a great deal of free time, and don't really wish to spend the time I do have responding to blog posts (the obvious exception being this class’s blog, which, of course, I love.) In theory, I somewhat like the idea of a reader advisory blog that discusses books people with different interests might enjoy reading, but I don't really see myself using it.
3. My home library has not completely made the transition into 2.0, but it is certainly in the process. I think that because 2.0 is full of technology that is constantly evolving and changing the way we access information, I don't see the transition stage ending any time soon.
1. How do the websites at St. Joseph Public Library and Ann Arbor District Library compare to the website of your home library system?
The St. Joseph and Ann Arbor libraries are far more interactive and aesthetically pleasing. My public library’s website has resources and community events but it lacks feeds, blogs, etc. It’s very bare bones. It even has the most boring white and grey background you could imagine. You can, however, email a reference librarian. I love Picture Ann Arbor. It’s such a creative concept. It allows people to share the view of the city and how they experience it. The older pictures are really neat too. It shows how much the city has evolved and changed over the years.
2. How likely are you to sign up to participate in blogs that your library might create on its website? If you are likely to participate, what blog subjects would interest you?
I would definitely be interested in participating. The areas that would be of greatest interest to me are books, games, and history. I would love to get older folks involved so that they can share their stories and experiences before it’s too late.
3. In your opinion, has your home library moved past 1.0 technology into the Library 2.0 generation?
Not really. I think they still have a lot of work to do. As I previously mentioned, the only interactive aspect of the website is the email a librarian link. Everything else is static and non-participatory. I am very curious as to why this is. Is it lack of knowledge about 2.0 technology? Fear of it? Lack of resources? Or do they feel that it is unnecessary? Perhaps I need to email my reference librarian for the answer.
Beth & Ami,
I wonder if the blogs would get more use if they were posted with specific questions for patron's comments, sort of like we do here.
I agree that posting discussion questions could help to encourage the commenting on blogs. The only concern I have is it seeming more like homework than a social interaction. Several of the posts on our website include references that needed to be researched, read, interpreted and posted. That sounds like a lot of extra work for someone who is just interested in interacting. Again, it depends on the audience and what they are expected to get out of the blog. Some blogs may be able to accommodate both. Some people may enjoy doing that research where as others may prefer to read the research of other people without having to find it themselves.
Both websites have a lot more things for the user to look at them the websites at our home library. It would also be imporant for members of the staff to find the websites interesting.
I would love to sign up for a blog at my library. It would keep me intouch with the community and I could discuss different books with patrons.
I think my home library has moved up to Web 2.0, the technology seems to have really improved.
Like many of you, my home library is nothing like these two. However, they are renovationg this summer and from the looks of things, they may be finally getting on the Web 2.0 wagon. One of their employees especailly will thrive as a Librarian 2.0. The library and community on the whole already loves him for his courtesy and his knowledge.
I'm not quite the blogger as it is, but the one we read about last week Blogging for a Good Book - that is one that intersts me and would participate in regularly.
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